Learn about a method that can improve the success and sustainability of introducing changes to your teaching practice
Session Type
Workshop
Room
Physics and Astronomy, room 150
Start Date
17-7-2025 1:30 PM
End Date
17-7-2025 2:30 PM
Keywords
sustainable change, pedagogical innovation, theory of change, professional development
Primary Threads
Education Technologies and Innovative Resources
Abstract
Not long ago, COVID-19 restrictions forced many in post-secondary education to “reinvent the wheel”, requiring sudden and radical changes to the delivery and assessment of curriculum. As we return to more-or-less pre-pandemic conditions, the question remains, are we slipping back into old and familiar routines due to the ever-present deficiency of time and resources? Have you found it challenging to innovate and implement changes to your teaching without jeopardizing your well-being? During this workshop, participants will learn about and apply a strategic planning framework—known as a theory of change—to a specific part of their teaching practice. Before the session, participants are encouraged to reflect on their practice and identify a pedagogical change they would like to implement. Please bring your own device (smartphone, laptop, tablet) so you can interact and engage during the workshop.
Studies examining reform efforts in post-secondary education refer to a theory of change as a systematic approach for the creation of a detailed plan of action (Anderson, 2005; Reinholz et al., 2021). A theory of change is a logic model that articulates a specific goal, the steps needed to achieve the goal, ways to measure each step’s success, and the assumptions that underlie the effort (Reinholz & Andrews, 2020). For example, to sustainably introduce a new student-centred approach, you might consider the following questions. What course revisions and new technologies are needed to reach your goal? How will you know you’ve achieved each step along the way? Are you making assumptions about the impact of your new approach on learning outcomes or colleagues? A theory of change can help you navigate the process of introducing sustainable changes to your teaching practice.
Elements of Engagement
Participants will collaborate in small groups to reflect on their own practice and identify the five elements of a relevant theory of change: (1) a final goal, (2) interventions needed to achieve (3) intermediate goals or preconditions, (4) indicators of each precondition, and (5) assumptions that underlie the reform effort’s context. A brief guide outlining the process of developing a theory of change will be provided during the workshop. Participants will receive feedback as they begin this planning process, and identify next steps needed to complete and implement their detailed plan of action, their theory of change.
Learn about a method that can improve the success and sustainability of introducing changes to your teaching practice
Physics and Astronomy, room 150
Not long ago, COVID-19 restrictions forced many in post-secondary education to “reinvent the wheel”, requiring sudden and radical changes to the delivery and assessment of curriculum. As we return to more-or-less pre-pandemic conditions, the question remains, are we slipping back into old and familiar routines due to the ever-present deficiency of time and resources? Have you found it challenging to innovate and implement changes to your teaching without jeopardizing your well-being? During this workshop, participants will learn about and apply a strategic planning framework—known as a theory of change—to a specific part of their teaching practice. Before the session, participants are encouraged to reflect on their practice and identify a pedagogical change they would like to implement. Please bring your own device (smartphone, laptop, tablet) so you can interact and engage during the workshop.
Studies examining reform efforts in post-secondary education refer to a theory of change as a systematic approach for the creation of a detailed plan of action (Anderson, 2005; Reinholz et al., 2021). A theory of change is a logic model that articulates a specific goal, the steps needed to achieve the goal, ways to measure each step’s success, and the assumptions that underlie the effort (Reinholz & Andrews, 2020). For example, to sustainably introduce a new student-centred approach, you might consider the following questions. What course revisions and new technologies are needed to reach your goal? How will you know you’ve achieved each step along the way? Are you making assumptions about the impact of your new approach on learning outcomes or colleagues? A theory of change can help you navigate the process of introducing sustainable changes to your teaching practice.