By: Amy Chapman
When it comes time to select a college, students need to choose one that meets their needs. Faculty and the strategies/tools that they use to instruct their students are two areas that should be
When it comes time to select a college, students need to choose one that meets their needs. Faculty and the strategies/tools that they use to instruct their students are two areas that should be examined.
The nuts and bolts of a community college are the faculty and their methods of instruction. As foundations to any school, they play an important role in community colleges across the nation.
The profession of teaching produces different types of people. The community college faculty member is an individual, who rarely writes for publication. This is just one of many differences between university and community college faculty.
Studies reveal that community college faculty members are willing to endure the displeasure of the workplace, in order to help others become educated. Today’s community college has an expanding enrollment and low academic achievement. Faculty members are given the task of working with increase class size, along with diverse levels of academic success. Even with little control of these influences, the community college staff is resolved to provide an education to everyone.
Many community college faculty members hold a master’s degree or an expanded work experience in a specific field. When asked, “Why do you work at a community college?” Most would respond that they love to teach. Enjoying a subject or certain content area is something that community college faculty members share with their students on a daily basis. When it comes to earning a doctoral degree, a majority of community college staff members don’t hold one. It is an unspoken belief among community college staff that doctoral degrees produce researchers, not educators. However, faculty members do continue to gain knowledge in their field, either through additional classes or actual work experience.
This fact brings to light an interesting phenomenon. In most educational institutions in America, instructors are full time employees. However, in community colleges, the number of part time employees has increased each year. The main reason for the expanding numbers of part time employees is money. Community college budgets have gradually shrunk. Part time employees don’t cost the colleges as much as full time faculty and they can be dismissed and employed quickly. There are other benefits. These part time faculty members usually continue to work elsewhere, usually in a position in which they are teaching. This direct link to the real world provides students the opportunity to learn current skills and knowledge.
The connection with real life situations and future workplace environments has been the hallmark of community colleges. Guiding students into a profession or establishing a pathway for continued education has been its goal. During the past decade or more, technology has been a great resource for making these connections. Technology continues to be used in a numerous ways, as a tool for enhancing teaching or as a means of instruction. It has become a powerful instrument on community college campuses.
Today, students are able to take courses through a variety of forms of media, such as the Internet, satellite T.V., and phone. This has given students the flexibility that is sometimes needed, in order to pursue a degree. Faculty members have also discovered that different technologies are the ideal means to present a concept in class. Students are given an opportunity to work with real-life technologies that will prepare them for the next step in their career.
There are questions that still lie ahead. What will community colleges look like in the future? Will community college faculty continue to have the same demands of large classes and diverse knowledge levels? What new technologies will be developed to help instruction and faculty? All of these questions are wonderful to ponder.
Amy Chapman writes for http://www.college-search.us, a tool designed to help students find the right college or school. She also writes for http://www.weblearner.com and http://www.distancelearner.com, sites designed to help students select and succeed in a distance learning environment.
