Faculty Development & Scholarship Flashcards

Which of the following BEST describes the purpose of a faculty sabbatical in higher education?

Answer: To provide protected time for concentrated scholarly work, creative projects, or professional renewal

Sabbaticals provide faculty with dedicated time away from normal duties to pursue research, creative work, or professional development that will ultimately benefit the institution.

A faculty member notices her research findings could significantly improve student outcomes if applied to her curriculum. Incorporating this research into course design exemplifies which aspect of the Boyer model?

Answer: Scholarship of Teaching informed by Scholarship of Application

Applying one's own disciplinary research findings to improve curriculum design bridges the scholarships of application and teaching, demonstrating how Boyer's categories interconnect.

Which assessment method would provide the MOST meaningful data for evaluating the effectiveness of a faculty development program?

Answer: Pre- and post-assessments of teaching practice combined with student learning outcome data

Linking changes in faculty teaching practice to student learning outcomes provides the strongest evidence that a professional development program has achieved its intended impact.

Which behavior by a mentor MOST supports a junior faculty member's long-term scholarly development?

Answer: Introducing the mentee to professional networks and co-authoring foundational publications

Effective mentorship opens professional networks and provides co-authorship opportunities that help junior faculty build the credentials and visibility needed for tenure and promotion.

When designing faculty professional development for diverse instructors (full-time, adjunct, online, clinical), which principle is MOST important?

Answer: Providing differentiated, flexible formats that respect varied roles and schedules

Inclusive professional development acknowledges that adjunct, online, and clinical faculty have different schedules, resources, and needs, requiring flexible formats to ensure equitable access.

A faculty member wants to disseminate her SoTL findings to the widest possible audience. Which approach provides the MOST credibility and reach?

Answer: Submitting to a peer-reviewed journal focused on postsecondary pedagogy

Peer-reviewed publication in a pedagogical journal ensures scholarly rigor through expert review and makes findings accessible to a broad community of postsecondary educators.

Which of the following represents an inappropriate use of student data collected during a SoTL study?

Answer: Sharing individually identifiable student performance data in a conference presentation

Sharing individually identifiable student data violates FERPA protections and research ethics standards; all published SoTL findings must protect participant anonymity.