The Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) certificate program provides graduate students and postdoctoral fellows with opportunities to learn about those aspects of being a faculty member that are often not addressed in graduate programs. The aim of the program is to help prepare participants for a successful career in higher education as an academic, with emphasis on developing skills to teach effectively and preparation to navigate the initial stages of an academic job search.
The program addresses eight areas of professional development for those interested in academic careers. Requirements for the program are met by attending a series of workshops and/or taking specific courses and/or working with a senior faculty mentor. Participants are provided a Handbook to track their progress throughout the program. It is the responsibility of each participant to maintain his/her own records to verify completion of program requirements. Upon completion of the program, the participants must submit a completed Preparing Future Faculty Handbook and the teaching portfolio to the PFF coordinator to receive the transcript notation.
Requirements for the eight areas certificate program are as follows:
1. Theory and Research on Effective Teaching in Higher Education
- Attend three hours of workshops on teaching and learning in higher education, either general or discipline based. Some topical examples include scholarship of teaching, team-based learning, learning styles, teaching a diverse student body, and designing effective courses;
- OR register for EDPL 6680 - Designing and Teaching Effective Courses in Higher Education.
2. Introduction to Specific Teaching Skills
- Attend six hours of workshops on specific teaching skills or techniques, including: constructing a syllabus, incorporating service learning into your class, promoting reflections and discussion, lecturing to large classes, teaching lab courses, and developing effective grading practices;
- OR register for EDPL 6680 - Designing and Teaching Effective Courses in Higher Education.
3. Obtaining Feedback on Teaching
- Teach two classes (20-minute minimum);
- AND obtain feedback on each teaching experience from your faculty mentor and students in the class;
- AND developing a plan for improving your teaching based on the feedback you receive;
- AND write a 2-3 double-spaced page summary of the teaching experience and plan;
- OR register for EDPL 6680 - Designing and Teaching Effective Courses in Higher Education.
4. Assessing Student Learning
- Review Angelo, T.A., & Cross, K.P. (1993). Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass (available from the Raynor Library);
- AND apply at least two different assessment methods in a class taught by you or during another equivalent experience (i.e, during a presentation in graduate course, etc.)
- AND write a 2-3 double-spaced summary of the experience;
- OR register for EDPL 6680 - Designing and Teaching Effective Courses in Higher Education.
5. Teaching with Technology
- Attend four hours of PFF and/or Electronic teaching workshops organized by the Center for Teaching and Learning;
- OR register for EDPL 6680 - Designing and Teaching Effective Courses in Higher Education;
- OR complete the E-Teaching Certificate.
6. Professional and Career Development
- Attend at least two hours of workshops related to professional development. These workshops give an overview of different aspects of professional development import for graduate students seeking employment in academic positions. Examples workshops include: publishing; fellowships; and leadership. Service as a student representative on a university or departmental board, a committee, or as an appointed capacity in an academically-orientated professional organization will also earn workshop credit. The PFF Coordinator needs to approve this equivalency.
- AND attend at least two hours of workshops in career decision-making and job market skills. These workshops give an overview of possible career paths and also in the development of specific job skills that are crucial for the application process. The Career Services Center will offer these workshops. Examples include the following: academic job searches; and CV Writing.
- AND interview a faculty member about the qualities they seek in a new faculty member or a junior faculty member about the experience of being on the job market;
- AND write a 2-3 page, double-spaced summary of the interview;
7. Obtaining External Funding
- Complete at least two workshops on securing external funding for scholarship of teaching or related projects;
- OR register for EDPL 6670 - Faculty Roles in Higher Education.
8. Teaching Portfolio
- AND prepare a professional portfolio that includes a curriculum vitae, a statement of teaching philosophy, a sample syllabus, sample student assessment of learning instruments, evaluations of your teaching;
- OR register for EDPL 6680 - Designing and Teaching Effective Courses in Higher Education.
PREPARING FUTURE FACULTY
PREPARING FUTURE FACULTY
