Faculty Involvement
It is easy to discern which faculty members are great educators. It's almost as if they have achieved "rock star" status! Students spread the word "wait until you have _____ for your next course". Or going to the Registrar to change their scheduled in order to enroll with a particular instructor.
Faculty involvement is very important because a faculty is a manager for the class.
Faculty involvement allows the student to interact with a professional. Students know that faculty members can be a wealth of knowledge.
I have students, not in my classes, approach me in the halls with questions on appropriate hair styles in the professional office. If they would be allowed to wear certain attire. Possibly a discussion they were having and needed a professional opinion. Yes, faculty involvemnt is very important!!
I know when I have done something right and made successful connections when I learn that students request to take me for a class. My classes aren't easy and my projects are demanding, so any chance I get to ask what they get the most from my classes I will always open my ear and mind. I also want to be open for areas where they LEAST benefitted. Both can give me a learning experience going forward to the next week, the next term, and the next academic year.
As for involvement in orientation and first week connections, a great deal of my first class is spent in a getting-to-know-eachother session where we all share about each other equally. I usually don't end the exercise until I see everyone visibly relaxed and laughing. Sometimes I have gone too long and see boredom, but either way I take the classroom temperature and learn when to move on to a warm up project.
Susan,
Excellent that you also ask where improvements can be made. That is an area we often forget to ask for input.
Susan Backofen
Faculty involvement is one of the most important factor with retention. After all faculty members are the one standing in front of the students every day therefore having the most interaction with them. they are usualy the first one to see any problem or issue a student might have.
richard,
So the real question becomes how do we reinforce their critical role? Are there specific things we can do to raise awareness, provide them with resources, training, etc. Do you do anything in particular with faculty to accomplish this?
Susan Backofen
One thing that we do at our institution is crosstrain departments so that a communication barrier is not established due to ignorance of other department responsibilities. One day a financial aid or student services representative may sit in the classroom during a lesson. Or an instructor will spend part of a day in the accounting, financial aid, employment or student services departments. This greatly helps with retention. If a student is having trouble in any area, we know the best way to help by making sure that the student visits the correct department and representative to get the problem resolved. The student experience is effected by every faculty member. Starting with his or her recruiter all the way to the security guard in the parking lot. We all share responsibilities in student retention and good experiences.
Don,
This is an excellent practice and really gives the staff support team first-hand knowledge that they can use when speaking with students.
Susan Backofen
Faculty involvement keeps the students motivated.
