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One-Day, One-Problem pp 259–281Cite as

A Staff Education and Development Programme to Support PBL

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Abstract

Republic Polytechnic (RP) is a learning institution dedicated to helping learners engage conceptually and socially through the problem-based learning (PBL) approach. Given both the pervasive and immersive way the institution has embraced this pedagogy through the “One-day, one-problem” approach, setting up a parallel programme to support academic staff in designing and facilitating PBL activities is equally important. This chapter explores the issues surrounding teacher development and education frameworks, learning methods and quality assurance within a PBL environment and proposes a model of staff development focused on critical reflection, peer feedback and continued teacher education so as to develop competent PBL practitioners and leaders who can become specialists in the areas of facilitation and curriculum design. The staff development model is organised around three phases: (1) a staff development and training programme; (2) two certificate programmes in facilitation and problem-crafting; and (3) a coaching and leadership programme. The rest of this chapter examines these programmes in detail and their impact on supporting academic staff in making a successful transition to a PBL environment. Using data from student and staff surveys, peer observations, certification interviews and training evaluation forms, they provide critical insights into how to facilitate change to a PBL model and develop a culture of reflective practice, open sharing and transformational learning.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Republic Polytechnic, Singapore, Singapore

    Karen P. L. Goh

Authors
  1. Karen P. L. Goh
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Karen P. L. Goh .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. woodlands Avenue 9, Singapore, 738964, Singapore

    Glen O'Grady

  2. Singapore, Singapore

    Elaine H.J. Yew

  3. Woodlands Avenue 9, Singapore, 738964, Singapore

    Karen P.L. Goh

  4. Rotterdam, 3062 PA, Netherlands

    Henk G. Schmidt

Appendices

Appendix A: Professional Development Roadmap for Academic Staff

The Academic Staff (AS) Roadmap, launched in April 2009, identifies a number of desired competencies in relation to being an academic staff at RP. These include, for example, facilitation, problem crafting, academic leadership and educational research. The AS Roadmap specifies the development opportunities provided to staff in order to successfully complete key milestones in the acquiring the desired competencies. Key features of the roadmap include:

  • The organisation of staff development activities around specific competencies.

  • The specification of key milestones over extended and notional periods of time.

  • The introduction of core staff development activities and electives that are linked to the achievement of respective competencies.

  • The awarding of the Certificate of Completion to staff upon their completion of the extended 104 h PBL Foundation Programme as an enabling milestone prior to the achievement of the Certificate in Facilitation and Certificate in Problem Crafting.

  • The introduction of a formal peer coaching framework to enhance the overall quality of facilitation and to formally recognise coaching efforts by way of PBL development hours.

  • The creation of external professional development opportunities for staff through the attainment of recognition of RP’s PBL development activities.

For academic staff (notional years 1–5)

Facilitation: certificate of completion for PBL foundation programme

Certificate in facilitation

Ongoing development as facilitator

Curriculum design: assignment to craft problems

Ongoing development as problem crafter

Ongoing development as problem crafter

Leadership: assuming role as module chair

Ongoing development as module chair

Peer coach (after attaining certificate in facilitation)

Year 1

Years 2–3

Year 4

Year 5

104 core hours (PBL foundation programme)

30 core hours (facilitation: intermediate level)

18 core hours (facilitation: intermediate level)

Elective hours (facilitation: intermediate level)

PBL foundation: Introduction + consultancy

Class and peer observations

Workshops on daily assessment; encouraging meaningful reflection; understanding youth behaviour & learning; motivating learners to be self-directed; managing the PBL classroom; listening & questioning; and strategies to facilitate collaborative learning among students

Workshops on facilitating Effective 1st, 2nd and 3rd meetings

Class and peer observations

Class and peer observations

Workshops on effective classroom dialogue and becoming a reflective facilitator

Workshops on the use of technology for learning in the classroom; E-learning principles and tools; scaffolding through facilitation; giving feedback to students; facilitating practical skills; and principles of good teaching and learning (effective instruction)

Elective hours (curriculum design: introductory level)

Introduction to problem crafting and test design

Elective hours (curriculum design: introductory level)

Customised workshops on designing problem packages and enhancing teaching and learning (design of stretch questions, design of pre and post-reading materials)

Elective hours (leadership: introductory level)

 

Elective hours (leadership: introductory level)

Sessions on analysing student feedback survey and academic quality assurance

Workshops on learning to peer coach

Minimum requirements and milestones:

Complete 104 core hours within 12–18 months

Complete 48 core hours (facilitation: intermediate level) by end of Year 4

Complete at least 20 h of developmental workshops in academic professional development roadmap

Certificate of completion for PBL foundation programme

Attempt certificate in facilitation

Monitored at end of 1st contract

Monitored at end of fourth year at point of subsequent contract renewal (Note: academic staff must achieve certificate in facilitation by end of eighth year)

For academic staff/manager (notional years 6–10)

Facitation

Attainment of advanced certificate in training and assessment (ACTA) – to be a trainer of external programmes (Workforce Development Agency approved) with the Institute for Adult Learning

Curriculum design

Attainment of higher levels of problem crafting (Associate Problem Crafter/Problem Crafter/Specialist Crafter/Master Crafter)

Certificate in problem crafting

Leadership/mentoring

Mentoring staff in facilitation and curriculum design

Developing as peer coach and module chair

Educational research

Presentation at an educational conference

Elective hours (facilitation: intermediate level)

Internal workshop on facilitation revisited – teaching and learning

External ACTA (45 h programme instead of the original 100 h)

Elective hours (curriculum design: intermediate level)

Elective hours (curriculum design: intermediate level)

Customised workshop on assessment design

Customised workshop on evaluation of problems

Elective hours (leadership – intermediate level)

Elective hours (leadership – intermediate level)

Customised workshop on module design

Session on academic quality assurance

Sessions on coaching for certification panelist and academic quality assurance

Consultancy on preparing for variation to/within RP-PBL

Elective hours (educational research –introductory level)

Elective hours (educational research –intermediate level)

Attendance at monthly educational research colloquium (MERC) and bi-annual PBL symposium

Quantitative and qualitative research methods workshops (beginner and intermediate)

Presentation at MERC & PBL symposium

Contribution to PBL newsletter/education review

Presentation at external educational conference

For senior academic staff/senior academic manager (notional years 11–15)

Faciliation

Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education (NIE) or other external postgraduate qualification in education

RP staff trainer

Curriculam design

Problem reviewer

Leadership/mentoring

Assuming the role of a mentor or programme chair

Educational research

Publication in an international education journal

Elective hours (facilitation – advanced level)

Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education– (138 h instead of the original 228 h)

Workshops on learning needs analysis; adult learning; and facilitation tools & strategies for adult learners

Qualification requirements as stipulated by external institution

Publication in peer-reviewed educational journal

Attachment to external educational institutions

Elective hours (curriculum design – advanced level)

Customised workshop on alternative assessment methods

Elective hours (leadership – advanced level)

Workshops on marking and analysing tests and setting and validating test standards

Elective hours (educational research – advanced level)

Workshop on advanced quantitative research methods

  1. Additional notes:
  2. • Eight training hours can also be clocked for participation in annual learning retreat
  3. • Staff may also attend any other academic development activities according to learning needs
  4. • Senior staff or those earmarked for leadership may be placed on an accelerated development track
  5. Source: http://www.myrp.sg/ced/informationlibrary/index.aspx

Appendix B: Facilitator Observation Form

Observed facilitator:

 

Date:

 

School/centre:

 

Day/class:

 

Module:

 

Problem No./title

 

Observer:

 

Process

Attributes

Check

Comments

1

2

3

4

First meeting

Ensures that teams have assigned roles and they carry out the roles

     

Encourages teams to organise thoughts using problem definition template

     

Encourages self-directed learning

     

Employs appropriate questioning techniques to generate discussion

     

Second meeting

Monitors progress and checks for learning obstacles

     

Checks on and manages team dynamics

     

Encourages interaction and evaluation of one another’s ideas

     

Helps participants to build on each other’s ideas

     

Employs appropriate questioning techniques to help students

     

Third meeting

Creates opportunities for interaction and evaluation of one another’s presentation

     

Applies good questioning techniques to encourage critical thinking

     

Provides timely and appropriate feedback

     

Summarises the day’s learning

     

Other areas

Manages and distributes time effectively

     

Gives clear instructions

     

Manages behaviour and copes with disruptions

     

Creates conducive learning environment and builds rapport with students

     

Engages students in learning and discussion

     

Allows sufficient wait time for questions and answers

     

Takes active role in affirming students’ confidence

     

Further comments

 
  1. Source: (Staff Development Management System 2009b)
  2. 1 (not evident) 2 (weakly evident) 3 (satisfactory evident) 4 (strongly evident)

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Goh, K.P.L. (2012). A Staff Education and Development Programme to Support PBL. In: O'Grady, G., Yew, E., Goh, K., Schmidt, H. (eds) One-Day, One-Problem. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-4021-75-3_12

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