Fall 2000
Vol 9 Issue 1
IN THIS ISSUE...
A Conversation with Anna Solley
Professional Development for Adjuncts
Adjunct Faculty Collegial Support Partnership Program
Rio Salado College Model for Adjunct Faculty
Devil's in the Details
ASSIDERE
Adjunct Faculty Involvement in Student Outcomes Assessment
SEE ALSO...
The Labyrinth
Maricopa Center for Learning and Instruction
Devil's in the Details: Creating a Meaningful
Adjunct Faculty Development Program
Naomi O. Story, Director, MCC Center for Teaching and Learning
and Jonelle Moore, English Faculty, MCC
Converging adjunct faculty development activities into an overall model for faculty professional development has been a serious challenge for those of us at Mesa Community College's Center for Teaching and Learning. More important, the structures and strategies by which we identify and interconnect meaningful learning opportunities for our faculty - new and seasoned - housed and supported within our center has not been a simple or small task. Like the union of audio, video, and data communications into a single source, received on a single device, and delivered by a single connection, convergence is the result of difficult journeys. Creating a comprehensive model for professional faculty development has required attention and rethinking of the context, the content, environment, and motivation specifically for the adjunct faculty learning experience.
Like Mesa Community College (MCC), most colleges earnestly try to provide support, resources, and professional development opportunities to adjunct faculty. However, these are often unintentionally minimal or episodic. Assuming that adjunct faculty needs are similar to those of residential faculty, we risk development opportunities that can be too shortsighted or unrealistic. Late last spring, we (our Dean of Instruction, Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning, and Faculty Developer) decided to take the time to design, develop, and implement a comprehensive and more meaningful learning program for adjunct faculty.
Mesa Community College depends on over 800 adjunct faculty to provide and to ensure quality instruction and success in student learning. Adjunct faculty instructors tend to teach the majority of our entry-level courses. Several teach on-line courses. MCC also has adjuncts at other sites, including the new Red Mountain campus and Motorola University.
Mesa Community College is often challenged in how we can provide learning experiences for adjunct faculty because of our size and numerous locations, real and virtual. In addition, with competing or conflicting departmental priorities and personal or professional limitations, MCC's adjunct faculty are not readily available during the regular school day or have time constraints. We knew that we had to define and implement professional learning opportunities that would be more effective, worthwhile, and meaningful to adjuncts based on their needs and work conditions.
Over the summer, we spent time researching and investigating other models for adjunct faculty development programs. Many models focused on activities and events. We also hired Maria Harper-Marinick to interview our associate deans, department chairs, residential faculty, and adjunct faculty instructors on potential conditions, elements, and factors for meaningful learning for adjuncts. The data were helpful in surfacing a clearer picture of what were critical for adjunct faculty. Some of the findings included:
- Connection to the institution and being part of the college are important, especially in terms of student success and learning outcomes.
- Communication is a critical issue.
- Adjuncts often want to participate and share in professional development activities.
- Incentives and rewards are valued differently among adjuncts.
With Maria facilitating, we then spent time analyzing the data to sketch a model for adjuncts that includes stages of faculty learning very similar to our residential faculty. Adjunct interests converged with our over-arching professional model in areas of specific interest such as teaching and learning innovations and advancements in the disciplines. For example, shared interests included exploration, experimentation, development, and sharing of new ideas and insights for their disciplines or fields and instructional or assessment methods and techniques. Yet, divergence occurred in the details of conditions for learning and defining their professional roles as adjuncts. For example, several adjuncts wanted to participate more actively in college initiatives or to be mentors to each other. Not all wanted or expected monetary compensation for participation in professional development activities; other incentives were valued such as recognition and inclusion in college life.
Based on our research and analysis, we have designed and are piloting a new, and we hope better, professional development program for MCC's diverse adjunct faculty this fall and spring semesters. Critical elements of the program will focus on choices of learning context and outcomes, activities, and times; different opportunities to share their expertise and knowledge with each other; and creating long-term commitment to professional development. We are also committed to connecting and communicating more effectively with adjunct faculty by making sure they are an integral part of the MCC community of faculty.
Much like our students and residential faculty, MCC's adjuncts want to be actively engaged in their learning and helping shape their learning experiences. We see this as a dynamic and broad-based program and partnership.
