How Can Systems Thinking Strengthen Faculty Development?

Faculty development and professional development initiatives have long been reliable first steps to improving campus outcomes and culture. The assumption is that if individuals and small groups change their attitudes, skills, and behaviors, an entire campus will improve. Faculty are a key element of a work system, and their development is necessary, but it is not sufficient to shift an entire work system – work structures and processes must also be addressed in order for faculty to do their best work.

This 20-Minute Mentor details the importance of incorporating systems thinking to improve workplace culture, processes, and implement systemic change. Participants will be given the tools and framework to make tweaks to the work systems at play within their campus. By paying special attention to work systems and the aspects that make them, faculty development professionals can more effectively implement changes to anything from culture to workload.

Learning Goals

After viewing this Magna 20-Minute Mentor, participants will be able to:

• Recognize how systems thinking can be used to shift systems within an organization
• Understand how the development of individuals and groups is a necessary, but insufficient approach to transform an entire campus culture
• Pinpoint how current faculty professional development activities can be augmented to lead to larger-scale organizational change

Topics Covered

• Overview of the Systems Thinking Model
• Overview of the Work Systems Model
• The relationship between faculty/professional development initiatives and organizational development initiatives

Audience

This program will benefit:

• Faculty Developers
• Educational Developers
• Centers for Teaching and Learning Staff

Product Code: OM23AD