Lessons from a cross-institutional online professional development pilot

To reflect on a collaborative approach used by a group of faculty and administrators from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) and predominantly Black institution (PBI) pharmacy programs to provide high quality, multiple institution, faculty development programming in online environments.

A pilot for a shared online professional development initiative between pharmacy programs at five HBCUs and one PBI was implemented as a two-hour combined video conference and webinar, with structured networking, instructional programming, and breakout group sessions. Learning outcomes focused on increasing knowledge and awareness of mindsets in faculty and students with additional project goals of beta-testing interactive web conference formats, developing cross-institutional networking, and identifying avenues for sharing resources and expertise.

Kolb's Cycle of Experiential Learning (Concrete Experience, Reflective Observation, Abstract Conceptualization, and Active Experimentation) was used to guide reflection on the joint workshop. The instructional design, delivery, and learning experiences of the program itself were analyzed using Garrison's Community of Inquiry Framework.

Action research approaches can be applied to facilitate the continuous quality improvement cycle in multi-institution initiatives, such as joint faculty development programming.

Lessons related to cross-institutional collaboration, communities of practice development, networking, and communication can be used for future joint faculty development sessions and other shared initiatives for institutions serving minoritized students as well as other multiple institution consortiums.