T209 Undergraduate Student Research with Solitary Geoscience Faculty
Tuesday, 2 November 2010
1:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Room 203
ENGAGING, INVOLVING, AND RETAINING ADJUNCT INSTRUCTORS IN UNDERGRADUATE GEOSCIENCE PROGRAMS
Paper number: T209-10
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 3:45 PM – 4:00 PM
Authors
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Gwyneth Jones Presenting AuthorNorth Seattle Community College, Bellevue College, Lake Washington Technical College, Trinity Lutheran College, Bellevue, WA
Abstract
Adjunct faculty are mainstays in many undergraduate geoscience programs, particularly at community and technical colleges. Part-time faculty frequently teach the majority of the foundation or core courses, and thus may serve as the first or only “faces of geology” that students encounter. Whether a student chooses a geoscience path may depend on the quality of the instruction she or he receives from an adjunct faculty member. How can a college best serve their students who wish to explore the earth sciences? How can a geoscience program actively recruit, engage, involve, and retain quality adjunct faculty? What strategies and systems can a department develop to support “freeway fliers” who teach at multiple institutions? The author, a long-time adjunct, affiliate, and visiting faculty member at multiple colleges, will share her experiences and suggestions for best practices.