Developing a Professional Portfolio

Sarah Macdonald, Nova Scotia Agricultural College

Janice Landry, St. Francis Xavier University

CAUCE Conference 2012Saskatoon, SK

May 29, 2012

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Session Objectives

1. Participants will identify the differing aspects of leadership within university continuing education

2. Participants will reflect on their experience as practitioners to enhance their ability to develop a professional portfolio.

3. Participants will explore how practitioners can use the development of a professional portfolio as a tool to reflect on and reveal their own practice.

4. Participants will explore the professional portfolio as a means to advocate for the practice of CE at their institution.

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ACTIVITY: Why prepare a Professional/Personal Portfolio?

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Why a Professional/Personal Portfolio?

University Continuing Education is complex and multi-layered.

“The description of continuing education practice provided by continuing educators is much richer and more multifarious than anything described in the literature.” (Percival, 1993, p. 142)

A portfolio is a presentation of artifacts that reveals the complex nature of Continuing Education

“One of your greatest assets as a continuing educator will be your ability to reflect on and learn from your experiences in practice. Learning is vital to your development as an adult educator.” (Percival, 1993, p. 144)

Background

Both of our journeys included graduate studies Enriched our views of our own practice Two models of Leadership re continuing education Moroney, 2007 & Landry, 2011

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ACTIVITY: Roles of CE LEADERSHIP

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Lived Experience of University Continuing Education Leaders (Landry, 2011) – Themes & Experiences

Theme 1: Administrative Leaders as Functional Leaders Funding/financial responsibilities/pressures Represents Continuing Education/University Quality assurance/best practices

Theme 2: Administrative Leaders as Human Resource Leaders Valuing/Supporting Staff Developing Staff Processes Mentoring/Empowering Staff

Theme 3: Rhythm of Administration Collaboration Accessibility/Responsive to needs of learners Variety/Diversity Creativity/ Innovation/Development Risk

Lived Experience of University Continuing Education Leaders (Landry, 2011) – 6 themesTheme 4: Historical Influence on Current Practice

Attitudes and culture towards unit Restructuring of the unit

Theme 5: Voice of Administrators Intra-university relationships Positioning Continuing Education Community relationships Strategic planning Continuing Education as value-added Professional development connections

Theme 6: Spirit of Administration Continuing Education as a career Healthy work/life balance Sense of mission Personal/professional growth In touch with your own values

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Some Elements in a Professional Portfolio

Curriculum vitae (CV) Philosophy Reflections

Letter to self Journalling Metaphors Paragraph about your

competencies

Artifacts Brochures/Flyers Certifications – Academic and

Informal Learning Evidence – Letters of appreciation Personal Inspirations Performance Reviews/Course

Evaluations Org Chart

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ACTIVITY: What Elements are Important for Your Portfolio?

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How Can This Be Organized???

Themes/Dimensions/Domains of Practice Evidence (Artifacts) Reflections

Continuing Education Leadership Matrix (Moroney, 2007)

• Business development

• Organization & systems

• Knowledge creation & transfer

• Learning facilitation

Adult Educator Academic

EntrepreneurAdministrator

Entrepreneur Domain

• Business plans; market research and strategies; strategic partnerships

Business development

• Inventive; creative; opportunistic; dynamic

Personal qualities

• develop new markets; program concepts; innovative marketing; new revenue streams

Innovative capacity

Entrepreneur - Reflection Element

“Combining business goals and academic pursuits is often an area of conflict within academic institutions...”

Landry (2011) speaks of the importance of balance in CE leadership. It is hard to find the balance between being entrepreneurial and leading in continuing education.

“My tactic for dealing with this area is always to make the pie bigger; for example, demonstrate that the more opportunities we have through good market research, development and business planning, the more that we can contribute to adult education in agriculture.”

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Entrepreneur – Artifact Element

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Item Type Significance

Brochure of CE (general) Original Intended for general market

Program Brochures Original Targeted to a specific audience

Extended Learning slide Print Explanation to faculty of program roles

Cartoon Slide PrintReminder that enthusiasm for new projects must balance with resources available.

Excerpt from Spreadsheet Print Budget analysis and forecast preparation

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Reflection

Wilson & Hayes (2000) stated We also believe that adult and continuing education is also essentially a human endeavor, a social practice of human interaction that depends significantly upon its practitioners’ assumptions, values, and experiences to shape practical actions, action themselves that are profoundly affected by the larger socio-cultural-economic-political conditions in which they take place… Informed professional action also depends significantly on how practitioners rely upon their assumptions, values, and experiences to “see” and thus shape their daily work... professional practice represents a complex interaction of educator and context (p. 17).

Lived Experience - University Continuing Education Leaders (Landry (2011)

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Further Reflections

Cervero and Wilson (2006) point out, education is a struggle for knowledge and power. “Educational programs matter because they create possible futures in the lives of people, organizations and communities.” (p. 91)

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Tables of Contents

Janice’s

Section One - Personal Thoughts and Reflections Letter to Self Personal Philosophy of adult

education Reflections Metaphor

 Section Two – Organizational Info Organizatonal chart Relationships

Section Three - Leadership Style

Section Four - Assessment Instruments

Section Five – Other Connections / Influences Aha moments Lessons Learned Reference List

Sarah’s

Summary 3

Introduction 4

Curriculum vitae 6

Philosophy of Adult Education 10

My Adult Education Practice 12

Academic 13

Reflection 13

Artifacts 14

Entrepreneur 15

Reflection 15

Artifacts 16

Administrator 17

Reflection 17

Artifacts 18

Adult Educator 19

Reflection 19

Artifacts 21

Conclusion 22

Citation List 23 19

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Sharing our Story Continuing education practice is complex and multi-layered.

An opportunity to look a the taken-for-grantedness of practice

An awareness of the depth and layers of practice and opportunity to “share the story”. Townsend (2002) revealed that “sharing ‘on the job’ stories can be a powerful way to gain deeper understanding of your work and reinvigorate your passion for educational leadership” (p. 1).

Awareness is the first step to being a good advocate!

Professional Portfolios

The portfolio is a way of demonstrating competency and skill, commitment to ongoing professional development and informal learning/lifelong learning. It also supports reflection and realization regarding practice and praxis.

With a heightened awareness of who we are as practitioners, we can develop strategies to increase our influence and advocacy within the university, for ourselves, for lifelong and distance learning, and for the learners and communities we serve.

As advocates for the learners and the communities we serve, it is important for us to be in touch with our professional practice.

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Wilson & Hayes (2000) stated We also believe that adult and continuing education is also essentially a human endeavor, a social practice of human interaction that depends significantly upon its practitioners’ assumptions, values, and experiences to shape practical actions, action themselves that are profoundly affected by the larger socio-cultural-economic-political conditions in which they take place… Informed professional action also depends significantly on how practitioners rely upon their assumptions, values, and experiences to “see” and thus shape their daily work... professional practice represents a complex interaction of educator and context (p. 17).

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ReferencesBecker, C. (1992). Living and relating: An introduction to phenomenology. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.Caffarella, R. S. (2002). Planning programs for adult learners: A practical guide for educators, trainers and staff

developers (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.Cervero, R. M., & Wilson, A. L. (2006). Working the planning table: Negotiating democratically for adult, continuing and

workplace education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Crotty, M. (2003). The foundations of social research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.Fleming, J. E., & Caffarella, R. (2000). Leadership for adult and continuing education. In T. J. Sork, V. L. Chapman, & R.

St. Clair (Eds.), Proceedings of the 41st Annual Adult Education Research Conference (pp.118-122). Vancouver, Canada: The University of British Columbia. www.adulterc.org/Proceedings/2000/flemingj&caffarellar-final.PDF

Landry, J. (2011). Lived experience of university continuing education leaders. Canadian Journal of University Continuing Education, 37(2), 1-16.

Moroney, P. (2007). Continuing education leadership matrix: A model for practitioners in higher education. Canadian Journal of University Continuing Education, 33(1), 61–82.

Moustakas, C. (1994). Phenomenological research methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.Patton, M. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.Percival, A. (1993). Practicing theory: A guide to becoming an effective adult education programmer. Saskatoon, SK:

University of Saskatchewan.Townsend, R. (2002). Telling stories. Leadership, 31(4), 8-11.Wilson, A. & Hayes, E. (2000). On thought and action in adult and continuing education. In A. Wilson, & E. Hayes (Eds).

Handbook of adult and continuing education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Questions? Thoughts?

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Appendix:

Domain Artifacts – Academic Administrative Adult Educator

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Academic Domain - Artifacts

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Item Type Significance

Title Page, 4th Year Project Photocopy Undergraduate quantitative research

Factsheet published by provincial government department

Photocopy Research and writing in a specialized topic for non-academic audience

Governor General’s Medal Photo Academic Achievement

Poster Promoting Teaching Awards

Print Chaired Selection Committee

Master Gardener Presentation CD Presented information about horticulture program to an academic association (CADAP)

Invitation to Participate Email Collaboration with NSAC Researchers in a Research Proposal

Administrative Domain - Artifacts

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Item Type Significance

Certificate in Tech Ed Program BrochureDemonstrates administrative leadership; innovation for business growth

H1N1 Plan PrintStaff participated in working out a process for emergency plan

Strategies and Actions Document PrintTable that articulates goals, activities, outcomes; HR and communication planning tool.

Program Priority Rating Chart PrintConsensus based planning tool – is an HR management tool as well

Enrollment Document Print Demonstrates proficiency in data and conversion of data using pivot tables in Excel

Adult Educator - Artifacts

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Item Type Significance

PEI Farm Tech Presentation CDCommunication to Canadian Agriculture Human Resource Council (CAHRC)

Our Approach to CE CD Presentation to Tanzanian visitors

Invitation to PEI Farm Tech Ceremony Copy

Celebration with adult learners at the end of their block release program.

CAUCE letter Copy Acknowledgement of liaison work

Email from Master Gardener Local Coordinator Print

Recognition of “flexibility, support and faith” in adult learners

St. FX Adult Ed. Certificate Copy Program completed in 2000.

Excerpt from St. FX Research Report Print

Completion of the Master’s of Adult Education Program. This excerpt demonstrates findings of my research.