5f. Unit Facilitation of Professional Development

5f.1. Describe how the unit will ensure that professional development will be related to needs identified in unit evaluations of faculty.

The division chair is responsible to oversee the implementation of professional goals determined jointly by the individual faculty and the chair. A folder is kept by the chair and referred to each consecutive year. After the annual evaluation process is complete the division chair submits a list of professional development session needs based on the performance of faculty in their unit to the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs. Each semester begins with a full-day Division of Education faculty retreat. The chair works with the Administrative Council to determine topics seen as professional development needs for the majority of the faculty.

5f.2. Describe the proposed professional development activities that will be offered to faculty related to performance assessment, diversity, technology, emerging practices, and/or the unit's conceptual framework.

A 1 ½ hour meeting time block is provided each week for campus meetings and professional development. Using this timeframe, the unit’s Administrative Council plans professional development activities related to performance assessment (development of quantitative and qualitative rubrics, training on teacher candidate performance assessments), diversity (culturally relevant pedagogy), technology (interactive SMART boards, web-supported teaching via Blackboard), and the unit's conceptual framework (evaluating and redesigning the CF as a useful tool to facilitate program improvement). Throughout the year the academic administration identifies current needs for faculty development that enable all faculty – fulltime and adjunct – to better meet students’ learning needs and the university’s specific goals for rigorous, effective teaching and learning. Two Friday mornings per semester are reserved for mandatory Faculty Development Workshops; other voluntary workshops are offered during the 1 ½ hour meeting time throughout the semester. Recent workshops have addressed online teaching pedagogy and technological know-how, effective academic advising and understanding of FERPA requirements, developing appropriate course and program learning outcomes, engendering pervasive academic integrity, and working with a disruptive or potentially violent student.

5f.3. Describe how often faculty will be expected to participate in professional development activities both on and off campus. [Include adjunct/part-time, tenured, and non-tenured faculty, as well as graduate teaching assistants.]

As mentioned above all faculty in the unit, including adjunct and part-time have multiple opportunities each month to participate in on-campus professional development activities offered by the unit‘s Administrative Council and the Provost‘s Office. Additionally, at the University level, the university’s full-time Academic Technology Specialist assists faculty and students in utilizing educational technologies, including LiveText, smartboard technology, ElluminateLive!, and Blackboard v 9.0. Each semester professional development sessions on how to use these technologies are provided both in a face-to-face format and online for the convenience of faculty. Faculty members are also expected to attend and/or make presentations at local, regional, and national conferences throughout the year that provide additional opportunities for professional development.