The faculty development program consists of a series of both stand-alone and interdependent initiatives that aim to help faculty improve their teaching and learning practices. Ongoing programs like the Facilitator Training Program, IST, Blended Teaching Experimentation Course, and Course Design Seminars are augmented with just in time interventions like (OPST) Online Pedagogical Skills Training Course and the (OTAT) Online TA Training Program.
LUMS launched the Instructional Skills Training (IST) workshop based on the Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW) lead by ISW trained trainers. IST is offered as a three-day workshop to new and experienced instructors either in a group of 5 participants with one facilitator or two facilitators and 10 participants. Participants design and conduct three mini-lessons and are given verbal, written, and video feedback from other participants who are learners in the mini-lessons. Theme sessions during the three days focus on Learning Outcomes, Active/Participatory learning, and Classroom Assessments. 65 participants including faculty and PhD students have been trained through IST workshops in the last academic year.
Facilitator training began at LUMS as a means to develop local capacity to conduct IST workshops. During these sessions, facilitators conduct theme sessions, ice breaker activities and receive feedback from trainees and the lead facilitator. Facilitators shadow an entire IST workshop and co-facilitate one IST workshop with a trained facilitator, thereby, completing 118 hours of training. After the successful completion of training, facilitators are certified as LUMS Certified Facilitators and are able to conduct IST workshops independently.
However, the scope of the facilitator training program has grown since then. The program is now the lead training program within the LUMS Learning Institute to build capacity within faculty and staff to conduct just in time interventions in response to a myriad of Post-Covid teaching and learning challenges. The Facilitator Training Program was central in preparing a group of facilitators to teach the popular and high demand 3 days Online Pedagogical Skills Training course. The course has been offered twice thus far and has helped train over 40 faculty members for teaching online in Fall 2020.
The blended Teaching Experimentation course provides an extended opportunity for teachers to practice and develop their lesson design and instructional skills in courses currently in session. Teachers use a combination of video and online annotation tools to offer feedback to peers on their lessons.
The 2-day course design seminar offers teachers the opportunity to design or redesign courses. Teachers work on developing course syllabi, attend short workshop sessions, and receive feedback from peers in small groups. The session is offered twice a year in face-to-face, online and blended formats.
The Online Pedagogical Skills Training course is a just in time intervention that aims to help faculty improve their teaching practices to teach students online. It is a 15-hour course spread over three days with specialized sessions on:
The course creates several opportunities for faculty to practice new techniques and giving and receiving feedback on their teaching. After three days, the faculty will take away a revised syllabus and specific online teaching skills.
