Faculty As Adult Learners: Effective Faculty Development
Suzanne James, Ph.D.David Binder, MBA
2
Rapid Growth of Community Colleges
• Every state is faced with an enrollment boom• Classroom space is at a premium• Waiting lists have developed for on-ground
programs; online programs are increasing• President Obama’s proposed plan will lead to
the number of grads increasing by five million in 2020.
3
Rapid Growth of Community Colleges
• Almost 40% of 18-24 year olds in 2008 were in college– Rise was largely driven by community
college enrollments (Lewin, 2009)
• 79% of entering students
plan to earn associate degree, butonly 45% meet the goal in 6 years
(Center for Community College Student Engagement, 2006)
Meeting the Challenge through Professional Development
• This is a period of shrinking budgets and increasing enrollments
• Resources must be focused on practices that work
• Professional development must be directed at staff, faculty, administrators, and governing boards
• Focus here is on faculty development
4
5
Faculty and Effective Teaching
• Faculty are the heart and soul of the American community college (Hardy, 2006)
• “Real teaching is what community colleges do and student learning is the goal.” (Twombly, 2005)
• Because of this, the norms of what defines quality are different for community colleges because their focus is teaching. (Twombly, 2005)
6
Faculty and Effective Teaching
• There exists a problem in attracting and retaining qualified faculty (Jacobson, 2004)
• Need to attract, develop, and retain excellent community college faculty has never been greater (Waiwaiole & Noonan-Terry, 2008)
• Increasing need for effective faculty, both online and on-ground (Waiwaiole & Noonan-Terry, 2008)
7
Faculty and Effective Teaching
• Quality of faculty is single most defining element in institutional success (Palmer, Dankoski, Smith, Logio, Butkiewicz & Bogdewic, 2011)
• Faculty shortage leads to increased use of part-time (adjunct) faculty– 67% of CC faculty are part-time (Grappa, 2007)
• Faculty typically receive little or no formal training in teaching (McShannon, Hynes, Nirmalakhandan, Venkataramana, Ricketts, Ulery , & Steiner, 2006)
Faculty and Effective Teaching
• 33-90% of faculty at CCs spend “little or no time facilitating group discussion or assigned in-class writing.”
• 33% of faculty at CCs report spending most of their time lecturing.
• Two-thirds of CC students report that memorization of materials is the focus of the class.
Center for Community College Student Engagement (2006)
8
9
Professional Growth and Development
• Part-time faculty (adjuncts) often have multiple jobs and resort to expediency to accomplish their job (Brewster, 2000)
• Adjuncts (and some full-time faculty) may not have well developed teaching skills – need development
• Inclusion in faculty development events may lead to satisfaction and less faculty attrition
Importance of Faculty Development
• Retention of adjuncts benefits the institution.– Rapidly expanding student population can be
served– Adjuncts bring flexibility to scheduling– Adjuncts benefit the institutional budget
• But, part-time faculty who face poor training and low pay do not develop institutional loyalty
10
11
Professional Growth and Development
• Diverse populations in community colleges require particular understanding and teaching skills
• Mentorship programs are effective• Online adjuncts need training
– Training in the modality– Training in the pedagogy (Miller & King, 2003)– Effective training is rare (Ko & Stevens, 2004)
12
Professional Growth and Development
• Regardless of the course modality, the most important variable for course success is the instructor (Miller & King, 2003).
• Effective faculty development addresses faculty as adult learners (Lawler & King, 2001)
• Principles of adult learning must be incorporated, including opportunities for reflection (James & Binder, 2010)
13
Community College Faculty Development
Fugate & Amey (2000) found: • Typical community college faculty development
includes:– faculty orientation– master teacher workshops– Brown bag sessions on teaching and learning– video conferences on learning
• Typical institutional resources:– Educational technology center/department– Center/Department/Institute for Teaching and
Learning
Community College Faculty Development
• Pankowski (2004) reported:– Faculty report lack of training on pedagogy– Only 20% received training in active learning and
student collaboration• More recent studies have tended to confirm
these and similar issues (Haber & Mills, 2008)
14
Community College Faculty Development
• Barrett, Bower & Donovan (2007) looked at teaching styles of community college faculty– Teacher-centered focused on transmission of
knowledge as in lecture– Learner-centered classes had shared participation of
faculty and learners– Higher student retention in learner-centered
environment.• Center for Community College Student Engagement.
(2010): “Effective teaching and meaningful learning: They are the heart of student success.” (p.4)
16
Community College Faculty Development
Key findings from the 2010 CCCSE report:• “Instructors … must be given the opportunities
necessary to learn more about effective teaching strategies and to apply those strategies in their day-to-day work.”
• “Any effective strategy for dramatically increasing college completion must include a substantial commitment to professional development for individual faculty members and for college teams.”
Center for Community College Student Engagement. (2010), p. 16-17
Community College Faculty Development
Key findings from the 2010 CCCSE report:• “Professional development can help more faculty
members become skilled and comfortable using more engaging teaching strategies.”
• “Given that about two-thirds of community college faculty members teach part-time, opportunities to expand instructors’ skills and collaborative faculty efforts must be extended to include all faculty.”
Center for Community College Student Engagement. (2010), p. 17
17
18
Principles of Adult Learning
• Active involvement• Opportunities for dialogue• Regular feedback• Incorporation of life experiences• Relevancy• Application immediacy• Creation of a social environment• Opportunities for reflection
19
Principles of Adult Learning
• Principles of adult learning must be incorporated into faculty development, including opportunities for reflection (James & Binder, 2010)
20
Programs Incorporating the Principles
• Adjunct Faculty Certification Course (Sinclair Community College – Ohio) Five sessions– Provides toolbox of presentation techniques– Knowledge of campus and policies– Peer reviews of teaching– Mentoring from other faculty
• Provides immediate application, regular feedback, social networks, relevancy, and opportunities for dialogue
21
Programs Incorporating the Principles
• The Learning Loft (Eastfield College – TX)– Provides high tech space for faculty to develop
technology skills– Provides opportunities for collaboration– Provides opportunities for immediate feedback– Provides one-on-one training and support in
curriculum development– Faculty can earn professional development
credits for their time
22
Programs Incorporating the Principles
• CREOLE (Creating Optimal Learning Environments – Florida State College at Jacksonville– Faculty development provided online– Frequent feedback given in the program– Stipend paid to faculty for completion– Upon completion, faculty eligible to be paid at
the same per credit hour rate as full-time faculty
23
Programs Incorporating the Principles
• The Classroom Research Initiative – The Lone Star College System (TX)– Faculty explore how to use data to design their
own classroom experiences– Centers on individual data analysis– Provides individual action plans for faculty– Results are shared with colleagues– Relevancy for faculty is a key
24
25
Reflections
• Faculty development is ongoing. Faculty development is a process, not a one-time event (Reach, 1994).
• It starts with orientation but does not end there. McGregor (2002) states "positive change in pedagogy comes through a sustained faculty development program that focuses on learning outcomes" (p. 724).
• High performing CCs invest in faculty development. Effective teaching is not intuitive; it is a learned skill. Both full-time and adjunct faculty need faculty development.
Reflections
• What does “good teaching” look like at your institution? − It is not “I know it when I see it.” − Define intended outcomes from faculty
development; measure results. − Think in terms of Deming’s Plan-Do-Check-Act
cycle. − Good teaching comes from intentional
development of faculty in how to teach well.• “Steal” good ideas from others, most institutions will
share if asked; share your successes with others.
26
Reflections
• Carrots work better than sticks, but mandating activities may be necessary.
• Reward/acknowledge continuing development progress for emphasis and reinforcement. − Stipends/CE credits/Certificates each can work. − Consider formal presentation of recognitions at
institutional meetings. − Include in institutional announcements about
faculty accomplishments.
27
Reflections
• Enhance the status of your best teachers through role recognition: − peer mentor/master teacher/advanced facilitator,
etc.; whatever fits your institutional culture. − Consider them to conduct your peer
observations/reviews.− Reward/reinforce desired behavior; show that
good teaching is both desired and valued.
Remember: Faculty are adult learners too
28
Fodder for Discussion
Briefly describe a successful faculty development experience at your institution:
Why was it successful?What did it attain? What did you learn from this?
29
30
For more information…
For more information about effective faculty development contact:
[email protected]@waldenu.edu
Thank you
31
References
• Allen, I. E. & Seaman, J. Online Nation: Five Years of Growth in Online Learning. Retrieved November 29, 2007, from http://www.sloanc.org/publications/survey/pdf/online_nation.pdf
• Allen, I. E. & Seaman, J. (2008). Staying the course, online education in the United States. Needham, MA: Sloan Consortium.
• Barrett, K R., Bower, B., & Donovan, N. (2007). Teaching styles of community college instructors. The American Journal of Distance Education, 21(1), 37-49.
• Boggs, G.R. (2003). Leadership context for the twenty-first century. In W. Piland & D. Wolf (Eds.). New Directions for Community Colleges No. 123, 15-25. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
• Brewster, D. The use of part-time faculty in the community college. Inquiry, 2000, 5(1), 66-76.
• Center for Community College Student Engagement. (2006). Act On Fact: Using Data To Improve Student Success (2006 CCCSE Findings). Austin, TX: The University of Texas at Austin, Community College Leadership Program
32
References (cont’d)• Center for Community College Student Engagement. (2010). The Heart
of Student Success: Teaching, Learning, and College Completion (2010 CCCSE Findings). Austin, TX: The University of Texas at Austin, Community College Leadership Program.
• Christensen, C. (2008). The employment of part-time faculty at community colleges. New Directions for Higher Education, 143, Fall 2008.
• Fugate, A. L. & Amey, M. J. (2000). Career stages of community college faculty: a qualitative analysis of their career paths, roles, and development. Community College Review, 28 (1), 1-22
• Goodnough, A. (2009, October 28). New meaning for night class at 2-year colleges. The New York Times, p. 27.
• Grappa, J.M., Austin, A. E., & Trice, A. G. (2007). Rethinking faculty work and workplaces: Higher education’s strategic imperative. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
• Haber, J. and Mills, M. (2008). Perceptions of barriers concerning effective online teaching and policies: Florida community college faculty. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 32: 266–283
References (cont’d)• Hardy, D. E. (2006). Characteristics and perspectives of faculty at
public 2-year colleges. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 30, 787-811.
• Jacobson, J. (January 29, 2004). Number of new high-school graduates is projected to rise over all, but decline in some states. Retrieved January 29, 2004, from http://chronicle.com/daily/2004/01/2004012901n.htm.
• James, S.G. & Binder, D.A. (2010). Online faculty as adult learners: Faculty development that works. National Forum of Educational Administration and Supervision Journal, 27(3), 44-51.
• Lewin, T. (October 30, 2009). College Enrollment Set Record in 2009. The New York Times, p. 30.
• McGregor, J. (2002). Getting to the heart of assessment: The liberal studies/professional skills program at Inver Hills Community College. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 26, 723-735
33
References (cont’d.)• McShannon, J., Hynes, P., Nirmalakhandn, N., Venkataramana, G.,
Ricketts, C., Ulery, A., & Steiner (2006). Gaining retention and achievement for students program: A faculty development program. Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice, July 2006.
• Palmer, M., Dankoski, M., Smith, J, Logio, L., Brutkiewicz R. & Bogdewic, S. (2011). Exploring changes in culture and vitality: The outcomes of faculty development. Journal of Faculty Development, 25(1), 21-27.
• Pankowski, P. (2004). Faculty training for online teaching. THE Journal, September 1, 2004. Retrieved from http://thejournal.com/Articles/2004/09/01/Faculty-Training-for-Online-Teaching.aspx
• Reach, J. (1994). Developing faculty development programs: A view from the chair. Journal of Counseling & Development, 72, 511-513
34
References (cont’d.)
• Twombly, S. B. (2005). Values, policies and practices affecting the hiring process for full-time arts and sciences faculty in the community colleges. Journal of Higher Education. 76(4), 423-446.
• Waiwaiole, E. N. & Noonan-Terry, C.M. (2008). The need to equip, prepare community college faculty has never been greater. Paper presented at 28th annual NISOD International Conference on Teaching & Leadership, Austin, TX.
35