Learning Application and Research Center

While ensuring the quality and the productivity in higher education institutions, one of the issues should be considered is the training and development of Research Assistants and Teaching Assistants in line with the principles and the needs of the faculties. Istanbul Okan UniversityFaculty MemberTraining and Development Program aims to support Research Assistants and Teaching Assistants for their career development and increase their productivity in their faculties.

Within the scope of the program, it is aimed to form a learning committee with Research Assistants and Teaching Assistants from different disciplines. The main achievements of the program are to train faculty members who:

• Aware of own responsibilities and ensuring effective functioning in workflows,
• Well-developed communication skills, working efficiently in the group,
• Advanced technical skills, efficient use of instructional management systems,
• Developed competencies in teaching planning, teaching principles and methods, assessment and evaluation,
• Internalized ethical principles in education and research,
• Able to cooperate in their own field and interdisciplinary studies.

This program will contribute to the training of qualified, confident, and open-minded academic staff in higher education institutions. During the Faculty Member Training and Development Program process, it is aimed to support the multi-faceted development of research assistants with workshops in an active and positive learning environment. This program is planned as a long-term program and the first implementation was started in the 2022-2023 academic year. The program will be continued with the same group with the training on selected subjects in the following years and will be repeated with different new groups in other academic years. The Faculty MemberTraining and Development Program is developed by Prof. Dr. Aytaç Göğüş the Dean of the Faculty of Education, the specialist in the Instructional Design, Development, and Evaluation domain, it is implemented by pioneering by Prof. Dr. Mithat Kıyak the Vice Rector, the head of the University Quality Commission, and supporting with all faculties.

The Faculty Member Training and Development Program is planned for research assistants and teaching assistants working at Istanbul Okan University. Volunteer Research Assistants and Teaching Assistants who are determined to improve themselves, and have high awareness, are expected to support the principles and needs of the institution in the most accurate way, to gain teaching and research competencies, and basic skills, as well as to be active members of the professional education community by giving inspiration and confidence. The program is planned to be conducted with the permanent participation of research assistants and teaching assistants, twice a month, and a total of 16 sessions through one academic year. All sessions of the program, materials, and resources are shared on the O'Learn platform and are accessible to all participants. Research Assistants and Teaching Assistants who actively participated in most of the program were entitled to receive the participation certificate at the end of the program.