Abstracts - Earli

and programs across the countries and discuss some of the challenges that will shape the future offaculty development practice and scholarship.A conceptual framework for faculty developmentNicole Rege-Colet, Universite de Geneve, SwitzerlandLynn Taylor, Dalhousie University, CanadaMieke Clement, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, BelgiumIn response to the increasing public expectations concerning the quality of higher education anemerging group of academic professionals are engaged in a wide range of activities that comeunder the rubric of faculty development. The comparative paper presented in this symposiumclearly illustrates how diverse the field is at this moment, not only regarding the level ofexperience and expertise reached, but also regarding the conceptualisation of what facultydevelopment entails. In this paper we describe a conceptual framework based on an internationalcomparison of a wide range of faculty development activities carried out in higher educationinstitutions of five countries, informed by the existing literature on faculty development and theshared expertise of academics and professionals participating in this symposium. By taking both atheoretical and practical approach to understanding, researching, and developing facultydevelopment, it is possible to conceptualize the dimensions of development that cross cultures,institutions, and disciplines. Based on this comprehensive conceptualization of the facultydevelopment role, valid approaches to designing, implementing and evaluating the impact offaculty development can be designed. As such, this comprehensive framework does not only helpto understand and analyse faculty development, the framework also helps to further develop thefield as it articulates the foundations of professional knowledge and practice in the field ofeducational development for higher educationConceptual validation of the conceptual frameworkDenis Bedard, Universite de Sherbrooke, CanadaHigher education institutions in many countries are facing new challenges that are causing them toaddress issues related to the quality of teaching and learning. This concern has encouragedinstitutions to create special faculty development units charged with building institutional teachingand learning capacity. However, in spite of the abundant literature about faculty development andpractice experience spanning several decades in some countries, the field of faculty developmentremains ill-defined. As a result, neither the definition of the field nor the underlying principles offaculty development practice are clearly set. In an effort to better define this field of practice andinquiry, a conceptual framework has been proposed by a group of practitioners and researchersfrom 8 different universities, located in Europe and in Canada (see papers 1 and 2). Thisconceptual framework has been "put to the test" recently with faculty developers (practitioners) inEurope. It will undergo a similar process in the spring of 2007 with practitioners in Canada.Finally, another validation step will take place in February and March 2007 with a group ofexperts from different parts of the world. This paper will present the methodology and results fromthese three instances of inquiry representing the validation process that has been put in place.– 525 –