COED Experience on the Executive: Reflections from COED Past-Chairs

We reached out to several Past-Chairs of the Council of Ontario Educational Developers to hear about their experience as Chairs, and what they consider to be beneficial about being part of the COED Executive.

[Gavan Watson] For me, being a part of the COED executive meant that I had the opportunity working with a larger executive team full of folks who were excited and engaged in supporting our colleagues across the province, to introduce and orient them to new ideas and new work, and also support the ongoing professional development of educational developers within the context of Ontario.

[Natasha Hannon] Having been part of several executives over the last few years, I really appreciated the structure of the COED executive, with the incoming Chair, current Chair, and past Chair, all working together to support activities and priorities. This really helped with the continuity and for me it made for a smooth onboarding experience.

[Natasha May] In the first year as Chair-Elect, or Co-Chair-Elect as I was, you essentially kind of learned the role. So, what's involved in being on the executive and you get to learn more about the community of educational developers in Ontario and support the Chair in in their work. I think one of the main things that that we did as Chair-Elects was to focus on the communication aspect. And so, that's that's really great to get immersed in the role and get connected right away. And as chair you have the opportunity to identify the needs and professional development opportunities for the community. Find out what they what they want and provide some of those opportunities.

[Monica Vesely] Well, in addition to monthly meetings, which run anywhere between one to two hours depending upon what is on the agenda, membership, communications, and planning the annual fall meeting. So, in addition to these four activities, as Chair, you also have the opportunity to pursue specific projects for the benefit of the COED community and this can be very exciting. For me, during my Chair-Elect year, the shared experiences of both the college and university sectors really stood out and helped to identify the need for revisiting COED affiliations and thinking about how to more formally represent members of both groups, both the college sector and the university sector.

[Jessie Richards] So as Chair-Elect, you're very much included in all of the key discussions and the decision making. And I think, the Chair-Elect always brings a really fresh perspective and new ideas, new directions, which is a really valuable part of the kind of structure, of the way the Exec comes together. I would say likely the most, the biggest thing we do each year is the fall meeting. And so as Chair-Elect, that's probably the most intimidating part and that you host at the end of your first year as you're transitioning into your Chair role. But even then you're not doing it on your own. Everybody's working together to make that that big fall meeting happen and everything is a group effort.

[Natasha] The greatest benefit of being on the COED executive for me was having the opportunity to expand my professional network and work closely with wonderful people across the province.

[Gavan] I found that it was an excellent entryway into taking on more and more leadership roles. We define leadership broadly and these volunteer roles are a great opportunity for folks who are interested in contributing to the ongoing development of peers and colleagues, as well as those who are interested in leadership roles within institutions of higher education.

[Sally Heath] What I enjoyed most about my role on the COED executive was a group of colleagues that I had the privilege of learning from and working with, both within the executive itself as well as the COED membership at large.

[Monica] Well, certainly the opportunity to support and move forward grassroots initiatives such as the communities of practice, the asynchronous reading groups, has been very gratifying. By serving as a connection hub for like-minded individuals at different institutions, the executive is really able to give life to projects that might not otherwise have taken off. This is extremely satisfying in and of itself, but also being a part of the executive affords you a broader perspective of what is top of mind for our colleagues across the post-secondary sector, which in turn helps to inform one's local thinking in a very meaningful way.

[Jessie] Getting to hear about what people care about and the things that they value in their work has given me really valuable insights into educational development as a field, how our work impacts higher education more broadly. And I just feel a stronger sense of community as a result of having been in this position.

[Natasha] As a relatively young developer, who had prior to this focused really primarily on the ongoing within my own institution, being on the COED executive helped to expand my awareness of how government policy, funding agencies, and organizations, like the Council of Ontario Universities and Colleges Ontario, helped to shape teaching and learning at a more macro level.

[Jessie] I think this is a good opportunity for people who are interested in getting more involved with the COED community and also interested in the professional development opportunity of being in a leadership role that is for a very small, supportive, and tight-knit community. I think this is a great opportunity to test out your leadership skills and develop them. So, if you're interested in moving forward in your career and and maybe taking on leadership opportunities.

[Monica] If you are settled in your current professional role and you're ready to stretch your career, this is a wonderful opportunity to support your educational, academic, and curriculum development colleagues in Ontario, while at the same time growing your own skills as a leader and a project manager. It's a wonderful way to uncover hidden or underutilized talents in the benefit of a broader community. I really couldn't recommend it enough.

[Sally] So, if you've been looking for a meaningful development and leadership opportunity, consider throwing your name into the hat for a role as part of the COED executive. You won't regret it.

If you’re interested in learning more about what it’s like to be a member of the COED Executive, please email exec@coedcfpo.ca.