Faculty Development

Faculty development, while referred to by a number of interchangeable terms, including educational development and staff development, remains the term commonly used in the United States to encompass professional activities designed to improve faculty performance in all of their professional roles—as teachers, scholars, advisors, academic leaders, and institutional citizens. It also can signify a well-defined focus on teaching development, connoting activities that facilitate the growth and enhance the effectiveness of faculty members in their role as instructors. Faculty professional development plays a significant role in influencing pedagogy, curriculum, and student success and is seen as a key lever in affecting the overall culture of teaching and learning at colleges and universities.

Faculty development programs encompass three main areas: (1) instructional and curricular (e.g., course design, individual ...