IJPE: The International Journal of Process Education

Volume 3 Issue 1

Welcome to the third volume of the International Journal of Process Education. In this issue, we are focusing on continuous improvement, which is a prime component of our philosophy. In addition, the authors have collaborated across different disciplines, organizational types, and geographical regions on topics that range from personal development to team and program development to the transformation of teaching and learning on a macro scale.

From the Editorial Board

The first two articles discuss processes in the context of individual self-development:
Our opening article features Desjarlais and Smith discussing “A Comparative Analysis of Reflection and Self-Assessment.” The focus is to provide a thorough understanding of the practices of both processes and to provide a method to gauge the effectiveness of each.
In “Classification of Life Enrichment Skills,” Leise develops a new set of learning skills with inherent “themes” that build on each other: enhancing health and wellness, developing identity, enhancing quality of achievements, increasing the effectiveness of community involvement, and transforming meaning. This classification is intended as a guide to building skills related to living a satisfying and meaningful life.

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A Comparative Analysis of Reflection and Self-Assessment

by Melissa Desjarlais, Peter Smith

Abstract

Reflection is a personal process that can deepen one’s understanding of self and can lead to significant discoveries or insights, while self-assessment is a process that involves establishing strengths, improvements, and insights based on predetermined performance criteria. In this paper we will perform a comparative analysis of reflection and self-assessment, clarifying the differences in definition, methodologies, and results. We will model a familiar situation using both processes to illustrate the need for doing reflection and self-assessment and to differentiate their separate purposes. In the process, we will elucidate some tips for engaging in reflection and self-assessment and for deciding which process best suits a given situation; we will also discuss ways to evaluate their effectiveness.

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Classification of Life Enrichment Skills

by Cy Leise

Abstract

The Faculty Guidebook (Beyerlein, Holmes, & Apple, 2007) includes complete skill sets for cognitive, social, and affective domains. In the 1950s, Benjamin Bloom and his associates published educational goal taxonomies for psychomotor as well as cognitive and affective domains (Anderson, et al., 2000). However, many other skills are important for the development of a meaningful life such as those that promote physical and mental wellness, and the making of decisions and strategies related to identity development and personal lifestyle, community involvement, and the search for personal meaning. Learning-to-Learn Camps, faculty development institutes, personal growth plans, and many other Process Education™ interventions have been developed to promote personal and professional growth. The research basis for the Classification of Life Enrichment Skills is from scholarly fields such as positive psychology, adult development, counseling psychology, and community action models. The use of themes, rather than a hierarchy of processes, as in the learning skill domains, has been adopted to make clear that there are not “lower” items in the classification that are required to support movement towards “higher” items. A table of life enrichment skills provides examples that illustrate potential uses of the classification as a tool whose use can be generalized beyond the skills presently included. Many intervention models in education, counseling, life coaching, pastoral work, and community action might be enhanced by establishing themes and skills that need to be incorporated for successful processes and outcomes related to empowerment in any context.
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Ecological Leadership

by Victor Harms and Cy Leise

Abstract

Ecological leadership incorporates a systems perspective as a basis for conceptualizing and assessing the integration of leadership performance with organizational priorities. Traditional leadership models referred to as charismatic, positional, and industrial all share an emphasis on top-down or hierarchical power—a characteristic value in times of crisis or for efficiently achieving well-established goals, services, and products. The ecological leader has an advantage when the stability and success of an organization require a focus on effective processes that must be deployed flexibly to maximize effective implementation of the vision. The maximization of all available resources on any given problem or opportunity is one of the primary advantages of the ecological leadership process. This process also embraces the inclusion of any and all people who have specific knowledge, skill, or experience to advance projects or initiatives. For each of the various dimensions of leadership there are tipping points that contribute to decisions by leaders, in full collaboration with stakeholders, to move from the traditional/positional leadership structure and role to an ecological leadership process and role.
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A Methodology for Team Teaching with Field Experts

by Yaomin Dong, Jacqueline El-Sayed, and Mohamed El-Sayed

Abstract

To achieve program and course educational objectives and outcomes in a professional degree program, field experience and familiarity with current practices are usually needed, especially in upper level courses. One way of bringing these field experiences and practices into the classroom is for faculty to partner with experts in the field. The advantages to the students, the faculty, and even the collaborating experts are numerous. To ease the development of this type of experiential learning, a methodology for such collaboration is needed. This paper provides a template for a team taught course in which university faculty partner with practicing experts. A methodology is developed that includes guidelines, activities, and recommended practices. This methodology can be used by faculty to more easily integrate field practice into their classrooms. To illustrate the use of the developed methodology, a case study of a team taught course with field experts is provided.

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Faculty Efficacy in Creating Productive Learning Environments: Universal Design and the Lens of Students with Disabilities

by Tristan T. Utschig, Nathan W. Moon, Robert L. Todd, Aaron Bozzorg

Abstract

We present findings from the SciTrain University project, particularly as it relates to faculty development efforts. SciTrain University is a program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education to improve the accessibility of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education for students with disabilities. In this case study we investigate two broad research questions. First, what do participants learn about creating productive learning environments for all students, including disabled learners, as a result of program participation? Second, what actions have been elicited among various stakeholders toward improving the classroom learning environment, particularly for students with disabilities? In this paper we highlight some of the main features of SciTrain University including workshops and web modules for faculty development. We then introduce the project assessment and evaluation process. Next, we discuss the impact this project has produced for a set of 15 faculty participants. Impacts include transferring ownership of the learning process to students through several classroom activities such as group note taking; creating a greater sense of community through enhanced online communication tools such as forums; and expanding assessment of student learning into the classroom using multiple modes of learning within a class period. Finally, we discuss the potential broader impacts of the SciTrain University project.

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Lean Program and Course Assessments for Quality Improvement

by Mohamed El-Sayed, Jacqueline El-Sayed, Jim Morgan, Timothy Cameron

Abstract

Process Education™ is founded on two basic beliefs: that no learner should be marginalized, and that educators have a responsibility to create and improve the quality of learning environments. Lean thinking, a systems approach used to improve quality in industrial and organizational settings, is also founded on two basic beliefs of respect for people and the importance of continuous improvement. The similarities between these two philosophies could be leveraged in facilitating the implementation of some of the well developed and tested aspects of lean thinking in Process Education. One of the core principles of Process Education is the importance of assessment of performance: its purpose is to continuously improve the educational process. This paper focuses on the utilization of lean principles to guide the development of educational program and course assessment processes. It discusses the flow process in designing educational objectives and outcomes from the program level down to course learning objectives and outcomes, and the additional processes of establishing performance criteria and targets for assessment. Some illustrative examples are presented to demonstrate concepts at play during the development and implementation of the assessment process.

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The Transformation of Education: 14 Aspects

by Denna Hintze, Steve Beyerlein, Dan Apple, Carol Holmes

Abstract

While calls for reform in education are arguably as old as the enterprise of education itself, there is a new sense of urgency accompanying the reports of those who study the economic and cultural impacts of education, at all levels. This article offers a framework for understanding and responding to both internal (largely academic and pedagogical) and external (largely economic and cultural) pressures for positive transformation in teaching and learning. Fourteen aspects of educational cultural change are labeled, defined, and characterized in terms of historical tendencies and future directions that hold promise for better fulfillment of society’s expectations and needs. For each aspect, a core set of modules is identified from the Faculty Guidebook, linking that aspect to the larger body of Process Education™ scholarship. Meaningful descriptors for recognizable stages of transformation within each aspect are proposed from this analysis. Each aspect is then illustrated through examples typifying student and faculty behavior, as observed in faculty development institutes, workshops, and classroom teaching on the part of the authors. Three broadly applicable tips are also given for managing affective, practical, and research issues associated with moving to increasingly transformed practices within each aspect. The finished product is packaged in a new online learning object that is currently undergoing usability testing. The article concludes with an exploration of potential future uses for the learning object.

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