What is an Instructional Specialist? AFACCT Harford Community College January 11, 2002 Presented by Laura E. Weidner Meribeth E. Allman Anne Arundel Community College Arnold, Maryland

January 11, 2002AFACCT 2 Contents College Overview Integrated Reading and ESL Department How and why we changed the faculty model Advantages and Challenges for College, Department, and Students Why become an Instructional Specialist Advantages and Challenges for Individual Employee Contact Information

January 11, 2002AFACCT 3 The Anne Arundel Way (or, “A student is a student is a student”) Learning is learning is learning Administrative Structure –Vice President for Learning –Vice President for Learner Support Blended programming –Credit, Continuing Ed, Business/Industry –Institutes and Integrated Programs HCAT, Criminal Justice, Reading and ESL Horizontal job descriptions Outcomes Assessment –Dean of Learning Advancement –Director of Outcomes Assessment

January 11, 2002AFACCT 4 Where were we then? Basic Skills –ABE grant funded only –located in Occupational Programs under Workforce Dev. ESL –located in Arts and Sciences under English –located in Occupational Programs under Workforce Dev. –located in Community Ed offering open enrollment classes Developmental Reading –located in Arts and Sciences under English Dept. Chair –all part time faculty –no distinct reading leadership or initiatives

January 11, 2002AFACCT 5 Getting there... FY1998 –Credit equivalent ESL programs moved to Community Ed –Courses are made credit-equivalent to allow FT status FY1999 –All ESL, Basic Skills combined into one new department Workplace Literacy and ESL added to programs FY2000 –Director of Reading Programs to direct developmental reading FY2001 –All Reading, ESL, Basic Skills combined into one department FY2002 –Implementing new reading program

January 11, 2002AFACCT 6 Why change the model? –challenged to create an entirely new department where one had not existed before –charged to develop a new outcomes-based approach to teaching reading, delivering instruction, and scheduling classes basically starting with blank slate extensive work required during development phase entirely new curriculum needed –existing departmental staff time was fully committed to existing and current programming in Basic Skills and ESL Reading department was added to Director’s current workload Department given three vacant instructional positions –2 newly approved as budget initiatives –1 reassigned vacancy

January 11, 2002AFACCT 7 Integrated Reading and ESL Programs Created to provide continuum of services for under prepared and non-native students –Housed under two deans School of Arts and Sciences Community Education and Extended Learning Programs –Director, Assistant Director –Support Staff (2 regular, 4 temporary positions) –Instructional Specialists full time professional staff with both teaching and non-teaching responsibilities (12 month, 40 hours/week, not eligible for tenure) 3 Reading 2 ESL 1 Basic Skills –Approximately 100 part time faculty across 3 units

January 11, 2002AFACCT 8 What is an Instructional Specialist? Fully qualified instructor 12 month employee works 40 hours/week member of college professional staff –paid on staff scale –same benefits as other employees salary comparable to faculty scale not eligible for tenure or promotion a voting member of Academic Forum

January 11, 2002AFACCT 9 Non-Teaching Responsibilities Integral part of departmental team Decision maker Curriculum Developer Student Advisor Mentor for part time faculty Provider of professional and faculty development Researcher and planner Text and Software reviewer

January 11, 2002AFACCT 10 Hiring an Instructional Specialist Qualifications Highly creative Leadership skills Interested in doing things other than teaching Energetic Variety of experiences Be sure it is not someone with false impression of college faculty jobs (“I want to teach college so I only have to work 15 hours per week!”)

January 11, 2002AFACCT 11 Advantages Challenges Flexibility Student access Planning Part time faculty support Continuity of instruction across department Access during summer and other breaks Scheduling and staffing classes Gives department depth and breadth of skills Quality Control Neither fish nor fowl Resentments may develop when comparing to and with other faculty

January 11, 2002AFACCT 12 A Different Departmental View An Instructional Specialist tells All

January 11, 2002AFACCT 13 Advantages Personal Flexibility Opportunity to explore all areas of higher education Community Service ( Brooklyn Heights) Creativity encouraged

January 11, 2002AFACCT 14 Advantages Professional Collaboration with all Departments on Campus…advising, registrar, content areas, administration Empowered to make departmental decisions concerning curriculum and course requirements, as well as individual goals.

January 11, 2002AFACCT 15 Advantages Academic Individualized instruction for students Inclusion of adjuncts into ‘team’ Synergism of the team efforts led to an excellence of our departmental program Quality Control

January 11, 2002AFACCT 16 It’s not always a day at the beach!

January 11, 2002AFACCT 17 Disadvantages ( just a few ) Change happens (frequently) Can’t assume non-teaching summers Non-tenured position Overtime exempt Pioneers (fish in the fishbowl) College perception or expectations undefined

January 11, 2002AFACCT 18 Contacts Laura Weidner Meribeth Allman