Training the Trainers: Preparing Facilitators  to Provide Professional Development for Engineers and Scientists

Astri Briliyanti; Julie Rojewski; Dirk Colbry; Kathleen Colbry

Download Paper | Permalink

Conference: 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Publication Date: August 23, 2022
Start Date: June 26, 2022
End Date: June 29, 2022
Conference Session: CPDD Technical Session 2 - Trends in Student and Faculty Support
Page Count: 15
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--40642
Permanent URL: https://strategy.asee.org/40642
Download Count: 214

Request a correction

Paper Authors

biography

Kathleen Colbry Michigan State University

visit author page

Katy Luchini Colbry is the Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Services at the College of Engineering at Michigan State University, where she completed degrees in political theory and computer science. A recipient of the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, she earned Ph.D. and M.S.E. degrees in computer science and engineering from the University of Michigan. She has published dozens of peer-reviewed works related to her interests in engineering education and graduate student success, and has been recognized as a Master Facilitator by the National Research Mentor Network. She is also co-PI for two NSF-funded projects that enhance graduate student success: one is a professional development program offering training in communication, teamwork, leadership, and mentoring skills for interdisciplinary work; the other is a joint effort with Spelman College (a historically black institution serving women) to expand opportunities and increase diversity in STEM by developing a five-year BS+MS program. Dr. Luchini-Colbry also volunteers as the Director of the Engineering Futures Program of Tau Beta Pi, the Engineering Honor Society, which provides interactive professional development seminars for thousands of engineering students and professionals each year.

visit author page

author page

Julie Rojewski, Ph.D. is Director of Graduate Career Development in The Graduate School at Michigan State University.

visit author page

Download Paper | Permalink

Abstract

This paper describes the development of a facilitator training program that prepares volunteers to offer interactive workshops to build professional skills. This effort to “train the trainers” is part of the CyberAmbassadors workforce development project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The overarching goal of the CyberAmbassadors project is to develop professional skills training that helps participants collaborate more effectively in interdisciplinary settings. The core curriculum for participants includes 20+ hours of materials and activities to build communications, teamwork, and leadership skills. The “train the trainers” project described here is a complementary effort to prepare STEM professionals to facilitate these CyberAmbassadors professional skills trainings for their own workplaces and communities.

The facilitator training program was developed and tested with two cohorts, totaling more than 50 participants. Over the course of two days of in-person training, new facilitators had opportunities to experience the core curriculum as participants; to practice facilitation skills and lead group activities; to discuss practical and logistical aspects of offering training in their own communities; and to become familiar with the underlying pedagogy, learning goals, and modular structure of the professional skills curriculum. Surveys were used to collect feedback and evaluate participants’ satisfaction with the CyberAmbassadors professional skills curriculum; their self-assessment of facilitation and professional skills before and after the training; and feedback on the facilitator training experience.

Responses from the first cohort of participants were used to refine the facilitator training program and it was offered to a second group of volunteers six months later. In the intervening time, several facilitators from the first cohort implemented CyberAmbassadors trainings at academic institutions, professional conferences, and industry workplaces. Participant surveys were used to provide feedback to the volunteer facilitators and to assist the project coordinators in identifying areas where additional training or support might be helpful. These lessons were used to improve the facilitator training program for the second cohort, and we recruited some of the original volunteers to help lead the second “train the trainers” experience. This approach both provides newer facilitators with additional experience and expands the number of individuals who can “train the trainers” and help to propagate the program for future participants.

In addition to describing the experiences and results from this “train the trainers” effort, this paper details the information, planning tools, and supports that are incorporated throughout the CyberAmbassadors professional skills curriculum materials to assist facilitators in offering these trainings. Lessons learned from this project can be adapted to other professional education efforts, both in terms of preparing new instructors and in helping trained facilitators better understand and meet the needs of their audience.

Citation
Format

Colbry, K., & Briliyanti, A., & Colbry, D., & Rojewski, J. (2022, August), Training the Trainers: Preparing Facilitators to Provide Professional Development for Engineers and Scientists Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--40642

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - This paper describes the development of a facilitator training program that prepares volunteers to offer interactive workshops to build professional skills. This effort to “train the trainers” is part of the CyberAmbassadors workforce development project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The overarching goal of the CyberAmbassadors project is to develop professional skills training that helps participants collaborate more effectively in interdisciplinary settings. The core curriculum for participants includes 20+ hours of materials and activities to build communications, teamwork, and leadership skills. The “train the trainers” project described here is a complementary effort to prepare STEM professionals to facilitate these CyberAmbassadors professional skills trainings for their own workplaces and communities.

The facilitator training program was developed and tested with two cohorts, totaling more than 50 participants. Over the course of two days of in-person training, new facilitators had opportunities to experience the core curriculum as participants; to practice facilitation skills and lead group activities; to discuss practical and logistical aspects of offering training in their own communities; and to become familiar with the underlying pedagogy, learning goals, and modular structure of the professional skills curriculum. Surveys were used to collect feedback and evaluate participants’ satisfaction with the CyberAmbassadors professional skills curriculum; their self-assessment of facilitation and professional skills before and after the training; and feedback on the facilitator training experience.

Responses from the first cohort of participants were used to refine the facilitator training program and it was offered to a second group of volunteers six months later. In the intervening time, several facilitators from the first cohort implemented CyberAmbassadors trainings at academic institutions, professional conferences, and industry workplaces. Participant surveys were used to provide feedback to the volunteer facilitators and to assist the project coordinators in identifying areas where additional training or support might be helpful. These lessons were used to improve the facilitator training program for the second cohort, and we recruited some of the original volunteers to help lead the second “train the trainers” experience. This approach both provides newer facilitators with additional experience and expands the number of individuals who can “train the trainers” and help to propagate the program for future participants.

In addition to describing the experiences and results from this “train the trainers” effort, this paper details the information, planning tools, and supports that are incorporated throughout the CyberAmbassadors professional skills curriculum materials to assist facilitators in offering these trainings. Lessons learned from this project can be adapted to other professional education efforts, both in terms of preparing new instructors and in helping trained facilitators better understand and meet the needs of their audience.
AU  - Kathleen Colbry
AU  - Astri Briliyanti
AU  - Dirk Colbry
AU  - Julie Rojewski
CY  - Minneapolis, MN
DA  - 2022/08/23
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Training the Trainers: Preparing Facilitators  to Provide Professional Development for Engineers and Scientists
UR  - https://strategy.asee.org/40642
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--40642
ER  -