NSU’s Department of Writing and Communication Faculty Co-Edit Special Section of Journal of Faculty Development

Two faculty members from NSU’s Department of Writing and Communication (DWC) in the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHSS) served as guest co-editors of a special section of the May 2019 issue of the Journal of Faculty Development. Kevin Dvorak, Ph.D., professor and executive director of the NSU Writing and Communication Center (WCC), and Molly Scanlon, Ph.D., associate professor and first-year experience faculty coordinator, co-edited a special section that focused on faculty development for First-Year Experience (FYE) programs. The section included a co-authored article by Scanlon and Dvorak entitled, “The Importance of Faculty Development Programs for Teaching First-Year Seminar Courses.”

The special issue provides evidence-based approaches that collectively balance scholarship of teaching and learning with the pragmatics of operationalizing a successful faculty development program. The article highlights challenges First-Year Seminar (FYS) instructors face and shows why and how FYE programs should provide ongoing opportunities that help them to offer quality instruction. Among the other topics and techniques addressed in this issue are inclusive teaching methods, establishing classrooms as learning communities, and adapting professional development opportunities for faculty with varying levels of teaching experience.

The journal typically focuses on general professional development taking place in higher education and encourages a student-centered approach to teaching. In providing this context, Scanlon and Dvorak hope to illustrate why this special section of the Journal of Faculty Development is so needed.