My definition of instructional professionalism includes the following: well dressed, on time, preparedness and overall knowledge of the subject that you are teaching. I also thik that humility is an important characteristic of professionalism.
Instructional professionalism in the online world is the same as in the face-to-face teaching arena, with the exception that typically our students can not "see" us (and therefore we can wear our pajamas to class). Professionalism in our classroom translates to showing up on time for classes, grading work in a timely manner (as we expect students to submit their work in a timely manner), treating students with respect, motivating students to be their best, and making sure we are doing everything we can to help our students to be successful. As we model our professionalism, our students will learn to mirror this behavior and become model employees and employers as they continue on in the future.
Instructional professionalism encompasses a set of behaviors the instructor will demonstrate while working with students and collegues. Being on time is one of the most important traits of professionalism. Ensuring you are prepared for your instructional experience is also a step toward being professional. Without properly preparing for a lecture, skills lab or clincal experience, the student's learning experience will suffer and this would be seen as a definite break in instructional professionalism. Conducting yourself in a professional manner while in the capacity of a instructor is important. Others will want to emulate your behavior when you set a high standard for professionalism and could only serve to raise the standard of instructional professionalism for everyone.
To me, instructional professionalism is coming to the classroom with knowledge on the subject. Also, being with prepared teaching materials including hand-outs, visual aides and learning activites. Instructional professionalism is about be responsible for teaching a topic to every student in the class.
Treating all students using the same standards.
Instructional Professionalism is being prepared, organized, and following guidelines that are set forth by the academic institution. Students can easily detect good instructors from bad instructors by the amount of professionalism presented on the first day of class.
Hi Kendall,
Good point but it still is challenging in trying to keep pace with all the developments that are surrounding us. Research has shown that those individuals that remain life long learners retain the capacity to acquire new information more easily than those that don't stimulate their brains on a regular basis. This is what makes teaching so much fun. We get paid to learn new information and share it with others. It doesn't get any better than that.
Gary
Hi Timothy,
Good definition that we all can make a part of our professional development. If we base what we are doing on respect then we will a much easier time of keeping students engaged in the learning process.
Gary
Hi Gary,
I agree that the learning curve continues to get steeper, but this simply parallels the exponential rate of increase in our knowledge bases. However, our own learning capacity continues to keep apace. We now know that our old information about neuron development and replacement was incorrect. As we now struggle with the acquisition of new knowledge, this stimulates the production of new neurons, which replace those old neurons that first appeared in our brains 20, 30, or even 50 years ago.
Kendall
I define instructional professionalism as treating someone with the same respect as i would expect to receive while giving them the information neede to truely learn the subject matter.
Instructional professionalism is the quality of effectively planning and presenting the content of a course, its requirements and activities, and providing motivational support for the students.
Hi Kendall,
Good observation. We instructors, today have a lot to be thankful for in terms of being able to communicate and support our students. My only problem is just when I get Blackboard down, there is something even better that comes out and I have to attend a number of training sessions to help me become even more proficient.
Gary
Interestingly, the new sets of tools that are now available (Blackboard, auto quizzes organized through textbook publishers, updated versions of MS PowerPoint, and other types of communication methods) allow me to raise the professionalism bar by several big notches. Conveying course information, progress reports, and expectations to students was never this easy 20 years ago. The communication tools imbedded in Blackboard are phenomenal.
Kendall
Hi Kendall,
What a great model you are to your students. Based upon your 40 years of experience you know exactly what you need to do set the tone for the class. This is what a professional is all about. I greatly respect your effort in making sure your students know what a professional truly is.
Gary
First and foremost, when I enter a classroom for the first meeting of the semester/quarter I am fully prepared. I know my subject as well as it can be known. A details are either deeply embedded in my gray matter or in my PowerPoint presentations. I have read and know the entire content of the textbook being used. I am up to date on the literature. Because I teach biology, a subject that is always in transition, I have to keep pace with research in the field.
As a professor, I come dressed as a professor befitting whatever campus I am on. My language is precise and free of jargon, to the extent that is possible. Whenever possible, I use familiar terms.
I am always 10-15 minutes early. That has been my style for 40 years at the two major universities where I have taught and conducted research.
I define instructional professionalism as the level of knowledge of the course materials the instructor has mastered, the instructors' ability to share that information in coherent increments, and the instructors' determination of the effective transmission of the information to the student.
Hi George,
I really like your perspective on being a professional. Your last sentence says it all. Passion is so important for students to see if they are going to really catch fire about the profession.
Gary
Succinctly put. I believe you captured in a nutshell what I describe in a paragraph.
I think of instructional professionalism as the tool kit of competency, clear communication, above board dress,conduct and language and ability to organize and deliver material
I think the first element of instructional professionalism is involvement in curriculum development and the students, and the actual "business" of the university or college. Next is personal credibility. An instructor should be a professional communicator. They need to have effective relationship with other faculty and the administration. They need to get results and establish a "track record." Professionals know their craft. They are subject matter experts and are always seeking the latest knowledge in the field to impart to students (while growing professionally.) They are also well-versed in technology and the tools of the trade. They recognize styles of learning and are able to deliver effectively to each. They have a passion for the profession.
