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. 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.