Faculty Professional Development Policy
Issuing Office
Office of the Provost
Affected Parties
Faculty
Policy Language
All faculty must participate in professional development on an annual basis.
Policy Rationale
With a strong commitment to excellence in education, Liberty University recognizes that a dynamic faculty is key to the attainment of such a goal. Participation in professional development opportunities provides faculty with the tools necessary to update skills and expertise in the areas of teaching, learning and scholarship with the ultimate goal of impacting student learning. Liberty University supports instructional and discipline development that assist faculty in meeting the professional goals of enhancing skills in instructional pedagogy, classroom application of emerging technology and research and clinical practice. Professional development is the joint responsibility of the faculty member and Liberty University.
Definition of Glossary Terms
Discipline Development: Activities that serve the faculty member as scholar and practitioner and are designed to increase skills and knowledge in the academic discipline or professional specialty area.
Faculty: All residential and online (distance education), full-time and part-time, teaching and administrative faculty.
Instructional Development: Activities that serve the faculty member as teacher and are designed to improve pedagogical skills of delivery of classroom instruction, aspects of student learning and assessment techniques.
Professional Development: Formal and informal activities that increase, enhance and revitalize the professional knowledge and skills of faculty.
Procedures
A faculty member will provide the Dean with an annual written plan for professional growth containing achievement goals for student learning and training in pedagogical practice/innovation and research. The plan will also include current university professional development requirements of early career, residential and online faculty. These requirements are located on the Center for Teaching Excellence website under Faculty Workshops (http://www.liberty.edu/index.cfm?PID=24461).
Sanctions
None specified
Exceptions
None
Date of Last Review
8/26/2019
Date for Review
8/26/2024