Catalyst

Catalyst is a collaborative faculty development program that explores pedagogy and provides design support to jumpstart new course design and instructional projects.

Catalyst is usually offered during Summer, but can be offered at other times of the year when there is sufficient demand or interest. Each iteration of the program is a session that lasts approximately 4 weeks, with two weeks focused on content and community activities followed by two weeks of dedicated project support.

Each time Catalyst is offered, the session will have a specific pedagogical focus that informs the content, activities, and design project for that session. The focus for each Catalyst session will be indicated in its title and explained in its description. Regardless of the focus, the primary goals of Catalyst are to brings faculty members together to:

1. 1. Explore the intersection of technology and pedagogy together through content-driven modules and online interaction
   2. Make progress on individual design projects with support from Academic Innovation and the Catalyst community
   3. Build a community around WOU’s passion for teaching and learning

If you have any questions about an upcoming Catalyst session, feel free to reach out to CTL@wou.edu to learn more!

Catalyst is open to all instructors at Western Oregon University. This includes all faculty members and staff who teach courses, even occasionally.

Catalyst is also open to staff members whose positions involve significant support for teaching and learning or who are involved in developing/facilitating training and professional development opportunities.

Catalyst is open to all members of WOU’s community. Our application form will ask if you need an accommodation to fully participate in the program so that we can work with you and the Office of Disability Services to make arrangements. If you have any questions about what sort of accommodations and supports are available for events and programs at WOU, please contact Disability Services at 503-838-8250 or ods@wou.edu.

The Catalyst program is divided into two parts:

1. 1. Learn & Engage
   2. Design & Build

Each part has its own focus and requirements:

• • Learn & Engage focuses on working through module-based content and interacting with other participants.
  • Design & Build focuses on each participant’s individual design project.

To advance to the second part (Design & Build), participants need to successfully complete modules and activities required in the first part (Learn & Engage). Details on each program stage are below.

Learn & Design is built around modules that cover pedagogical topics or instructional strategies. Each module has associated activities to spark discussion between participants, provide an opportunity to apply different concepts, and explore new technology and tools. The primary purpose of this part of Catalyst is to explore new ideas and engage with other participants in the course.

Modules are asynchronous but do need to be completed by specific deadlines. This is to ensure that participants are active at the same time so that we can engage one another and share ideas. So while there are no specific, scheduled meetings during Catalyst, it’s important to make time to work through the modules and activities in Part 1 during the first 7-10 days of the course so that we can build a community and engage.

• • Explore key, foundational concepts that support the pedagogical focus of the Catalyst session Build community by engaging with one another on different activities, discussions, and feedback opportunities.
  • Experiment with new tools and technology by completing different module activities Provide opportunities for participants to brainstorm ideas for their design project, with feedback from facilitators and other participants

We estimate Part 1 to take most participants 10-15 hours to complete, spread over 7-10 days. Specific details and deadlines will be posted within the course site.

Design & Build is a chance to take concepts, ideas, and feedback from the Learn & Engage phase and build something meaningful to your future teaching goals. Whatever the project, Academic Innovation and other Catalyst participants will be there to help you reach your goal and finesse your ideas.

To support your project, the Center for Teaching and Learning also provides instructional design consultations, technology assistance, and other resources.

Each design project is unique to the participant’s goals and teaching context. The only requirements for the project are:

• 1. Support a future teaching project, like an upcoming course
  2. Relate to the focus of the Catalyst session

Because the projects are individual, the scope of each project will vary based on what is most helpful to the participant. To help illustrate potential ideas, here are projects previous Catalyst participants have pursued:

• • Enhancing video content by adding in interactive elements or restructuring longer videos lectures into shorter, more focused videos
  • Converting a course from Moodle to Canvas and using the opportunity to refresh/optimize content and design
  • Developing a standard module format that improves student experiences by providing consistent and clear organization of content, activities, instructions, and deadlines
  • Creating online activities that foster social engagement, augmenting standard discussions with activities like simulations/roleplays, group annotation, peer feedback/review, and collaborative projects
  • You are not required to complete your project during Catalyst as we don’t want the scope and quality of the project to be limited by an arbitrary time constraint. However, you are required to actively work on your project during Catalyst and complete 3 check-ins during the program so that facilitators can provide feedback and suggestions.

You should expect to spend 10-15 hours on your design project, spread out over 2-3 weeks. AI staff will be available to provide support, such as instructional design consultations, technical assistance, tool suggestions, and other resources. You will also be able to share ideas with other participants and share project ideas. Many Catalyst sessions also include a peer faculty mentor who can be a great sounding board for your ideas.

Universal Design for Learning is an opportunity to explore an equity-oriented, research-based framework that seeks to improve educational access and outcomes for all learners! This Catalyst will explore key themes in Universal Design for Learning and strategies for providing multiple means of engagement, representation, and action & expression for learners. After exploring this foundational framework, participants will identify a design project related to an upcoming course or teaching goal as an opportunity to explore how Universal Design for Learning can empower learners, enhance accessibility, and create meaningful learning experiences.

Equity in Quantitative Literacy will explore and synthesize two domains: inclusive teaching and quantitative literacy. Inclusive teaching is an equity-focused approach to pedagogy that engages and welcomes all students. Quantitative literacy is one of our five undergraduate learning outcomes, consisting of comfort and competence in working with numerical data. This Catalyst will introduce participants to both areas and the connection between the two, culminating in a faculty-chosen project that infuses equity-focused teaching in a quantitative literacy context.

Online Teaching Foundation focuses on core pedagogical principles for quality online and technology-enhanced teaching, introducing frameworks like the Community of Inquiry and Universal Design for Learning. Through different activities, participants have a chance to try different technology tools that may be useful in their own teaching. Catalyst Foundations is a great opportunity for instructors new to teaching online. It may also be useful for more seasoned online instructors who would like to refresh their knowledge while receiving support for a design project.

Game-based Learning (GBL) focuses on using games and/or game elements in course design. Participants will explore a range of topics, including GBL vs. Gamification, Types of GBL, Benefits of GBL, and tools and strategies to support instructional design. We will also be looking at some well-known educational concepts supporting GBL, including Scaffolding, Self-Determination Theory, Distributed Content Delivery, Active Learning, and Task Engagement. Finally, participants will be provided with resources and support in developing their own GBL/gamified designs to encourage engagement (and fun) in their courses.

Inclusive Teaching Practices is an opportunity to explore strategies that promote inclusive learning environments. Inclusive pedagogy is a student-centered approach that works to build an engaging, welcoming environment for all students. This Catalyst will explore ways to foster connection with students, create equitable and transparent assessment strategies, and incorporate underrepresented and marginalized voices into course curriculum.

Each participant will identify a design project for an upcoming course or teaching project that they will evaluate and revise through a lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion.