professional integration

Shared Practice
PROFESSIONAL INTEGRATION
THE COLLÈGE DE MAISONNEUVE EXPERIMENT*
SILVIE LUSSIER
Educational advisor
CÉGEP de Maisonneuve
At the Collège de Maisonneuve, a report on regularsector faculty renewal shows that, between 2008 and
2014, 28% of the teaching staff will have left the Collège and, in some departments, the figure will be more
than 56% (Collège de Maisonneuve, 2008). It goes
without saying that, at Maisonneuve, as throughout
the college system, there is every reason to consider
the importance of ensuring the integration of the next
generation of teachers. In the early 1990s, the college
began looking for a formula that would allow novice
teachers to familiarize themselves with the profession
as practised in the college community in general, and
at and the Collège de Maisonneuve in particular. On
the basis of the deliberations of a sub-committee of its
academic council, the college identified the following
targets: integration into Maisonneuve, into the department, and into the teaching profession. Over the years,
different means have been implemented to promote
integration and professional development for novice
teachers: a documentation centre, mentoring, advice
on teaching, credit and non-credit courses, and the support of educational advisors. This article discusses the
very latest professional-integration experiment at the
college: the “Enseigner à Maisonneuve, une introduction”
[Teaching at Maisonneuve: An Introduction] program.
teaching at maisonneuve : an introduction
In the fall of 2010, the college decided to emphasize recruitment and support for novice teachers, making mandatory indepth training to introduce these new arrivals- to the college
environment, to Maisonneuve in particular, and to all types
of educational resources. Once the following term began,
the “Teaching at Maisonneuve: An Introduction” program
was offered to an initial cohort of ten teachers from seven
different disciplines.
KATIA
TREMBLAY
--
Educational
advisor
-CÉGEP de Maisonneuve
The program was the result of a joint project involving the
academic dean, educational advisors, teachers, and the professional-integration sub-committee.
program description
The program consists of an introduction to the teaching context at the Collège de Maisonneuve (structures, policies, etc.)
and the main teaching duties with respect to the planning,
delivery, and evaluation of learning. In addition to giving
novice teachers the documentation required to help them
carry out their roles and responsibilities, the goal of the
program is to help new teachers explore and take ownership
of their role. The accent is on practical issues and guidelines.
The topics dealt with are based on the competency profile of
college teachers (Laliberté and Dorais, 1999) as well as the
document entitled Enseigner au college...Portrait de la profession
(Comité paritaire, 2008).
The program is intended for teachers who are beginning
their first teaching sessions and have less than three years
of college-level experience. According to Lauzon (2002), in
the first term, novice teachers focus on the skills students
must develop and on course planning; concerns of a pedagogical nature and awareness of the challenges posed by the
profession come to the fore later. As a result, the invitation to
enroll in the program is sent out to teachers with at least one
term of experience. The unique feature of this activity is that
teachers can receive release time of 0.1 full-time equivalent
(FTE). From the outset, the college made the choice to invest in
training for new teaching staff, and in order to ensure project
sustainability, the administration and the union agreed to
take the necessary release time from wage funding. Participants
are also given three hours a week to attend weekly meetings.
While the “Teaching at Maisonneuve: An Introduction” program is based largely on activities that had already been
offered at the college, it focuses more on classroom management and incorporates a new theme: the educational context
at Maisonneuve (including information and communications
technologies ICT)). The 45 hours of training are divided into
five units (Table 1).
* The authors would like to thank Danielle-Claude Bélanger, Camil Cyr, and
Laurent Choquette for their invaluable contributions to this article.
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TABLEAU 1
THE FIVE UNITS OF THE “TEACHING AT MAISONNEUVE:
AN INTRODUCTION” TRAINING PROGRAM
unit 1
6 hours
Relationship with students/classroom
management
unit 2
12 hours
Getting to know the college community in
general and Maisonneuve in particular
unit 3
12 hours
Instructional strategies
unit
unit 4
12 hours
Feedback and learning evaluation
unit5
3 hours
Professional development
unit
1 Relationship with students/classroom management
This unit, which introduces novice teachers to the importance
of classroom management and their relationship with students
in order to ensure a climate conducive to learning, explores the
classroom contract, emerging student populations, and the importance of the first class. Participants become familiar with
various instructional strategies and receive assistance in laying
down rules.
unit
2 Getting to know the college community in general and Maisonneuve in particular
This unit involves college instruction generally, and the specifics
of teaching at the Collège de Maisonneuve in particular. Novice
teachers are introduced to teaching competencies and encouraged to read the documentation on the educational policies
governing their curriculum and course. Issues such as teachers’
duties, student characteristics, departmental life, the program
approach, and the skills-based approach are all covered. A meeting is also held on the technological environment and the college’s
computer resources, educational applications offered online, and
college-system resources.
unit
3 Instructional strategies
The goal of this unit is to familiarize participants with a broad
spectrum of instructional strategies that emphasize active, responsible student participation. By taking part in certain activities,
novice teachers explore the ideas and principles used to design
learning situations that promote integration and knowledge
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transfer. Students’ academic motivation helps teachers determine which classroom techniques to use. Educational planning
takes up a large portion of the unit. After various models of
micro-planning grids are introduced, participants are asked to try
them out by planning a class; feedback on this exercise makes it
possible to identify the advantages and limitations of this tool.
Classroom observations by a senior colleague and an analysis
of initial student feedback on the courses given by the novice
teachers round out the unit’s activities.
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4 Feedback and learning evaluation
This unit, which is centred on learning evaluation, covers evaluation and measurement principles from both a formative and a
summative standpoint. Participants are introduced to planning
the evaluation process, the development of tools that comply
with college rules, and departmental practices. Other topics
discussed include feedback, formative evaluation, tools that can
lighten the burden of correction, the PIEA [institutional policy on
evaluating student achievement], and evaluation-quality criteria.
unit
5 Professional development
At the end of the process, participants are encouraged to reflect
on the overall dimensions of their practices and guided through
the reflective process. The fifth unit includes a formative evaluation of their teaching via a student questionnaire, as well as
individual follow-up with the educational advisor responsible.
At the close of the 45-hour program, a friendly get-together
for the participants, workshop leaders, and teachers invited
to act as resources is organized. This gives everyone a chance
to conduct a “post-mortem”, to discuss how they felt about the
program, and to make suggestions. Participants are given a
certificate by the college’s Service de développement pédagogique
[educational development office], which are distributed to
mark the close of the program.
a collaborative experience
The resulting group plays a major role in the training, constituting a resource novice teachers can consult for assistance,
to solve problems, and to benefit from mutual support. The
formula’s flexibility means that meetings are also a place for
“venting” about teaching experiences, giving participants a
chance to realize they are not alone in feeling stress and
struggling with problems, and to mitigate their feelings of
isolation. Such exchanges also provide solutions to a number
of problems, and help novice teachers forge their professional identity.
DOSSIER
Professional Integration and Knowledge Transfer
With a few exceptions, meetings are headed up by an educational advisor and a teacher, this formula having already
been tested during previous integration activities and greatly
appreciated by all participants. The instructional strategies
in question borrow primarily from the seminar format, in
accordance with a transfer of expertise perspective. Teachers
invited to the meetings discuss their teaching activities and
strategies, share their material, and participate in group deliberations. Much of the documentation distributed consists
of examples of the strategies and tools used by such veterans.
Workshops of a more formal nature, assignments, and certain
program-related tasks and deliberations make it possible to
further explore the topics discussed. Theoretical syntheses of
the topics explored, as well as excerpts from texts, are also
briefly introduced. This corpus of reference documents, which
is available on the program’s Moodle site, is something participants can subsequently add to.
the strength of knowledge transfer
Transfer of expertise lies at the heart of the program. Over
time, experienced teachers have developed a considerable
base of knowledge, and the college feels it essential that it
be made available for use in the integration of novices. The
commitment of more senior teachers is a measure of the program’s success, as they are usually best at what they do.
Some colleges have chosen mentoring as a measurement of
integration. This approach promotes the transfer of expertise
between a more experienced teacher and one who is just starting out (Cantin and Lauzon, 2002). In the formula used at
Maisonneuve, the group setting is where novice teachers are
given an opportunity to profit from such expertise and continue in their chosen career by talking to their more experienced colleagues (many of whom have agreed, over the years,
to share their skills). As graduates of technical, pre-university,
or general-education programs, these individuals generously
discuss their ideas, advice, and methods, which help their
novice counterparts select the solutions that best suit their
personality. Veterans respond positively to each invitation to
participate, as they and other staff members share the conviction that a collaborative network is an asset and a measure
of the success of professional integration. In addition to the
advantage offered by these types of meetings in forging a
professional identity and the acquisition of pedagogical competencies, the program also gives participants an opportunity
to form bonds with teachers from other disciplines and enhances the feeling of belonging to the collectivity.
However, no program can, by itself, meet all the needs of new
teachers. The Collège de Maisonneuve’s program is just one
of the measures suggested by faculty, the departments, the
teachers’ union, the administration, and various services to
support novice teachers. Their integration into the department is just as important. The support and backup provided
as part of departmental life, in particular as regards departmental rules, the values and habits of the team in place,
and participation in the curricula, are vital. Participants are
therefore encouraged, depending on the nature of the situation in question, to refer to their colleagues, as well as college
authorities and services.
…the group setting is where novice teachers are given an
opportunity to profit from such expertise and continue in
their chosen career.
participant satisfaction
Once the program had been implemented, it was assessed
in order to measure participant satisfaction, ensure that any
needed corrections and adjustments were made, and allow a
profile of teachers involved in the integration process to be
established. At the end of each unit, participants were asked
to complete a short online questionnaire in the Omnivox
survey module. The first portion of the questionnaire was designed to collect general data (academic discipline, gender,
years of experience teaching college courses, teacher training) and data on the teaching context (number of courses
given during the session, course plans, and number of new
plans). The questions below dealt with teacher perceptions
of the program and instructional methods.
The approximately forty program participants who have taken
part in the program since its inception were generally satisfied, and would recommend each unit to other novice teachers. Participants were especially vocal in their praise of the
educational support provided by the weekly meetings. The
main comments on content involved the adoption of guidelines and the theoretical framework that improved their
practices. Participants were particularly appreciative of
classroom-management tools and teaching and evaluation
strategies; many felt the observation of other teachers was
also valuable. According to their remarks, the program met
their expectations, as can be seen from the following comments on the strengths of each unit.
- The following topics were extremely relevant: The Description
of the Teaching Profession; An Overview of the College’s
Departments; and Teaching, a Difficult Task. (Unit 2)
- I felt better equipped to take on the term. (Unit 1)
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- We learn specific strategies to use in class. (Unit 1)
- I’m more familiar with the learning process. (Unit 3)
- [The unit helped me] better understand the importance of
formative evaluations. (Unit 4)
Satisfaction with the program formula came up consistently
in the comments, with most respondents stressing the importance of knowledge transfer and mutual discussions. Many
participants acknowledged the availability of the experienced
teachers who attended the meetings, as well as the quality of
the discussions held, as reflected by the following comments:
- Very interesting and relevant guest speakers who share specific
experiences and “enlighten” all of us.
- The opportunity to talk to more experienced teachers.
- The quality of the guest speakers, the relevance of their expertise, and the knowledge they shared.
The group of teachers from different backgrounds also played
a significant role. Group interactions facilitate the exploration of new methods, make it possible to take time to reflect
on practices, and constitute a problem-solving circle among
colleagues. Many comments on the strengths of this component emphasized the benefits of group interaction and the
teacher-educational advisor combination.
- As the formula is geared toward discussion, we can all talk about
our individual experiences.
- The size of the group allows everyone to get involved.
Various improvements have been made subsequent to comments received from participants. Extra time is now given
to some of the more formal workshops in order to ensure
that participants have truly integrated the theory involved (for
example, on motivation and the learning cycle). Unit 1 now
also comprises more activities that clearly outline the issues
involved in classroom management and how do deal with
special-needs students. A presentation on various socio-cultural aspects in multi-ethnic classes will also be added to
this unit. In view of comments made, we felt it was essential,
especially in Unit 2, to properly identify teachers’ needs and
take account of the group composition (variety of experience
or previous education) into account in selecting topics. With
respect to Unit 4—Feedback and Learning Evaluation—at
the suggestion of participants, experienced teachers now
discuss some of their evaluation tools. Lastly, the time spent
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on exchanges among participants is now better managed,
giving everyone the chance to speak.
The data collected over time will help us arrive at a more
accurate depiction of teacher integration at Maisonneuve,
especially as concerns participation rate, participant origin,
participant profile (years of experience, teacher training),
and the factors that facilitate the integration process.
conclusion
The professional integration of novice teachers is without
question a responsibility that represents a considerable challenge for the province’s CÉGEPs. Given the stakes involved in
familiarizing these teachers with their institution and the
profession, the Collège de Maisonneuve met this challenge
by creating an environment that allows teachers to integrate
into their new academic communities, bolsters their professional competencies, and ensures they receive the support
they need.
Today, the Collège de Maisonneuve uses a formula that offers
both the transfer of knowledge initially emphasized and formal pedagogical training that, by lessening teachers’ workload,
ensures the participation of all new academic staff. Based
on guidelines related to the professional competencies to be
developed, and taking account of all characteristics inherent
in the profession, this formula is the most complete tested by
the college to date.
By offering a program headed up by instructors from the college milieu, the college is anticipating benefits both for itself
as well as for novice teachers, who form part of a community
of practice, enhance their knowledge of the resources available, improve the quality of their teaching, and contribute
more to college life. The college benefits from better staff
integration and teachers who are better trained in pedagogy,
thus promoting student success.
Now that four cohorts of participants have gone through the
process, certain questions still remain. Will the same number
of teachers continue to be hired? Should training frequency
be decreased? Will the increased number of novice teachers
having taken courses in pedagogy (before coming to Maisonneuve) make certain topics less relevant? Will the program
be as important in future professional-integration policies?
Follow-up conducted with coordinators of the departments
concerned, as well as with participating teachers and their
students, will help us quantify satisfaction with the program
DOSSIER
Professional Integration and Knowledge Transfer
in relation to its objectives—i.e., does it actually promote
the integration of new teachers into the college and their
particular departments, and does it provide the desired level
of pedagogical basics? Although data are not yet available
allowing for a precise analysis of the situation at Maisonneuve,
some observations may still be made. First, it would seem
incontestable that involving staff such as workshop leaders
and resource people in the program is in itself a measurement
of success; moreover, reflection, discussions, and the exchange
of practices within a group of new teachers from different
backgrounds constitutes the strength of this formula. Second,
the involvement of the academic dean and the teachers’ union
in program promotion is also vital to its success. And finally,
this supportive environment is undoubtedly conducive to the
mobilization and commitment of all stakeholders involved,
which could play a pivotal role for novice teachers in the pursuing their career.
An educational advisor at the Collège de Maisonneuve, Silvie LUSSIER
previously taught delinquency-intervention techniques and police
technology for ten years. With a master’s in college teaching, she is
interested especially in attitude assessment and providing academic
staff with teaching support. As the college’s local PERFORMA representative, she is responsible for the intake and training of new teachers.
[email protected]
Also an educational advisor at the Collège de Maisonneuve, Katia
TREMBLAY previously taught in the college’s museum-techniques program, and is involved with UQAM’s post-secondary teaching program.
Her duties at the college include providing support for teachers,
training new teachers, and conducting research.
[email protected]
In short, the “Teaching at Maisonneuve: An Introduction”
program has proven advantageous. The research on professional integration indicates that educators who are effectively
integrated feel, not only equipped to carry out their duties,
but also unconditionally accepted as members of their departments and institutions. As we saw from the evaluation
questionnaire, the overall perception of these three factors
by new recruits has changed for the better.
references
CANTIN, A. and M. LAUZON. Expériences de mentorat au collégial. Recherche subventionnée par le Regroupement des collèges PERFORMA. Montreal: Collège de
Maisonneuve, 2002.
COLLÈGE DE MAISONNEUVE. Plan d’aide à la réussite 2007-2011. Montreal:
Collège de Maisonneuve, 2008.
COMITÉ PARITAIRE. Enseigner au collégial… Portrait de la profession. FNEEQ, FEEC,
FAC, CPNC: 2008.
COMITÉ SUR L’INSERTION PROFESSIONNELLE. Rapport 2003-2004. Montreal:
Collège de Maisonneuve, 2004.
LALIBERTÉ, J. and S. DORAIS. Un profil de compétences du personnel enseignant du
collégial. Sherbrooke: Collection PERFORMA, Éditions du CRP, 1999.
LAUZON, M. L’apprentissage de l’enseignement au collégial : une construction personnelle et sociale. Rapport de recherche PAREA. Montreal: Collège de Maisonneuve, 2002.
Both the English- and French-language versions of this
article have been published on the AQPC website with the
financial support of the Quebec-Canada Entente for
Minority Language Education.
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2013
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