Question.933 - Case Study: Carranza, C., & White, W. G., Jr. (1998). Issues for discussion in developmental education: Part II. Case Study 5: Faculty development in developmental programs. Research & Teaching in Developmental Education, 14(2), 59-73. Download Case Study: Carranza, C., & White, W. G., Jr. (1998). Issues for discussion in developmental education: Part II. Case Study 5: Faculty development in developmental programs. Research & Teaching in Developmental Education, 14(2), 59-73. Please read the case study above and respond to the questions in the case study. After you have submitted your assignment to the link associated with the assignment, the instructor will post student responses in the Week 11 section of Canvas. Please include the following in your case study: Your name, date, and the assignment number with this submission. 2. Retype each question and then respond to the question. 3. References for your responses and a reference page; otherwise, you may plagiarize your work and receive a failing grade on the assignment. 4. Properly identify your assignment when you post it to Canvas. See your course syllabus for instructions.
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Case Study 5: Faculty Development in Developmental Program Denrick Lewis Gambling University DEED 622: Administration of Postsecondary Developmental Programs and Services Dr. Daphne E. Williams March 27th, 2023 Case Study 5: Faculty Development in Developmental Program 1. With what you know of the field of developmental education, along with this brief description of Dr. Sternberg's department, what are some of the significant differences between a department that works with at-risk students and a regular academic department? What are some of the similarities? In accordance to the differences between the departments that work with at-risk students and a regular academic department could include an emphasis on supporting students who may face additional challenges alongside individualized attention in terms of specialized pedagogical methods in order to develop a more comprehensive and inclusive environment for student development. On the other hand, a regularly functioning academic department would give more emphasis to the subject-oriented approach, which is content-specific and student skill development. Nevertheless, both departments own certain responsibilities that are similar in terms of faculty accountability towards teaching, researching the subjects, and service implementations. 2. How do these differences impact the developmental faculty member's decision-making about writing, research, conferences/workshop presentations, and attendance? From the case study, the differences could be from the workload and the focus that might be impacting the developmental faculty member's decision-making about developmental activities. Since faculty members often prioritize developmental opportunities that tend to align with their specific teaching approaches, such as inclusive environment conferences where stakeholders get the equitable scope to voice their opinion or workshops related to supporting at-risk students. However, depending on the workload, when the inflow of work is on the higher side, the faculty tends to struggle with time management in accordance with allowing professional development activities since the immediate activities will be given more priority to relevant teaching responsibilities. 3. Developmental education departments are sometimes located in student affairs divisions. Would professional development expectations differ between divisions of academic affairs vs. student affairs? Explain? The will be a difference between the divisions of academic affairs and student affairs when considering the professional development expectations. The student affairs could give more emphasis to the practical skills and talents in terms of training interventions related to the student's support and development, while on the other hand, the academic affairs tend to prioritize the research part in accordance with the subject-specific training intervention. Both divisions could recognize the importance of current professional development for their faculty members. 4. Why is professional development important for members of the field of developmental education? Are some types more valuable than others? Explain. In terms of importance, professional development in accordance with the members of the field of developmental education tends to provide them the capability to adapt to the relevancy factors of the research being conducted and the possible practices that could suit the field by improving their teaching approach and support the needs of the students. Some of the professional development types include attending workshops or conferences and upskilling themselves in the current field that could provide them an immediate boost in knowledge and also scope to establish a wider network base. However, ongoing professional development that includes opportunities for research and collaboration may have more long-term benefits for faculty members and their students. 5. Develop a policy for the disbursement of travel funds that the committee could present to the faculty for a vote. Explain your rationale for the conditions you include in the policy if there is an application process to follow. Explain it - Identify who selects the awards and list the criteria to be used. Considering the case study, the Policy for Disbursement of Travel Funds: Eligibility: Each of the full-time faculty members that have been serving for a minimum of one year is eligible for travel funds. Part times faculty members and temporary faculties including the substitutes, could also apply, but based on the tenure of service and performance, other factors like veterans and tenured will be given priority. Application Process: Applicants should submit the travel proposal outline that includes a detailed description of the purpose, the benefits it could reap, and the expected outcomes. The proposal should also include a detailed budget that outlines all the travel-related expenditures, including those that are expected to arise, such as the buffer price in terms of limiting to the maximum that could occur. The proposal must be submitted at least 60 days before the proposed travel date. Award Selection: The travel funds committee will evaluate all applications and make commendations to the department chair for final approval. The committee will evaluate proposals based on the merit of the proposal, potential impact on the department and university, and financial need. Award Amount: The maximum amount that can be awarded to any applicant is $500. In exceptional cases, a higher amount may be awarded, subject to the availability of funds. Unused Funds: If an applicant does not use their allotted funds, the funds will be returned to the travel budget for future use. Funding for Support Staff and Student Staff: Funding for professional development activities for support staff and student staff will be considered on a case-by-case basis, subject to the availability of funds. Rationale Considering the factors discussed the eligibility criteria of full-time, tenured and veteran faculty member to assure that people who have been in service over a long time possess a greater advantage in terms of getting the travel funds. Followed by the application process regulates the applicants submission of the travel proposal makes sure that they are aligned with the professional development objective and have the potential scope to being beneficial to the department and the university. The award selection process evaluates proposals based on merit, potential impact, and financial need to ensure that the travel funds are awarded to applicants that could benefit the most from them. The award amount is set at $500 to ensure that the funds are distributed fairly and that more faculty members have the opportunity to benefit from them. On the other hand, the unused funds are returned to the travel budget to confirm that they can be used for future travel. Finally, funding for support staff and student staff is considered on a case-by-case basis to ensure that all members of the department have the opportunity to benefit from professional development activities. In summary, the policy is intended to ensure that the travel funds are distributed fairly and used effectively to help the department and university. 6. Aside from the obvious reasons for obtaining the terminal degree, why do you think it is particularly important that faculty in developmental education programs do so? Obtaining a terminal degree is particularly important for faculty in developmental education programs because it demonstrates a high level of expertise in the field and allows them to stay current with the latest research and best practices. This is especially important in developmental education, where the field is constantly evolving, and new approaches and techniques are being developed to serve students better. 7. Do you have any additional suggestions for those members of the department who have yet to accomplish this goal? In accordance with the case study, one of the recommendations for those members of the department who are yet to accomplish the goal could be to explore a flexible degree initiative that enables them to earn their degree while continuing to work, having a work and personal, educational life balance. Another suggestion could be to seek out funding opportunities for professional development and higher education or to establish a holistic network with expert colleagues who have already obtained their terminal degrees to learn about their experiences and strategies for balancing work and education. 8. What do you know about the attitude of colleges and universities toward the use of full-time, tenure-track faculty vs. part-time, adjunct, and temporary faculty to teach in developmental programs? How does the preponderance of part-time and temporary faculty working in most developmental programs affect the level of professional development activities? Considering the preponderance of part-time and temporary faculty working in most developmental programs, the case does not provide direct information about how it affects the level of professional development activities. Nonetheless, with knowledge obtained from the course, the group discussion approaches will tend to improve their own professional growth and how they could work on their advanced degrees in small steps, take release time, or even take an unpaid leave of absence. They also be discussed in terms of the competition and guidelines are stiff for promotions beyond a certain level, and they need to reach for a terminal degree to be considered. However, the preponderance of part-time and temporary faculty working in most developmental programs can affect the level of professional development activities, as these faculty members may have less access to resources and opportunities for ongoing training and education. This can ultimately impact the quality of education provided to students, as faculty who are not up-to-date on the latest research and best practices may not be able to provide the most effective instruction. 9. How does the fact that faculty in developmental programs are from a variety of different disciplines affect the department's pursuit of professional development standards and activities? Does this fact make mutual support more difficult for these faculty than for those in regular academic departments? The underlying comprehension should be given the disparity that exists among faculty in developmental programs who are from a diverse discipline and could make mutual support more difficult for these faculty than for those in regular academic departments. This is because every faculty member has their own unique expertise in terms of exhibiting their knowledge in the way it is being shared with the stakeholders and may not have a common disciplinary background. Nonetheless, the fact that it could lead to a wider range of professional development standards and activities, as there are more diverse perspectives to draw from. The faculty can work towards developing interdisciplinary professional development opportunities and creating a culture of collaboration and mutual support. 10. What are some advantages of everyone of including the support staff in opportunities and funds for professional development? Including support staff in opportunities and funds for professional development can have several advantages. The primary factor is to increase the overall effectiveness of the department, as support staff has the potential to play an important role in the functioning of the department. Followed by how they can be used to improve the morale or ethical elements within the scope of developmental education and job satisfaction of support staff, which could lead to better retention rates. Overall, it can lead to the development of a more knowledgeable and skilled workforce, which can benefit both the department and the university. 11. What kinds of professional development activities would you suggest for student staff members? For professional development, some of the activities that could be suggested for student staff members include attending workshops and conferences, participating in peer mentoring programs, receiving training in specific skills or software programs, and engaging in research or writing projects. 12. What recommendations would you make for improving teaching in the department? In accordance with the case study, certain recommendation could be to improve the teaching interventions which can be achieved by incorporating more active learning strategies by developing an inclusive environment (group work and discussions, providing regular and constructive feedback to and from students to improvise on the teaching interventions), and also incorporating contemporary technologies that enhances the learning experience. Additionally, faculty members could participate in peer observation and evaluation programs to acquire from each other and progress their teaching practices. 13. In what ways might the developmental education department interact with members of other departments in promoting professional development? In what ways might they contribute to the university as a whole? Interaction is the key factor that enables the developmental education department with other members to share the resources of expertise and collaborate on interdisciplinary projects when needed, and participate in university-wide initiatives. They could contribute to the university as a whole by serving as a resource for other departments on issues connected to student success and retention and by distributing their resource expertise and research findings with the broader academic community. 14. The faculty did not focus in their discussion on the idea of service as a form of professional growth. What activities that you would define as service could also serve to promote professional growth and development? Explain. Those interventions that could be defined as services along with the additional benefit of promoting professional development, include serving on university committees, participating in community outreach programs, mentoring newly joined faculty members (also including temporary and substitutes), and engaging in professional organizations. These activities provide opportunities to develop leadership skills, provide wider professional networks, and gain exposure to different perspectives and ideas. 15. What is your opinion concerning the importance of research in the field of developmental education? How might a proper balance between research and teaching be achieved? Research in the field of developmental education is important, since it aids more information to the theory and research that guide educators but also augments the reputation and credibility of developmental education itself. However, a balance between research and teaching can be achieved by providing incentives for faculty members who involve in research and publishing, ensuring that research activities align with the teaching mission of the institution, and providing adequate support for research activities. 16. Some people simply are not effective writers or they find writing to be a burdensome task. What suggestions would you give such people? How might they contribute to the cause? Should everyone be expected to engage in research or to publish, established their interest and talents lie in teaching and service to students? What should faculty in this situation do about external pressures, such as promotion or tenure where more than just good teaching is rewarded? Considering the individuals who find writing to be burdensome, it is important to have a comprehensive understanding how what interests them in writing and by starting small with the incorporation of regular intervals and practices. Exercises that enable them to explore their writing skills along with peer reviews to establish an inclusive environment that includes workshop activities. Individuals who are not interested in research or publishing should not be expected to engage in such activities as long as they are meeting the teaching and service expectations of their position. Faculty members in this situation should work with their department chairs to ensure that their contributions to teaching and service are recognized and valued. 17. Suggest some research ideas for developmental educators. What areas or specific problems might faculty investigate? Considering potential ideas for developmental educators in accordance with research is to evaluate the several educational cues and interventions that helped the students succeed and what effective teaching strategies they (at-risk students) were able to receive with high effectiveness and assessing the interrelationship between the academic and non-academic factors on student outcomes. 18. What advantages to the department are to be gained through the accomplishments of its individual members? Why are these recognitions more important to developmental programs? The achievement of the faculties on the individual level tends to benefit the department by enhancing the overall department's credibility factors in terms of imparting knowledge and also the overall reputation that could draw in more students when the student inflow increases so does the funding that could develop/enhance the overall quality of the education. These recognitions are particularly imperative for developmental programs as they aid in dispelling myths and misunderstandings about at-risk students and programs intended to serve them. 19. What advantages are there to collecting data and other information about the activities of the program, even if it is not used for research or publication purposes? What type of data would you collect? How would this data be used? Gathering the data in accordance with the activities of the interferences or initiatives tends to provide valuable insight into the effectiveness of the interventions in order to identify the scope of improvement and enable more credible decision-making to produce the desired outcome. Some of the data that can be collected are placement tests, study skills inventories, personality inventories, tutorial contacts, advising contacts, peer-helping contacts, grade analyses, graduation and retention rates, evaluations, and student satisfaction surveys. 20. Of all the ideas the group discussed regarding professional development activities, research, and writing are probably the most time-consuming. What can you recommend to the department as a whole or to individual faculty to help overcome this problem? Considering group discussion, which could vary depending on the professional development activities, including attending conferences/workshops, aids in engaging the stakeholders to get a better insight into the research and publishment since they serve the benefit of ensuring that improve the reputation and credibility of developmental education in a holistic approach. References Case Study: Carranza, C., & White, W. G., Jr. (1998). Issues for discussion in developmental education: Part II. Case Study 5: Faculty development in developmental programs. Research & Teaching in Developmental Education, 14(2), 59-73.More Articles From Research
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