How do many excited and eager Skyline College part-time faculty spend their Saturday before the start of the Fall 2017 semester? Attending the 3rd Annual Skyline College Adjunct Faculty Teaching & Learning Symposium, of course! The Center for Transformative Teaching & Learning (CTTL) designs Symposium activities to support part-time faculty’s ongoing commitment to refining and improving their teaching practices. Breakout sessions and activities are geared towards helping faculty achieve equitable student outcomes and addressing the diverse learning and academic needs of our students.
This year’s Symposium brought in speaker and trainer, Dr. Paul Hernandez, for a special keynote, “[Re]Imagining How to Succeed with Our Students,” and workshop, “Learning How to Authentically and Effectively Connect with Students.” Other lively breakout sessions included:
- “#EquityMatters: Educational Equity: Cultural Fluency & Student Success at Skyline College” (Lasana Hotep, Dean of Student Equity & Support Services; Katrina Pantig, Program Services Coordinator)
- “Authentic Assignments: Teaching in the World of Wikipedia” (Dr. John Calavitta, English Professor)
- “Getting Started w/Canvas” (Ricardo Flores, Instructional Technologist)
- “‘Strength in Numbers’: Easy Ways to Facilitate Small Group Work in the College Classroom” (Jessica Hurless, Communication Studies Professor)
- “Thinking about Thinking: Using Metacognitive Reflection to Support Learning” (Jesse Raskin, Legal Studies Professor)
- “Helping Students Engage in Challenging Texts” (Chris Gibson, English Professor)
- “Supporting Students with (Dis)Abilities: A General Overview” (Melissa Matthews, DRC Counselor/Coordinator)
- “Maximizing Student Success: Partnering with Student Services” (Dr. Luis Escobar, Dean of Counseling; William Minnich, Dean of Admissions & Records)
Faculty attendees indicated that “having dedicated time for adjuncts to participate in professional development” and “share ideas with other part-time colleagues” were the most useful aspects of the Symposium experience. Another evaluee shared, “[the Symposium] is tangible evidence that the administration values my professional development and commitment to Skyline.” In her welcome remarks, President Stanback Stroud underscored the power faculty have to serve as agents of change in students’ lives. Dr. Hernandez reiterated her sentiments, shared inspiring stories of how he was impacted by community college faculty, and thanked the faculty for the work they do with and for students every day.
Article by Nina Floro | Photo by Ricardo Flores
