黑料专区

A pilot program designed to enhance the teaching skills of professors in 黑料专区鈥檚 undergraduate and graduate programs has been so successful that it will continue indefinitely, its chief organizers say. 

The program, which confers a Pfeiffer Faculty Teaching Certificate (PFTC), offers monthly workshops, each on a different topic. Workshop topics include everything from teaching strategies to overcoming bias in the classroom.

Since 2022, two cohorts of 15 professors each have participated in PFTC training sessions. Another cohort will run from January through June 2024, with the faculty in that group meeting once per month for a total of six workshops.

鈥淲e are a teaching institution,鈥� said Dr. Dawn Lucas, Pfeiffer鈥檚 Dean of the Undergraduate College and Department Chair for Education. 鈥淪o, placing an emphasis on and investing in faculty development as it relates to teaching is a priority. To me, the PFTC program is a no-brainer, and it likely sets Pfeiffer apart from many of its peer institutions.鈥�

Lucas added that the PFTC sessions stand to have a positive 鈥渢rickle-down鈥� impact on retention and graduation rates among Pfeiffer鈥檚 students. 

The first PFTC sessions were funded as a component of a from the of the U.S. Department of Education鈥檚 Office of Elementary & Secondary Education. Lucas said that Pfeiffer plans to keep the PFTC program going after the federal grant funding period concludes.

PFTC has emerged at a time when an aspiring professor of any subject can often go through an entire doctorate program without ever taking a course on how to teach material on their field effectively.

PFTC is a 鈥渄eep dive,鈥� Lucas said. Workshop topics include 鈥淒eveloping a Philosophy Around Education鈥�; 鈥淭eaching Strategies and 鈥�;  鈥淪trategies for Working with Struggling Students鈥�; 鈥淗ow Learning Works鈥�; and 鈥淐ulturally Responsive Teaching.鈥�

PFTC also has both a mentorship component and one for a 鈥減ortfolio,鈥� in which participants craft a philosophy around teaching that works for them, developing ways to build on strengths and address weaknesses.

Dr. Samantha Canipe Pennington 鈥�11, an Assistant Professor of Health and Natural Sciences at 黑料专区, said she greatly benefitted from compiling a portfolio.

The process prompted her to 鈥渃ompletely鈥� rewrite her teaching philosophy which she had created at the beginning of her higher education teaching career in 2018.

鈥淚t encouraged me to identify areas for improvement and set goals for further advancement,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t enabled me to step back and critically evaluate my teaching methods so that I can remain dedicated to providing the best possible learning experience for my students.鈥�

Dr. Kathryn N. Riley, Associate Professor of Biology at Pfeiffer, participated in the program during her seventh year at the University. She echoed Pennington鈥檚 sentiments.   

鈥淭o be able to talk about teaching and pedagogy is just what I needed,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 am always looking to improve my courses and I am grateful to have the opportunity to be part of a program specifically focused on teaching. I gained ideas, perspective, motivation, and more in the program.鈥�