Section 5: Trends and Issues in Various Settings

1. Give an example of Rapid Prototyping used in education.

Rapid Prototyping is showing a working example of the finished product. Each year, I save the best of my student samples to use the following year so students can see what the finished product should look like. From the e-Portfolio to the Christmas boxes they make, students gain an insight into how they can personalize the project and make it their own.

2. Using the Full Spectrum Diagram suggest alternatives for using technology in military training.

I think that Deployable Learning Resource Centers are a valuable asset to trainers in the field. Mobile devices are necessary for training in the field and money should be used to provide mobile internet connections for the trainers and trainees. This way if they have to do additional training in the field they have access to online content and expertise. In addition to that, the higher ranked officer should have his trainers trained well enough that they can describe a new method of doing something in the sand if they have to. Because all training cannot occur before deployment, trainers should have low and high tech methods of training on hand and should be able to integrate new hardware and software with existing systems.

3. Outline a staff development activity that will introduce the Step-Up-To-Excellence and the GSTE methodologies to your colleagues.

Staff Development Activity:
To increase TAKS scores by creating a student environment of excitement for achievement.

1. Begin by describing the Prelaunch preparation activities:
Form a temporary Support Team: Including the Superintendent
and his handpicked subordinates.
Consider the core values of the school district; the surrounding
community; and the individual family cultures.
Access and enhance the district readiness for change:
How do we become an Exemplary District using TEA standards?
Once the decision to launch the change is made, a contract should
be designed for the Strategic Leadership Team and the school board
to sign.

2. Create a Strategic Leadership Team:
The Principals in the District; The Technology Support
Technician; a Librarian; and one teacher to represent the core
curriculum, from each level of education in the district.
Selection for Strategic Leadership Team members should
be made by the peers not the superintendent.

3. Hold a retreat so the Strategic Leadership Team can assess the
systemic change process and brainstorm ideas that will enhance the
district and community capacity for change.
Determine resource needs, plan the budget and propose expenditures.
Sign the contract.

4. Hold a District Engagement Conference: Create a Leadership Team
Invite all the stakeholders from the school district and
surrounding community.
Create a new strategic framework: A new vision, mission, and plan.
Give Student Incentives to pass benchmarks and TAKS tests.
Design a new class schedule for students:
The new Flex Schedule will give students who pass the
benchmarks one free week off at Christmas and one Free
Week off at the end of the year.
Teachers will have those two weeks to focus on the students
who struggle with the benchmarks and TAKS tests.
Discuss potential problems and come up with solutions:
Unforeseen problems could result from the changed Flex
Schedule.

5. Conduct regular community forums:
Examine the results of the new class schedule.

6. Evaluate the results:
Student achievement scores on the benchmarks and TAKS tests.
Increased number of students who qualify for the new Flex
Schedule.

Higher Education:
McClennan Community College:

VP of Program Development
What are the different names used for faculty development

Program development
Strategic Initiatives
Executive Leadership Training

What Division is it under:

Program development EEO Officer

What Services Does it Offer:

Equal Employment Opportunities

How often are programs given and what specifically are they:

During Orientation and available weekly workshops.
Integrating technology, Presentation Skills, Teaching techniques, curriculum writing, syllabus creating, and other topics as needed by the faculty.

Finance & Administration, Instructor

What are the different names used for faculty development

Seminars
Workshops
Exchanges
and other activities to enhance knowledge and skills

What Division is it under:

Professional & Organizational Development Department

What Services Does it Offer:

Provides opportunities to participate in and thus, improve the effectiveness of the institution,
Provides opportunities to "return to university" to increase expertise in a professional field, and
Provides opportunities to "return to industry" to gain state-of-the-art experiences.

How often are programs given and what specifically are they:

Ongoing participation in development activities is expected for all employees.

A Development Committee for Professional Employees, Faculty, Administrators, and Other Employees in Positions Requiring a College Degree will be formed. The Committee shall consist of nine voting members. Three faculty members shall be selected from Workforce Education, three faculty members from Arts and Sciences (for this purpose the list will include the names of the librarians who hold faculty rank), and three members from the administrative/professional staff. The Coordinator, Professional & Organizational Development shall serve as ex-officio member to the Committee.

VP, Research Planning and Information Technology

What are the different names used for faculty development

Graduate Coursework
On Campus professional development
Conferences
Committee Service

What Division is it under:

Professional & Organizational Development Department

What Services Does it Offer:

Faculty move to a higher step on the pay scale in 6-credit hour increments. In most colleges in Texas, this system is used to reward faculty for advancing their formal educational standing, such as getting a masters or doctoral degree in the teaching field or another field preparing a faculty member for community college work, such as higher education administration, etc.

How often are programs given and what specifically are they:

Ongoing participation in development activities is expected for all employees. To provide more options for faculty professional development, faculty may participate in 12 clock hours per year of professional development activities without advance approval from their chair or dean. A database is currently being developed so that faculty will be able to check their status. Based on their needs, which are often tied to professional evaluation information, specialized training to maintain certification or licensing, trends in higher education, etc., faculty may select on-campus professional development, professional conferences or CEU requirements, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board meetings and committee assignments, and MCC committee work to fulfill their professional development requirements. This option does not apply to pay increases or step credit but meets the contractual requirement for faculty to participate in professional development.