Transformative Learning in Online Faculty Development: Active Learning, Critical Reflection and Social Discourse, and Implementation as Critical Elements in Achieving Transformative Change
Abstract: COVID19 brought many changes to the educational scene in both K12 and higher education with forced remote teaching and learning for all across several months. In the time immediately following that mandate, instructional designers at one university worked tirelessly to certify all instructors on their campus to teach online as required by the university. What followed was the beginning a paradigm shift for many instructors that led to changed perceptions about online learning and what it could afford. With some experience, instructors now wanted to move beyond the basics of instructional design and move into more advanced related topics such as teaching methods that promote student interaction and active learning, and issues specifically related to ADA/accommodations and diversity and equity. In Summer 2021, these same instructional designers developed a 9-week Summer Institute with designed with a transformative learning lens. Research uncovered clear characteristics of faculty development that facilitated transformative learning and this small, qualitative study found that not only were these previous findings confirmed, but that special focus might be given to feedback and goal setting in future professional development design and evaluative research.