Faculty Development in Community Colleges: Challenges and Opportunities in Teaching the Teachers

Abstract

This article stems from a qualitative inquiry research project that examined the significant experiences of adult educators. For this article we explore the experiences of our faculty educator participants working within the community college context and examine the ways in which their practice connects to faculty development literature. Key insights gleaned from this research highlight both challenges and opportunities that college faculty developers face today. Our findings call for community college leaders and teachers to more effectively explore the ways in which personal, professional, and institutional epistemologies interact in order to better support learning.Keywords: faculty development, qualitative inquiry, community college.

Continued growth, increasing complexity: Examining the evolving role of the Canadian educational developer

“…Since the role began, EDs have supported teaching and learning at institutions of higher learning. Fostering pedagogical knowledge and supporting changes in facilitation have been accomplished through activities such as orientation, classroom observations, workshops/ courses, and peer consultations, as well as resource promotion and sharing (Howard & Taber, 2010;Popovic & Plank, 2016). Over time, the ED role has expanded to include a variety of professional development support work with different personnel (e.g., administrative heads, support staff, etc.)…”

Nurturing Opportunities for Educational Leadership: How Affordance and Leadership Interconnect

“…Socio-cultural perspective argues that learning occurs in a community; thus, communities of practice have individual and organizational influences that impact schools, curriculum reform, and teacher and student learning. Including all participants in a professional community enables a reciprocal learning process in which each member is a teacher and a learner simultaneously (Paredes-Scribner & Bradley-Levine, 2010;Howard & Taber, 2010;Wenger, 1998).…”

Into the Fire: Psychosocial Factors and the Transition to Teaching for Early Career College Educators

“…Once hired, college educators participate in faculty development programs often referred to as new faculty orientation or new faculty induction programs (Gregory & Cusson, 2013). Faculty development has been described as a complex and multifaceted process that includes personal, professional and organizational outcomes (Howard & Taber, 2010). Gregory & Cusson (2009) surveyed 24 Canadian community colleges and determined that the majority of new faculty orientation programs focused on pedagogical knowledge, teaching skills, and campus resources.…”