Part-Time Faculty Seminar

Part-time faculty participating in the Part-time Faculty Seminar

ABOUT

The Part-Time Faculty Seminar is a professional development program for part-time faculty employed at Western Michigan University, offered through the Office of Faculty Development (OFD), that recurs annually across a single academic year. Beginning the 2019-2020 academic year, graduate teaching assistants are invited to participate as well. The seminar series provides instructors at all stages of professional development the opportunity to refine and renew their pedagogical skills and classroom inclusivity, construct a record of teaching effectiveness, and familiarize themselves with the variety of services that Western Michigan provides to support instructional development and student learning. Lunch vouchers to the Bernhard Center Cafe will be provided by OFD for each workshop in the series.*

Participation in the seminar series is open to all part-time instructors (PTIs) and graduate teaching assistants teaching in at least one semester or summer session during the academic year for Western Michigan. Instructors are welcome and encouraged to attend seminars during a semester they are not actively teaching a course for WMU.

* OFD recognizes that many PTIs work in external, full-time and part-time positions, which is why all of the workshops occur 12-1:30 p.m., mid-week to avoid workload conflicts as much as is feasible, while offering a meal. Please feel free to refer your employer/supervisor to contact our office to verify the professional purpose and significance of this series.

 

ATTENDANCE

While perfect attendance is not required, PTIs can earn certificates for “Outstanding” or “Good” attendance, signed by the Provost and Director of the Office of Faculty Development and delivered at the final Awards Luncheon, if they attend a minimum number of the workshops offered in the seminar series. “Outstanding” attendance is granted to those who attend at least 10 of the 12 workshops, and one qualifies for “Good” attendance if 8-9 of the workshops are completed. The earning of this certificate may be applied toward considerations of promotion (to Instructor II status) and/or compensation increases in each participant’s respective academic unit. A book raffle will be held during the Awards Luncheon for those who merited one of these two certificates, with a high likelihood of most awardees taking home a free book from the series.

 

SEMINAR RESOURCES

This section will be regularly updated with new materials from workshops in the seminar series as the academic year progresses. Check back often for updates on links to workshop materials and bibliographic information.

 

  • Mental Health: Response and Support

  •  University Library Services and Information Literacy

  • Working with Students with Disabilities [DCC]

  • Managing Difficult Students/Academic Dishonesty

  • Communicating with International Students

  • Active Learning Strategies

    • Part-time Instructor Resources

      • See the following sections: Assignment Creation and Assessment, Active Learning Exercises, Class Discussion, and Effective Lectures.

 

SCHEDULE

 Please view the PFS Complete Schedule flyer pdf found under the "About" section.