Faculty Development Program
Faculty excellence is not something that simply happens without intentional effort; good teachers don't just fall off the tree. Instead, they come to be in environments that nurture and sustain them. The purpose of NCNM's Faculty Development Program is to (a) improve the instructional abilities of our faculty, and (b) assist our faculty in their own professional development.
The program is organized into four different areas of emphasis: (1) Professional Development; (2) Teaching Skills; (3) Assessment of Student Learning; and (4) Technology Integration. On this web page, faculty will find information about each focal area of the program, including links to resources, applications, and templates as appropriate. The Faculty Development Program is administered by the Faculty Development Committee. You can contact the committee by sending an email message to Rick Severson, or you can leave a voice message at 503-552-1543.
2008-09 Faculty Leave application form.
Professional Development
A successful teaching career follows a pattern of professional development that needs to be documented in a curriculum vitae and a portfolio of creative artifacts. The Faculty Development Program is dedicated to helping faculty chart their achievements, understand their opportunities for scholarly inquiry and research, and appreciate the service expectations of a successful teaching career. Click here for promotion materials.
It is important to honor and reward faculty who excel in the classroom and clinic, conduct research, and contribute significantly to the profession and/or the college. The Faculty Development Committee will be setting up a process for nominating and selecting faculty for annual awards.
The Faculty Development Committee has also set up an application process for financial support of faculty who wish to attend conferences or workshops. Click here for details about faculty travel funding.
Teaching Skills
NCNM faculty need opportunities to improve themselves as classroom teachers and clinical supervisors. As mentioned above, funds will be available for attending conferences and workshops of special interest. Faculty who return from skill enhancing conferences will be expected to share their new insights with other faculty in an appropriate forum.
The faculty development committee will be sponsoring a series of "Lunch and Learn Workshops" that are designed to be hands on skill building opportunities. In the Lunch and Learn series, we want faculty to share their classroom expertise with their colleagues. Click here for a schedule of upcoming and recent workshops.
Assessment of Student Learning
NCNM faculty need to stay abreast with developments in assessment, particularly as that relates to new learning centered pedagogical theory. What is a learning outcome, and how do you write a good one? For that matter, how do you write a good multiple choice test question, and verify that it is a good question? These are areas in which our faculty need ongoing training. Click here for a list of some assessment resources.
Technology Integration
The instructional technology revolution has changed higher education forever. NCNM has adopted some of the newest tools, but not easily. It takes training and support in order to master a Course Management System or podcasting or new presentation software systems. Click here for information about instructional technology on our campus.