Faculty Role in Perceived Value
I truly believe that faculty play a major role in how students determine the "value" of their educational experience. If faculty are unprepared, do not stick to their syllabus/calendar, not consistent in classroom management and other policies or not enthusiastic, this can really affect how a student sees the college. Students (especially new ones) see through the eyes of those around them, so if you have a jaded instructor taking weeks to pass back assignments and appearing unwilling to listen to student concerns, then this will be their type of approach to their college experience: NEGATIVE. But with small budgets to pay for faculty - many of whom are already worn out from their other jobs by the time they come to teach - how can we motivate and show instructors how vital their attitude, appearance and accessability are each day??
That makes too much sense! What a wonderful way to maximize value to both the student and the marketplace. By spending the money and taking the time to accurately assess the students likely hood of being successful, you are positioning the student to succeed and providing the marketplace with qualified entry level employees. Neat.
Bennett--
Wow...excellent question. This sounds like a truly heavy load that doesn't allow for the personal attention necessary. My own experience with online is that it is actually much more 'intensive' than a typical lecture classroom because students tend to be more interative and expect real-time feedback.
Susan
This certainly seems to be the trend, more with less. Certainly here in Florida where the number of teachers has been slashed by a third, and now every teacher is responsible for the FCAT score of the student in their class.
My own experience with online is they have about 50 students in the class and several instructors say they teach in up to 6 institutions a week. Does this mean they do not have much time for verbal interaction or comments on writen projects per student?
So how do you motivate worn out, stressed instructors in large classes with students who are not responding to the daily curriculum plan?
Michael--
I completely agree! Faculty have a wonderful and important calling to impact people's lives.
Really like your hiring process!
Susan
Taking the time to hire good people, At our school first and second interviews followed by a practical application demonstration have helped us determine who the right people are for the job.Instructors need to be constantly reminded about the responsibility that comes with the ability to aafect positive change in someones life. Surely there can be no greater calling than that of a teacher.
Lisa--
This is so important...especially if you are working with adjunct faculty. Making our instructors feel part of the team and keeping them in the loop is very important to student retention.
Susan
One way we motivate faculty are faculty awards. We recognize faculty at the quarterly awards ceremony for retention and reduction in absences. Additionally, we solicit information on how we(Education Department) can assist them in preparing for classes. We conduct a "How are We Doing? " survey every quarter. We try to show that we value their opinions to add value.
Paul--
Wonderful that you observe classes! This is an excellent way to see for your self the level of instruction and interaction. You just can't fully appreciate it without experiencing it.
Susan
Your comments on the “jaded†instructor are so true. It is even tougher when the instructor starts strong and fizzles out. Those instructors are usually hard to catch right away. I try to observe as many classes as possible but when I’m teaching 4 classes I can’t get into every classroom on a regular basis.
Meredith--
You make very good points about faculty's role in determining value. What happens in the classroom is the ultimate 'value'.
Susan
Motivate, find the right person for the job, motivation is found within, you either enjoy your career choice or you don't and unfortunately we have some who should probably not be in this field-You are so right on the money!!! Without the proper instructor the student will turn away and drop.
