Summary
Community college faculty members often express a desire for more robust professional development services and instructional support. This brief explores the organization of professional development offices at community colleges as well as available services for faculty members.
Key observations from our research:1. Most institutions maintain an office (referred to in this report broadly as a teaching center) responsible for assisting faculty in developing their professional and instructional skills.
2. The teaching centers of most profiled institutions range in staff size from one to five full-time employees.
3. Very few institutions maintain adjunct-specific opportunities; rather, faculty trainings and workshops are open to all faculty, including adjunct instructors, and institutions include adjuncts in all professional development trainings.
4. Two profiled institutions – Institution E and Institution B – require professional development beyond orientation and compliance trainings.
5. Contacts prefer face-to-face delivery of professional development training, but agree that online trainings can reduce staff workload and save time for faculty members.