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Education

Unit Facilitation of Professional Development

Based upon needs identified in faculty evaluations, the unit provides opportunities for faculty to develop new knowledge and skills, especially as they relate to the conceptual framework(s), performance assessment, diversity, technology, and other emerging practices.

A "Faculty Mentoring Program" through which new faculty are assigned to an experienced Chadron State College faculty member for guidance, support, direction and/or assistance. On campus workshops often bring K-12 faculty and administration together with Chadron State College candidates and unit faculty to share information and discuss common issues (Table 5.12: 2004-05 Professional Development Workshops-Training Opportunities).

Based on individual faculty member annual evaluations, faculty are advised and counseled by the Dean on ways to improve upon their performance as a faculty member. Collaboratively, the Dean and the faculty member outline a specific plan for meeting specific performance goals. Faculty are also provided with suggested resources for aiding in the improvement process. Faculty meet with the Dean throughout the ensuing academic year to evaluate progress. At the completion of one year’s time, another formal evaluation takes place.

Professional development funds are made available to each faculty member for the specific purpose of assisting with opportunities for professional growth (Application for Faculty Development Funds). In the 2004-2005 academic year, $16,000 was allocated for faculty development. These monies were used in the following two areas of professional staff development:

1) Specialized consultants were brought to campus to provide training in areas of: Assessment (2004); New Technology (2003-05); Native American Education (2005); Marco Polo Technology Training (2004); Early Childhood Education (2005); State Standards and Assessment Training (2005); Black Board Education Training (2004-05).

2) Professional Development Funds are available for faculty travel and expenses to conventions, workshops and faculty development meetings. Aside from the annual $200 department allocation to each faculty member, faculty are eligible for additional funding up to $500, for travel and expenses to meetings and conventions in relation to staff development. Funds are also used by staff members presenting at conventions and workshops. In total, faculty may receive up to $700 annually for professional development opportunities. In addition to the aforementioned staff development funds, Deans have discretionary funds that may be used for workshops and/or development programs by faculty.

In the way of technology training opportunities, the Nebraska Educational Television Council for Higher Education (NETCHE), a consortium of Nebraska colleges and universities, is devoted to the improvement of teaching and learning through the use of effective technologies. This group provides on-campus workshops for faculty interested in specialized technology training areas (2004 NETCHE Training Schedule). The following workshops were made available to faculty and staff during the 2004-05 academic year: (1) Applying Seven Good Practice Principals of Online Education 2004; (2) Instructional Design for Integrating Technology 2004.

Throughout the academic year the Unit also provides professional development opportunities for all faculty to gain additional knowledge and expertise in effective teaching strategies. The Teacher Education Committee provides annual "teacher supervision" training sessions on the appropriate strategies for supervising teacher interns. Table 5.12 shows the Unit’s 2004-05 Professional Development Workshop Training Opportunities that were provided during the 2004-2005 academic year.