Why curated resource collections?

Guiding Question

Why provide curated resource collections rather than a prescribed sequence of lessons?

Guiding Principles

Also

design decision

Belonging by Design provides faculty with curated resource collections organized around instructional focus areas.
Faculty select resources based on student needs identified through the assessment process.
Resources are intended to complement existing instruction rather than replace it.
Different instructors may choose different resources while working toward the same instructional goals.

Working Definition

Curated Resource Collections: Curated resource collections are organized sets of instructional strategies, activities, and tools designed to support a specific instructional focus area.

Within Belonging by Design, faculty select resources based on assessment data and instructional context rather than following a predetermined sequence of lessons.

Design Rationale

Problem

Faculty teach different courses with different learning outcomes.
Students have different strengths and instructional needs.
A single sequence of lessons is unlikely to meet the needs of every classroom.
Faculty already use effective instructional practices that should be supported rather than replaced.

Design Choice

Organize resources by instructional focus area.
Allow faculty to choose resources based on assessment results.
Design the framework to integrate into existing courses.
Emphasize instructional flexibility while maintaining a consistent framework.

Reasoning

Responsive instruction requires flexibility.
Faculty expertise is strengthened when instructors make informed instructional decisions.
Resource collections encourage intentional teaching without prescribing practice.
The framework becomes adaptable across courses, instructors, and contexts.

evidence & influences

leadership

Relevant Ideas

Adaptive Leadership recognizes that different contexts require different responses.
Servant Leadership focuses on supporting others by building capacity rather than prescribing actions.
Effective leadership provides resources that enable informed decision-making.
Professional judgment should be supported rather than replaced.

How Leadership Informed This Decision

Leadership theories influenced the decision to provide faculty with curated resource collections instead of scripted lessons. Adaptive Leadership emphasizes selecting responses that fit the current context, while Servant Leadership supports building the capacity of faculty to make informed instructional decisions. The resource collections are intended to support professional judgment rather than prescribe a single instructional pathway.

Included Theories

Adaptive Leadership
Servant Leadership

learning theory

Relevant Ideas

Learners benefit from responsive instruction.
Instruction should be adapted to learner needs.
Faculty mediate learning through intentional instructional choices.

How Learning Theory Informed This Decision

(To be developed.)

belonging

Relevant Ideas

Students experience belonging differently across classrooms.
Different classroom conditions require different instructional supports.
Responsive instruction creates opportunities for meaningful participation and connection.

How Belonging Informed This Decision

The resource collections allow instructors to respond to the unique relational needs of each classroom rather than assuming every group requires the same supports. This flexibility increases opportunities to intentionally cultivate belonging.

Institutional resources

research evidence

Relevant Findings

Faculty value flexible resources that integrate into existing instruction.
Students experience teamwork differently across courses and cohorts.
Responsive instructional design is more likely to address diverse learner needs.

How Research Evidence Informed This Decision

Faculty interviews and student experiences demonstrated that flexibility was essential. Organizing resources into collections allows faculty to adapt the framework while maintaining consistency in its guiding principles.

practical considerations

Relevant Considerations

Faculty teach a variety of educator preparation courses.
Time for implementation varies across instructors.
Existing assignments can often be enhanced rather than replaced.
The framework should remain sustainable beyond the research study.

How Practical Considerations Informed This Decision

Resource collections reduce implementation barriers by allowing faculty to incorporate the framework into their existing instructional practices rather than redesigning an entire course.

alternatives considered

Alternatives

Provide scripted lesson plans.
Require the same instructional sequence across all courses.
Develop a standalone teamwork curriculum.

Why They Were Not Selected

A prescribed curriculum limits faculty autonomy and responsiveness. Curated resource collections allow instructors to make intentional instructional decisions while adapting the framework to their students and teaching context.

decision notes

Original Decision

The intervention was originally designed as a sequence of workshops delivered in a consistent order.

Revisions

Faculty interviews and early implementation demonstrated the need for flexibility. The intervention evolved into a collection of resources organized around instructional focus areas, allowing faculty to respond to student needs while maintaining the integrity of the framework.

Remaining Considerations

How much guidance supports faculty without becoming prescriptive?
How should new resources be incorporated into the collections over time?

Current Stage

Created: July 26

Next steps:

Page updated

Report abuse