Successful Faculty Professional Development Models

The following set of sessions can be purchased through Individual Digital Access or a Campus Access License. Learn more.

Part I

Paving the Way: A Collaborative Faculty Professional Development Program
The number of dual credit courses has tripled in Texas. Some educators question whether these courses have the same rigor as traditional college classes. The presenters discuss a professional development program undertaken at Houston Community College (HCC) to address the rigor question and build partnerships with school districts. Learn about the methodology employed by HCC to address issues related to rigor, pedagogy, standards, and college-level expectations, as well as how to overcome obstacles associated with bringing high school and college faculty together.
Timor Sever, Dean, Mathematics, Houston Community College; Pamela Bilton Beard, Chair, Student Success, Houston Community College

It’s a Win-Win: Faculty Development and Student Success
Quality teaching is more important now than ever before. Investing in faculty is the most cost-effective way to drive stronger student outcomes year after year. This session explores how preparing faculty through a comprehensive professional development program promotes student success. Participants examine the key role of faculty professional development to impact measurable student outcomes, explore how an evidence-based model for promoting effective teaching practices can nurture student success, and identify one key takeaway they can implement on their campuses.
Patrick Nellis, District Director, Center for Institutional and Organizational Learning, Miami Dade College; Melissa Zantello, Executive Director, Academics, Association of College and University Educators

Pivoting on a Dime: From Crisis to Opportunity!
Learn how Lee College conquered the difficulties of a constantly shifting academic landscape, built faculty competencies across technical and academic disciplines, and designed professional development activities that transformed the campus’s capacity for distance education. Participants identify online teaching assets at their institution that can be used to expand professional development for online learning and teaching and formulate a professional development plan that can meet a crisis head-on. They also learn how to improve student outcomes, build their institution’s online teaching capacity, and increase the capacity of faculty to engage in quality online instruction using the power of their LMS.
Laura Lane-Worley, Coordinator and Faculty, Distance Education, Lee College; Channell Cook, Faculty and Coordinator, Community of Online Learning and Teaching, Lee College

Rapidly Creating an Effective Framework for Faculty Development: Lessons From the Field
COVID-19 forced Harford Community College to accelerate the growth of its Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, which has emerged from the crisis even stronger. The presenters share how they built a professional development and communication infrastructure on a limited budget that facilitated faculty-wide engagement with large-scale pedagogical improvement. Learn how to expand on professional development activities and resources through systems already in place, how collaboration between the faculty and the administration is crucial to success, and how effective communication is a key component of all-campus community building.
Jeff Ball, Director, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning and Associate Professor, Art History, Harford Community College; Elizabeth A. Mosser, Associate Dean, Academic Operations, Harford Community College

“Tell Me Why…”
Faculty already have their plates full with balancing the current academic environment with their personal lives. Let’s help them see professional development as a way to preserve their knowledge, love of the job, and legacy for their students and institution. Learn how to view professional development through the lens of preserving faculty knowledge and experience, design professional development activities that are to the point, and begin to shift the mindset from “Because it is a requirement,” to “Because we value you.”
Sharon Kibbe, Director, Instructional Services, Highland Community College

Supporting Faculty Across Higher Education With Best Practices for Teaching Online
Now more than ever, being prepared to teach online has become mission critical. Best Practices for Teaching Online is a faculty professional development program developed in partnership with NISOD and in collaboration with seven higher education institutions. This session discusses 17 indicators that any faculty member can implement into their online courses that results in national recognition through NISOD. Learn about this exciting program in support of student success, details about the partnership, institutions involved in the development process, and how your faculty can benefit from national recognition!
Steve Sosa, Dean, E-Learning and Instructional Support, Mountain View College; Jennifer McGuire, Integration Specialist, Distance Education Instructional Applications, Mountain View College

The following set of sessions can be purchased through Individual Digital Access or a Campus Access License. Learn more.

Part II

Implementing a Faculty Orientation and Onboarding Program to Increase Student Success
Austin Community College’s new semester-long faculty onboarding program delivers a three-day orientation and monthly sessions to launch new faculty into a successful career. Learn details about the program’s development, data, lessons learned, and suggestions for implementing a similar program at your institution. Participants in this session strengthen their knowledge of successful faculty orientation and onboarding programs and leave knowing the next steps to take on their journeys to improve onboarding at their institutions.
Chelsea Biggerstaff, Coordinator, Faculty Development, Austin Community College; Michelle Fitzpatrick, Assistant Dean, Faculty Development, Austin Community College District

Faculty Forward: Designing an Award-Winning Professional Development Model for All
Learn about a variety of strategies the e-learning team at Spokane Falls Community College uses to engage, inform, and meet faculty where they are and when they’re available. From YouTube channels, faculty interviews, large conferences, and asynchronous learning opportunities, we’ve found a way to connect faculty to award-winning professional development. The model is easily adaptable and has been customized by other colleges. The presenter shares the model to assist underfunded and understaffed professional development groups rethink how they deliver professional development to their faculty. Learn how the model was designed, original constraints, key allies on campus, the most impactful strategies used, and the results seen across the campus culture.
Ben Whitmore, Instructional Designer, Spokane Falls Community College

Maintaining Social Distance: Creating a “New” New Faculty Orientation
New faculty orientation is a unique opportunity for faculty to build connections with new colleagues, develop networks, and learn about the resources an institution offers. During this session, the presenters share strategies that can be used to provide new faculty with the tools and information they need for a smooth transition into the institution. Participants learn ideas for new faculty online orientation and continued faculty engagement and community building. Participants are also asked to share their ideas about in-person and virtual orientation models they’ve found to be effective.
Pamela Moolenaar-Wirsiy, Associate Dean, Faculty Affairs, Georgia State University’s Perimeter College; Tracie Justus, Associate Professor, English as a Second Language and Faculty Development Associate, Georgia State University  

What’s Next? Decoding Spring Quarter Data to Prepare for the Future
Knowing that memories fade quickly, the Community Colleges of Spokane e-learning team used surveys and a data dashboard to capture the experiences of faculty and students who navigated the COVID-19 term. Learn professional development and training objectives that meet the needs of faculty and students new to online learning, why it’s important to incorporate the experiences of faculty and students into training and professional development programs, and how institutional research departments can support professional development programs with data that identifies training and development needs.
Patrick McEachern, Vice Provost, E-Learning and Education Innovation, Community Colleges of Spokane; Mary Ann Goodwin, Director, Institutional Research, Community Colleges of Spokane

Breaking Up Lecture With Active-Learning Strategies
Do you want your students to be engaged with the course material, participate in class, and actively work with one another? Join us to learn how to intentionally design and plan for active learning that complements classroom lectures. Explore interactive approaches to teaching and learning for live and virtual classroom spaces; discover a variety of online applications that help facilitate active-learning strategies; and learn about the different spectra of engagement including energy, focus, risk, and cost.
Christina Marin, Program Director, Theatre and Film, Phoenix College; Amy Bell, Lead Faculty and Peer Assistance and Review Facilitator, Phoenix College

An Introduction to Faculty Learning Communities
A faculty learning community (FLC) is a group of trans-disciplinary faculty, graduate students, and professional staff consisting of six individuals or more engaging in an active, collaborative, yearlong curriculum designed to enhance teaching and learning through frequent seminars and other activities. Learn about the challenges associated with FLCs, the benefits of FLCs, recommendations for implementing a successful FLC, and which other colleges are implementing FLCs.
Melissa Ford, Assistant Professor, Business, County College of Morris