Transitions: Becoming a College Teacher

1. Transitions:Becoming a College Teacher Purpose • What is being done to prepare community college faculty to become effective instructors? • What is being done at Nova Scotia Community College? • Is what NSCC does, effective?

2. Teaching in Community Colleges • Colleges say their main purpose is to teach • Very few colleges have a systematic approach to improve instruction • Teaching must be an organizational priority in order to effective • Colleges are being held accountable for their performance in teaching

3. NSCC Response to the Challenge • A mandatory teacher training program for new faculty • The Community College Education Diploma Program • Ten courses • Mandatory courses plus electives • Mandatory Summer Institute • Complete Program in two years

4. CCEDP continued • Required Courses • Facilitating Adult Learning • The Contemporary Community College • Supporting Student Success • Mentoring • Practicum • Evaluating Adult Learning • Designing Instruction and Training

5. CCEDP continued • Course Formats • Month long residential experience • Weeklong course • Three weekends • On-line

6. Does the CCEDP work? • 82% say it is an effective transition to teaching • 89% say Summer Institute is effective for building relationships with colleagues • 92% say it is effective in preparing them to teach • 87% would recommend the Program

7. Identity as a teacher • Strong identification with occupational expertise • Identify with their career as faculty • In process of becoming instructors

8. Faculty Challenges • Diverse student body • Expanded faculty role • Staying Current • Time management

9. Lessons • Institutional approach to improving instruction is required • NSCC is on the right track • CCEDP is effective • More research is required: • What constitutes effective college instruction? • How can colleges foster effective instruction?