This project funds the Early Career Symposium as part of the Annual International Conference of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT). The conference is held in Anaheim California October 26-30, 2010.The Symposium will engage participants in a day and a half of focused mentoring, and provide a wiki for continuing community development. The Symposium brings together three groups of people: mid career faculty that will act as mentors, early career faculty, and advanced doctoral students. The invited mentors are recognized for their contribution to the fields of instructional technology and learning sciences. The goal of the Symposium is to (1) mentor advanced doctoral students in the social and professional network as partners in idea-making, (2) support advanced doctoral students and early career faculty in developing viable technology oriented research agendas, (3) provide specific feedback and guidance to advanced doctoral students and early career faculty about their research agendas, (4) provide information about building a research agenda, pursuing funding, and building collaborations, (5) develop a community of researchers interested in ways technology can transform teaching and learning.
This proposal was funded to support an Symposium for Early Career Faculty. The symposium was held October, 2010 and included 9 graduate students and 9 early career faculty in the field of Instructional Technology. The symposium was held in collaboration with the Association for Educational Communications Technology's International Conference in Anaheim California. The intended outcomes of the Early Career Symposium include:- mentoring of early career faculty and advanced doctoral students into the social/professional network as partners in idea-making,- supporting early career faculty and advanced doctoral students in developingviable technology-oriented research agendas,- providing specific feedback and guidance to early career faculty and advanced doctoral students about their research agendas,- providing information about building a research agenda, pursuing funding, and building collaborations,- developing a community of researchers interested in ways technology can transform teaching and learning. On the first day, the mentors worked with their primary team of participants (4- 5participants per mentor) for much of the day. Then, on the half-day, the mentors were switeched participant groups so that each participant received personal feedback from at least two mentors. Symposium participants gained experience in constructing a technology- oriented research agenda, beginning teaching, applying for funds and grants. Participants each worked on a research project with their mentors and progress reports were delivered at the spring video- conference. Participants reported high-satisfaction with the symposium and have been invited to participate in the current year's symposium at an alumni discussion.
