Module 1.
A CONCEPTUAL OVERVIEW OF THE FDRP AND THE CYCLES OF REVIEW
Philosophy and Foundations of the Plan
The rationale statement of the FDRP states ". . .that the primary responsibility of faculty is to provide instruction which will enhance student learning ... [and]... the primary responsibility of each supervisor is to provide an atmosphere that encourages instructional excellence." To accomplish this, the purposes of the FDRP are:
1. To establish an evaluative process for faculty which promotes goal setting, identifies areas of strength, recognizes and acknowledges superior performance and identifies areas that need improvement.
2. To provide an information base that will help supervisors work collaboratively with faculty members to improve their performance.
3. To provide a basis of fair and reasonable personnel decisions in accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreements.
The plan is based on best practices in faculty development and evaluation, and begins with the Statement of Instructional Excellence. This statement provides a framework that identifies four major categories faculty skills to consider when working with faculty. The statement of Instructional Excellence is not intended to be a job description or a specific evaluation instrument per se; rather it describes the qualities and characteristics associated with effective professional practice, both inside and outside the classroom. Performance standards are identified for each of the following four categories:
The vision statement and performance indicators provide a comprehensive framework for supervising and supporting faculty development while assessing and improving the effectiveness of instruction. The plan relies on the use of multiple data sources which can be tailored to the specific instructional context of the faculty member. The holistic and comprehensive nature of the plan promotes the continuous growth of faculty and supervisors.
The plan identifies three sources of data to be considered in reviewing a faculty member's performance. As can be noticed in the process diagram, information from the faculty member's self appraisal, a summary of student ratings, and a classroom report will be used to determine the overall level of performance -- satisfactory, adequate, but needs improvement, and unsatisfactory. The process results in a professional development that forms the basis of next self-appraisal.
The review cycle for faculty members is stated on page three of the hard copy plan and must be observed by the evaluator. The cycle identifies the different data collection instruments and the frequency of their application depending on the employment status of the faculty member.
While the cycles for the self-appraisal and the classroom observation differ, the student ratings forms are expected to be used in all sections, for both full and part-time faculty every semester.
When conducting a full evaluation it is essential that the evaluator meet with the faculty member early in the semester to establish timelines for the submission and review of evaluative data. While each situation will vary, in general, the activities associated with a full evaluation may be spread out over the semester. The time line that follows is only suggestive and illustrates how to ensure all documentation is completed in a timely fashion. Actual time schedules should be discussed with the Academic Dean.
TIME FRAME
Faculty Development and Review activities for the spring 2000 semester occur in a transition environment. Scheduled activities will vary somewhat from one campus to another because of the way evaluations have been scheduled historically.
However, two fixed dates have been determined:
1. The self-evaluation must be completed no later than May 15, 2000.
2. Professional development plans are to be submitted no later than ten days following conclusion of the evaluation.
Because student ratings during the fall, 1999 semester were not intended as a matter of record, reference will not be made to the results unless the faculty member asks that they be included in the process. Normally, student evaluation data from the prior semester(s) will be used in the FDRP cycle of activity.
ACTIVITIES
Meet with faculty member and review cycle, instruments, and set appropriate due dates for materials
Conduct Classroom Observation
Faculty member submits self appraisal
Use student ratings data from prior semester(s)
Conduct Overall Performance Review
Complete Professional Development Plan
Submit all documentation to Dean's Office
Conduct student rating activity for future use and receive student ratings information after grades are posted.