Baylor Henry
Editor-in-Chief
The world of education is an ever-shifting field, with new ideas and programs being implemented almost monthly. Educators work to provide students with the best learning environment they can, especially in higher education. Students expect a quality service in exchange for their time and money, so schools, and their employees, must reach this standard in order to retain their consumers, just like with any business. One way that Butler CC strives to meet this expectation is with faculty development.
The faculty development office “teaches teachers how to teach,” Magan Bearman, faculty development specialist said. They hold development days for Butler faculty and staff, as well as personalized training and guidance for educators, both full and part time.
“Faculty development was part of staff development and splintered from that in the early 2000’s,” Mark Jarvis, director of Faculty Development said. “The current generation of the program has been gaining momentum since 2012.”
One key service their office holds is an Institutional Development Day (IDD).
“IDD is a whole-campus day that was used by campus administration to convey timely information and celebrate achievements,” Jarvis said. “It continues to be a day of training, motivation and information for all employees.”
Held while students are not on campus, Butler employees come together for training, bonding, and to celebrate one another’s achievements. On Thursday, March 28, the Office of Faculty Development was hard at work putting on a fun and educational day for the participants to learn and grow with one another.
Bearman and Jarvis, as well as Jing Fang, the faculty development administrative assistant, plan trainings and support teachers year-round, even in the summer.
The services offered by faculty development are free for all Butler employees to use. The training and support help educators to better serve students, and to help the college run smoothly.
“Butler faculty are very invested in student success, spending countless hours honing their skills to deliver the best instruction in the state,” Jarvis said.
Faculty development are in the business of education, and they help provide the best services with the most valuable outcome.