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Professional development opportunities for all faculty
members on campus are discussed in the College section of the
manual. Most recently, the faculty have created the Center for the
Enrichment of Learning and Teaching (CELT), a faculty-driven center that
provides support for and encourages the growth of effective teaching and
learning at MCC. Many full time and adjunct faculty have joined
since its inception. Information about CELT is also in the College
section of the manual.
Mathematics
Department Professional Development Opportunities
Workshops
Workshops on a variety of topics are held throughout the semester.
Workshops that are frequently run are those offered by publishers
of the texts we use for our courses.
These workshops are intended to up-date all faculty members with
the text and technology and supplements that are available.
The range of technology interest and ability within the
Department is vast. Do
not think that you must be a ‘techie’ to attend any technology-based
workshop. All faculty
members are welcome and encouraged to attend!
Speakers
On occasion, the Dean, Chair or a faculty member might speak to or
arrange for an outside person to speak to our Department on a
discipline-related topic. Once
again, all faculty members are welcome and encouraged to attend.
Manuals, Newsletters and
Magazines
The following manuals, newsletter
and magazines are particularly helpful to the new adjunct or new
full-time instructor (or anyone interested in honing their teaching
skills):
1. The
"Adjunct Faculty Handbook", published by the Adjunct
Faculty
Center is distributed to new
faculty during orientation. If you did not
receive
one, you can pick one up from the Mathematics Department or
from the Adjunct Faculty Center in
Raritan Hall, Room 013.
2. Dr. Kathy
Fedorko has written a teaching tip manual that is available to
MCC faculty members. She can
be contacted at Ext 3137.
3. A newsletter,
"the Teaching Professor Online" is free to MCC faculty
members. Go to http://www.magnapubs.com/licenses/subscribe.html
Enter
your individual email address and password, as well as the other
required information. Use the
Voucher Code, "MIDDLESEX' and the
pin number, "6133"
to subscribe.
4. A magazine,
"Adjunct Advocate" is available by going to
www.adjunctnation.com/magazine.
5. A well-written
nuts-and-bolts guide to teaching undergraduate
mathematics is "Teaching
First: A Guide for New Mathematicians" ,
written by Thomas Rishel is
available by going to
http://www.maa.org/programs/tahandbook.html
Books
1. The
Elements of Teaching, written by James Banner and Harold
Cannon and published by Yale
University Press in 1999 is a short
book that focuses on the
personal qualities that help create good
teachers. It is an
inspirational book about teaching.
2. Advice
for New Faculty Members, written by Robert Boice and
published by Allyn and Bacon
in 2000, is a guide to the start of a
successful academic career.
3. What
Works: Research-Based Best Practices in Developmental
Education, by
Hunter R. Boylan and published by the Continuous
Quality Improvement Network
with the National Center for
Developmental Education in
2002, is an excellent book offering
important ideas, information
and tips about developmental
education. You can contact
the publisher at PO Box 32098,
Appalachian State University,
Boone, NC 28608.
4. Teaching
Mathematics in Colleges and Universities: Case Studies
For Today's Classroom,
written by Solomon Friedberg, et al., and
published by the American
Mathematical Society in 2001, is a book
that offers over a dozen
fictional case studies that focus on teaching
issues mathematics faculty
are likely to face.
5. The
Adjunct Professor's Guide to Success, written by Richard
Lyons, Marcella L. Kysilka
and George E. Prawlas and published
by Allyn and Bacon in 1999,
is a book on how to survive and thrive
in the college classroom.
6. Teaching
at its Best: A Research-Based Resource for College
Instructors,
written by Linda B. Nilson and published by Anker
Publishing in 2003 is
jam-packed with good teaching recommenda-
tions on all kinds of topics,
all based on education research.
7. The
Joy of Teaching, written by Peter Filene , published by Chapel
Hill: University of
North Carolina Press in 2005 is a practical guide
for new college
instructors. It is short, yet valuable
8.
Teaching Tips by Wilbert McKeachie
Internet Sites
In addition to the MCC website,
there are countless internet sites that can provide you with state of
the art teaching tips. Some particularly useful ones are listed
below:
1. The
University of Minnesota has an online handbook called
"e-Handbook for
New Faculty." It has lots of great information and
can be accessed at
http//vfc4.project.mnscu
2.
Hundreds of links to teaching-related topics can be found on the
website of the Office
of Teaching Effectiveness and Innovations at
Clemson
University. The website is:
http://virtual.clemson.edu/groups/OTEI/websites.htm
3. Over one
hundred resources and teaching tips that are valuable and
convenient can be found at http://www.developfaculty.com
4. A
great general website is:
http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/
FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/teachtip.htm#
5. Anker Publishing has a website that lists resources for new and
adjunct faculty.
The site is www.ankerpub.com
Professional Organizations
Many of the faculty members in the
department are members of professional organizations.
Some of the many organizations faculty members join are listed below:
National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics (NCTM)
Mathematics Association of America (MAA)
American Mathematical Association of Two Year Colleges (AMATYC)
National Association of Developmental Education (NADE)
Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Ed (POD)
Note: As a member of
POD, you receive a yearly journal called "To The
Academy" that has
wonderful articles for college teachers. As a
member you are entitled
to purchase old copies as well.
Department
Mentoring
There is no formal mentoring program
within the Mathematics Department. However,
that doesn’t mean that you can not get good guidance from faculty
members. Faculty are
sensitive to the fact that adjunct instructors, especially newly hired
instructors, will have many questions about the Department and the
courses they are teaching. It would be a good idea to ask the Chair or
secretaries to tell you which of the faculty members currently teach the
courses you are teaching so that you can contact them and get help when
needed. Although, everyone
is busy and looks as if they have no time, there are lots of nice,
approachable people to help you out.
Don’t be shy!
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