2YC FACULTY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES IGNITE STUDENT INTEREST AND PROMPT CURRICULUM EXPANSION

Faculty professional development opportunities, including conferences, workshops, short-courses, field experiences, and course audits, can contribute to noteworthy curriculum development and a more interactive, memorable classroom experience for 2YC students. First-hand practice and field application for faculty, whose primary role is teaching, can be incorporated into the classroom to enhance course content by applying it to relevant “real life” scenarios outside of the classroom and textbook. Simple images of faculty hiking up a sand dune when discussing environments of deposition or collecting rock salt in a mine when discussing mineral resources act to engage students and provide a deeper understand of course material. Furthermore, the creation of new curriculum within new and existing courses in the classroom, laboratory, and/or field are direct, measurable outcomes of faculty professional development opportunities. Specifically, the formation of a field studies course and redesigns of intermediate-level courses, which contributed significantly to the establishment of an Associate of Sciences Degree in Geology at a 2YC, are examples of such outcomes. Student feedback collected via surveys and open-ended questions additionally supports the impact and value of curriculum enhanced by faculty professional development experiences.