PURPOSE: The primary learning objective for this assignment is construct an initial draft of a professional development plan that includes a personal teaching philosophy grounded in learning theories.
As a final assignment for this course, you will be asked to reflect on what you have learned and what you still want to learn. You may already have formulated a formal (or informal) personal academic development plan and philosophy of teaching. Perhaps you did this as part of a faculty evaluation process or for performance evaluation in your clinical work. If you have, pull that out and you can use this assignment to update and enhance that work. If you do not have a formal plan in writing (or it is informal now and not specifically articulated), you will use this assignment to get your plan and philosophy down “on paper” — or in reality in a Word document!
TASK: What is expected for this assignment? We started this course with a video assignment where you introduced yourself and gave an “elevator pitch” for your philosophy of teaching and learning.
- Go back and review that pitch, and now take time to flesh this out in 2-3 paragraphs with citations that ground your philosophy in the literature (make sure to cite using APA or AMA format, include a reference list). This will be the introduction to your Personal Academic Development Plan. This is my video pitch (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_uIrDUu59w)
- Next add an additional paragraph that states how you can use your teaching and learning philosophy to help frame your interests in research/dissertation work (which may relate to Boyer’s model of the Scholarship of Teaching, Learning and Assessment or the Scholarship of Engagement) and your service (academic, clinical, community, and professional).
- The next section of your plan will be your goals and strategies. List TWO SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-based) for each of the three main areas of faculty evaluation – teaching and learning, research and scholarship, and service (so 6 goals total). These should be goals that you can achieve in 1-3 years – make it relevant to your path and with this degree program in mind. Then, for each faculty evaluation area (teaching, scholarship, service), list 1 to 2 top strategies (with 2-3 associated behavioral objectives per strategy) that you can employ to help you achieve your goals in this time frame. You may find yourself listing tactics vs strategies or objectives, that is OK — but list them separately if they are relevant and not in place of a goal, strategy, or objective.
We will use the following definitions of goals, strategies, objectives, and tactics: https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikalbelicove/2013/09/27/understanding-goals-strategies-objectives-and-tactics-in-the-age-of-social/?sh=4ab425724c79Links to an external site.
- A goal is a broad primary outcome. [In our work we will use the SMART method – see above] – should be measurable/objective
- A strategy is the approach you take to achieve a goal – can be more subjective
- An objective is a measurable step you take toward achieving the goal, using the designed strategy. [In our work behavioral objectives will be measurable outcomes just as with good learning objectives…. and may be cognitive, affective, or psychomotor… remember to use relevant action verbs from Bloom’s taxonomy to denote the level of the objective – knowledge/recall, understanding, application, analysis, evaluation or creation]
- A tactic is a tool you use in pursuing an objective associated with a strategy – can be more subjective
CRITERIA: What will a completed and successful assignment look like? You will upload a Word document that is professionally organized. Section headings you are likely to us include Teaching Philosophy, Connection of Teaching Philosophy to Research and Scholarship, Goals and Strategies (with subheadings for Teaching, Scholarship, and Service). It is estimated that this document will be 4-6 pages long — if your work is considerably less or more than that, let’s chat before you submit to discuss how we can ensure you are meeting the intent of the assignment.
There are usually lots of questions about the Goals and Strategies area…. so here is a specific break down of what is expected and one way to organize it:
Goals and Strategies (main heading) – 2 SMART goals per subheading/area of evaluation (teaching, scholarship, service) for a total of 6 SMART goals; EACH SMART goal should have at least 1 strategy (more if appropriate) and EACH strategy should have at least 2 shorter-term objectives (more if appropriate)
Teaching (sub heading example — would repeat the same framework for Scholarship and Service)
1. First SMART Goal
a. One strategy for achieving the goal (the general approach used to succeed at the goal)
1. objective 1 (measurable step toward achieving to goal, using the strategy noted; tactics can be noted but are not themselves objectives, strategies, or goals)
2. objective 2
3. [objective 3]
[b. Second strategy for achieving the goal]
2. Second SMART Goal
a. One strategy for achieving the goal
1. objective 1
2. objective 2
3. [objective 3]
[b. Second strategy for achieving the goal]
[3. Third SMART Goal]
[a. One strategy for achieving the goal]
[1. objective 1]
[2. objective 2]
[3. objective 3]
[b. Second strategy for achieving the goal]
Personal Academic Development Plan Rubric
| Personal Academic Development Plan Rubric | ||
| Criteria | Ratings | Pts |
| This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomePhilosophy of Teaching Articulates a philosophy of teaching in 2-3 paragraphs with citations (1-3) that ground that philosophy in the literature; uses APA or AMA format for list of reference list | 15 pts | |
| This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeScholarship and Service Planning States how the teaching and learning philosophy will frame interests in research/dissertation work; makes relevant connnections to Boyer’s model of the Scholarship; makes connections to ideas for academic and professional service as appropriate service | 10 pts | |
| This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeSMART Goals Lists 2-3 SMART goals (these must be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-based) for each of the three main areas of faculty evaluation (teaching and learning, research and scholarship, and service) that could be achieved in 1-3 years. Goals are well written if they adhere to the SMART framework and make connections to one own’s professional development path and this degree program | 10 pts | |
| This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeStrategies For each faculty evaluation area (teaching and learning, research and scholarship, service), list at least 2 top strategies (each with 2-3 associate behavioral objectives) that are designed to result in achievement of the stated goals in the 1-3 year time frame; strategies are written well if they are not goals, not tactics, and are connected to the relevant goal; objectives should be logical steps to implement the strategy | 10 pts | |
Total Points: 45
