Position: Psychology Instructor (Adjunct)
Status: Adjunct
Location: Ark City
Format: Face-to-Face, and online
Start: August 1, 2024
Department: Business and Social Science
Cowley College is seeking an adjunct Psychology Instructor who will be responsible for teaching general psychology classes to students via face-to-face and online.
Required Education and Skills:
Master’s degree within subject area or Master’s degree and 18 hours of graduate course work within discipline being taught.
Prior teaching experience
Must possess a passion for teaching and student success.
An instructor’s performance is evaluated by criteria that are consistent with the Cowley College Mission and Vision statement. Cowley`s statement of academic freedom supports the free and open exchange of academic concepts and ideas as part of classroom activities. At the same time, the instructor evaluation process helps ensure that the equally important principle of academic integrity is also followed. With these two principles in mind, instructor teaching performance is measured against the letter and spirit of the mission and vision statement as well as the following expectations.
The instructor teaching criteria are stated in the numbered items. The lettered items are examples of how the requirements will be met, although other items may be added, where appropriate, for individual departments.
Full-time and Part-time Instructor expectations:
Provide appropriate and effective instruction that demonstrates student learning
Provide syllabi using approved format and make available to students as directed in Syllabus Procedure.
Ensure that each course contains essential curricular components, has appropriate content and maintains effective pedagogy.
Evaluate students' work according to departmental/professional standards, use appropriate subject matter, select appropriate learning materials and instructional methods which may include a variety of assessment measures and techniques to demonstrate a complete picture of student learning (e.g., classroom assessments, oral presentations, exams, portfolios, journals, projects, etc.).
Provide appropriate and timely feedback to students regarding their progress.
Maintain confidentiality of student information.
Meet scheduled classes and begin and end class at scheduled time.
Keep accurate records of attendance and grades and submit all reports and other requested information promptly and accurately as determined by Academic Affairs.
Respect student rights as specified by college policies and procedures and applicable federal and state laws or regulations; create a learning environment that respects equity and diversity.
Stay current in the scholarship of specific discipline and teaching methodology and maintain any certifications relevant to field.
Participate in professional development activities to stay current in skills and knowledge as they relate to the discipline, teaching and student success.
Attend on-campus workshops related to the teaching field or to learning in general when scheduling permits.
Support student engagement inside and outside of class
Post and maintain office hours if appropriate or identify acceptable means of communication to students and others.
Encourage students to contact you with questions.
Provide information about available resources outside of class: Internet, library, or tutoring.
Be able to use and explain Internet research materials and other college resources and support services.
Be able to use and explain to students how to locate and use reference materials available via electronic means through Cowley's online library databases.
Be able to explain to students how to make contact with college resources such as disability services, financial aid, counseling, and assist when possible in facilitating the development of student study groups.
Support the department and the college
If tasked to do so, actively engage in textbook selections and make book recommendations in a timely manner.
Actively engage in course schedule requests and respond to course schedule inquiries on time.
Participate in department meetings; required for full-time, optional for part-time.
Actively support recruitment and retention of students.
Exercise good stewardship of college facilities and materials.
Advise administration of unsafe conditions, potential hazards and accidents in a timely manner.
Demonstrate an awareness of and sensitivity to the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability and ethnic backgrounds of Cowley students.
Maintain a collegial relationship with others at the college
Respect other members of the college who provide support through administration, clerical, maintenance, library, food service, and other services.
Maintain and support an encouraging attitude toward other members of your department and colleagues in other departments, teaching formats or other campuses.
Mentor other instructors by sharing information, advice and general instructional support.
Demonstrate knowledge of basic computer operations
Be able to use browser that is compatible with current LMS.
Be able to use search engines to locate relevant Internet activities and sources for your students.
Be able to use email to respond to your students' questions and maintain records of your email correspondence.
Be able to locate, use, and refer students to online support and resources.
Be able to submit grades electronically using required online grade entry system.
Maintain contact with students, provide support, and make appropriate assignments
Make regular contact with students via phone, email, course announcements and assignments while seeking out struggling students and helping them identify options.
Be available via electronic means for assistance, for responding to questions, or otherwise assisting the students enrolled.
Whenever possible, develop assignments that make the course a substantively interactive experience with other students rather than between one teacher and one student.
Follow any mandatory reporting laws as directed.
Respond to assignments and concerns
Respond to student messages and communications in a timely manner. (Best practice indicates within 48 hours, though 24 hours or less is recommended.)
Full Time Instructors:
General Responsibilities: Under administrative leadership, it is the responsibility of the full-time instructor to conduct assigned classes and participate in the planning, implementation, evaluation of educational programs, courses and other experiences that will directly result in the educational growth of the students and support advancement of the values represented by the Vision Statement and Mission Statement of the College.
Additional expectations:
Participate in program review process to develop and review current curriculum and develop new curriculum based on program review.
Provide administration with assistance in the evaluation of student appeals and grievances.
Attend and participate in commencement ceremonies.
Participate in annual advisory committee meetings.
Participate as a peer-evaluator of part-time instructors as requested.
Consult with administration on personnel needs, assist with preparation of position descriptions, and serve on screening/hiring committees as needed.
Participate in articulation activities.
Attendance at college functions is encouraged to support students, faculty, and the institution.
Serve as sponsor and advisor for student clubs and organizations as appropriate.
If contracted to do so, be an effective and helpful advisor:
Be available to assist advisees during course planning and orientation periods or arrange for another instructor member to substitute for you when other college meetings or approved instructor leave may interfere.
Help students assume responsibility for making informed academic decisions (e.g., degree requirements, transfer options, financial aid, etc.).
Be informed about the transfer requirements of programs of the students you advise.
Provide accurate records concerning each advisee's progress toward meeting his or her educational goal.
Be able to explain to students how to make contact with college resources such as tutoring, financial aid, and counseling.
Physical Requirements:
Ability to sit or stand for extended periods of time; ability to lift up to 20 pounds; ability to bend, stoop, reach and grasp as required to perform responsibilities; and ability to work on the computer for long periods of time.
Work Environment:
Work performed in an office and classroom environment.
Appendix A: The following information is taken from the Higher Learning Commission Guidelines
Website:https://downloadna11.springcm.com/content/DownloadDocuments.ashx?aid=5968&Selection=Document%2C6f81ead2-05e8-e311-9b94-d89d67143430%3B
Higher Learning Commission | May 2014
Determining Qualified Faculty: Guidelines for Institutions and Peer Reviewers:
Introduction
The following information provides guidance to institutions and peer reviewers in determining and evaluating faculty qualifications at institutions accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. These guidelines serve to amplify the Criteria for Accreditation and Assumed Practices that speak to the importance of institutions employing qualified faculty for the varied and essential roles faculty members perform.
These guidelines apply to all faculty members whose primary responsibility is teaching, including part-time, adjunct, temporary, and/or non-tenure-track faculty.
Although some institutions place a heavy reliance on adjunct faculty, or give graduate teaching assistants the predominant responsibility for instruction in many course sections, an institution committed to effective teaching and learning will be able to demonstrate consistent procedures and careful consideration of qualifications for all instructional faculty.
Relevant Criteria and Assumed Practices
Criterion Three. Teaching and Learning: Quality, Resources, and Support
Core Component 3.C. The institution has the faculty and staff needed for effective, high-quality programs and student services.
3.C.1. The institution has sufficient numbers and continuity of faculty members to carry out both the classroom and the non-classroom roles of faculty, including oversight of the curriculum and expectations for student performance; establishment of academic credentials for instructional staff; involvement in assessment of student learning.
3.C.2. All instructors are appropriately qualified, including those in dual credit, contractual, and consortial programs.
3.C.4. The institution has processes and resources for assuring that instructors are current in their disciplines and adept in their teaching roles; it supports their professional development.
Assumed Practice B. Teaching and Learning: Quality, Resources, and Support
B.2. Faculty Roles and Qualifications
a. Instructors (excluding for this requirement teaching assistants enrolled in a graduate program and supervised by faculty) possess an academic degree relevant to what they are teaching and at least one level above the level at which they teach, except in programs for terminal degrees or when equivalent experience is established. In terminal degree programs, faculty members possess the same level of degree. When faculty members are employed based on equivalent experience, the institution defines a minimum threshold of experience and an evaluation process that is used in the appointment process.
b. Instructors teaching at the doctoral level have a record of recognized scholarship, creative endeavor, or achievement in practice commensurate with doctoral expectations.
Knowing What Students Should Learn
Within a specific discipline or field of study, the faculty and staff needed for effective, high-quality programs and student services stated in Core Component 3.C. refers to a faculty member’s ability to understand and convey the essentials of the discipline that a student should master at various course and programs levels.
Qualified faculty should be able to engage professionally with colleagues in determining the specific, stated learning objectives for all graduates of a specific program as well as possess the full scope of knowledge, skills, and dispositions appropriate to the degree awarded.
In addition, qualified faculty should know the broad learning objectives of the institution for all of its students. The Commission expects that, through the higher education curricula that faculty develop, the exercise of intellectual inquiry and the acquisition, application, and integration of broad learning and skills are integral to its educational programs.
Qualified faculty should also be aware of whether and how much students learn, since an institution should be able to demonstrate a commitment to educational achievement and improvement through ongoing assessment of student learning.
Note: See the Commission’s Criteria 3 and 4 (specifically 3.B. and 4.B.) for more information on expectations regarding teaching and learning.
Quality Assurance Expectations in Determining Qualified Faculty
The Commission expects that Determination by Credentials will be the primary mechanism used by institutions to ascertain faculty qualifications.
Determination by Credentials
Faculty credentials generally refer to the degree level faculty have earned that provide a foundation for knowing what students should learn in a specific discipline or field. Over the years, some hallmarks and common expectations for faculty credentials have emerged within the higher education community, such as:
Faculty teaching in higher education institutions should have completed a program of study in the discipline or subfield in which they will teach, and/or for which they will develop curricula, with coursework at least one level above that of the courses being taught or developed. Successful completion of a coherent degree better prepares a person than an unstructured collection of credit courses.
Faculty teaching in undergraduate programs should hold a degree at least one level above that of the program in which they are teaching. Those teaching general education courses, or other courses that transfer, typically hold a master’s degree or higher in the discipline or subfield. If a faculty member holds a master’s degree or higher in a discipline or subfield other than that in which he or she is teaching, that faculty member should have completed a minimum of 18 graduate credit hours in the discipline or subfield in which they teach.
Faculty teaching in graduate programs should hold the terminal degree determined by the discipline and have a record of research and scholarship appropriate for the graduate program.
Faculty guiding doctoral education should have a record of scholarship and preparation to teach at the doctoral level. Research and scholarship should be appropriate to the program and degree offered.
Determination by Factors Other Than Credentials
Qualified faculty are identified primarily by credentials, but other factors may be considered in addition to the degrees earned. For example:
Besides credentials, other attributes may be necessary to qualify someone to teach, such as the ability to design curricula, develop and implement effective pedagogy, and appreciate the breadth of knowledge in quality undergraduate and graduate education.
Knowledge of a specific discipline as indicated by the credential is not all that is required since faculty carry other significant responsibilities, such as conducting research, advising students, participating in co-curricular activities, and contributing to shared governance.
An earned degree does not necessarily attest to a faculty member’s ongoing professional development in the field. Knowing what students should know is dependent upon the discovery of new knowledge and currency in the field.
Because of changing academic, societal, and workforce needs, institutions are developing interdisciplinary and other non-traditional programs that require faculty to think beyond their own disciplines and traditional academic programs to determine what students should know and to design curricula accordingly.
In some cases, such as in practice-oriented disciplines or programs, tested experience in the field may be needed as much as the formal educational preparation at the prescribed level in determining what students should know to practice.
Using Tested Experience as a Basis for Determining Qualified Faculty
The value of using tested experience to determine faculty qualifications depends upon the relevance of the experience both to the degree level and to the specific content of the course(s) for which the faculty member is responsible. Tested experience implies that some objective measure ensures that the individual’s knowledge and expertise are sufficient for determining what students should learn and have learned (see Assumed Practice B.2.). For example:
A faculty member teaching baccalaureate-level courses in human resources or business ethics may not have a relevant degree at the appropriate level but can provide evidence of effective work as a practicing labor relations attorney.
A faculty member who teaches courses in a pre-associate technology program may not possess a graduate degree but might have the industry certification and years of experience working in that field.
A faculty member teaching clinical courses in a master’s program in education may not have a doctorate in education but, instead, may have documented recognition of excellence in teaching.
A faculty member teaching creative writing, painting, or music may have had his or her expertise, ability, and talent validated through publications or through wide critical and public acclaim.
A faculty member teaching conversational courses in Native American or foreign language may demonstrate his or her qualification through recognition of competence by tribal elders or through a nationally recognized rating of proficiency in foreign language.
When Faculty Qualifications are reviewed
Faculty qualifications are reviewed at all institutions accredited by the Commission at least at the time of an institution’s comprehensive evaluation but may also be a subject of examination at other times if the issue becomes a matter of concern.
Cowley College is dedicated to providing equal opportunities to all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, marital status, political affiliation or other legally protected category. (Notice of Non-Discrimination found at https://www.cowley.edu/about/legal.html)
