Fayetteville State University Launches Professional Development Program to Support Teaching Excellence
Fayetteville, N.C. (October 26, 2022) — Beginning Fall 2022, Fayetteville State University (FSU) and the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) — the leader in student success and equity through quality instruction — are joining forces to equip faculty with evidence-based teaching practices shown to improve student engagement, increase persistence, and close equity gaps. Faculty members who meet program requirements become ACUE Certified and earn a Certificate in Effective College Instruction — the only nationally recognized collegiate teaching credential endorsed by the American Council on Education.
“Our students are our top priority and we are committed to ensuring that the faculty who serve them have access to best practices and the resources they need to promote academic excellence,” said Monica T. Leach Ed.D., provost and senior vice chancellor for academic affairs. “The ACUE partnership will provide professional growth and development opportunities for faculty to access and employ evidence-based best practices for college classes that will keep FSU students moving toward academic success.”
Faculty may choose to participate in the year-long Effective Teaching Practices course focusing on in-person teaching or the series of micro credential courses, Effective Online Teaching Practices, focusing on the online classroom. No matter their choice, faculty will develop core competencies across 25 modules outlined in ACUE’s Effective Practice Framework©. Based on more than three decades of research, these modules give faculty foundational knowledge, enable them to implement evidence-based teaching practices, help them reflect on their implementation and refine their practice accordingly. Numerous independently validated impact studies show that students learn more and equity gaps close when ACUE Certified faculty are teaching courses.
ACUE’s courses address over 200 evidence-based teaching practices, including designing an effective course, establishing a productive learning environment, using active learning techniques, promoting higher order thinking, and using assessments to inform instruction and promote learning.
“High quality faculty development programming is crucial for student retention, persistence and graduation success,” said Bonnie Grohe, Ph.D., executive director of faculty development and online education and associate professor of criminal justice in FSU’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences. “The FSU-ACUE partnership will bring talented and committed FSU faculty together to learn and implement new approaches that will enrich instruction and improve the academic experience for students.”
Faculty completing the program will be celebrated and recognized for their commitment to student success in a pinning ceremony in August 2023.
About ACUE: The Association of College and University Educators’ (ACUE) mission is to ensure student success and equity through quality instruction. In partnership with colleges, universities, higher education systems and associations, ACUE prepares and credentials faculty in the evidence-based teaching practices that improve student achievement and close equity gaps. Numerous and independently validated studies confirm that students are more engaged, learn more, and complete courses in greater numbers — more equitably with their peers —when taught by ACUE-credentialed faculty. ACUE’s online, cohort-based credentialing programs are delivered through institutional partnerships and open enrollment courses endorsed by the American Council on Education.