Self-Directed and Designed
CCO encourages its faculty to engage in an ongoing process of professional development in a way that recognizes the unique situation of every faculty member.
Two Types of Professional Development
- Technical Professional Development is what most adjunct faculty do as part of their full-time employment in their areas of expertise. Whether attending a conference, obtaining a badge or certificate, reaching a new professional certification, taking a course, or completing a new degree program, all of these help you to become better at your field of expertise. This type of professional development cannot be overvalued since it allows faculty to stay current in their field and provides students with a direct connection to their profession. Examples include:
- Accountants updating skills in new tax laws or corporate finance
- Financial consultants obtaining specialized certifications such as estate planning or becoming a Certified Financial Planner
- Certifications in many areas of Information Technology and Cyber Security
- Completing a course or new degree program specific to your profession or expanding your scope beyond your current areas of expertise
- Presenting at professional conferences or industry associations
- Attending conferences or workshops for learning about emerging skills in your profession or areas indirectly related to your profession
- Self-study (reading and/or video) on specific topics resulting in career learning and growth in your professional domain
- Faculty Professional Development, or improving our teaching practices, is equally important but less known by most professionals in their field. The goal of Faculty Professional Development is to increase your abilities in leading and managing learning in the classroom, whether in the classroom or online. The content for faculty development comes from the shared experiences of senior faculty, learning theory, and ongoing research into the best practices in teaching and learning. It is this type of professional development that is most easily overlooked by professionals who are serving as part-time instructors. Examples include:
Balancing your “Technical” and “Faculty”
When completing your Faculty Annual Reflection and outlining your goals for the upcoming year, it is important to include both Technical and Faculty types of professional development. For both of these, the litmus test is always whether you are able to make some positive change, however small, to your teaching practice or your course (through the course change process) and, ultimately, improving your students’ learning experience.
When thinking about your professional development look for learning opportunities in both:
- Technical Professional Development – Improving your knowledge and skills at your given profession and “technical” competencies
- Faculty Professional Development – Using resources available to improve your practice in online teaching through improvements in your use of the Learning Management System, classroom dynamics, supplementary technology (video, etc.), course management practices or student interaction