Sample Faculty Professional Development Independent Projects

The Faculty Professional Development Committee provides this list of activities as samples of Independent Projects for Professional Development.

This list is not meant to be exhaustive, but is intended to illustrate examples of professional development independent projects. Additional activities may be considered for Faculty Professional Development by approval of the division dean, provided the activities meet Title V Guidelines. To propose an Independent Projects activity, you must submit an Independent Project Proposal form to your dean for approval.

CONFERENCE or COMMUNITY ACTIVITY

• Attend conferences, courses, seminars and workshops
• Prepare for and present workshops at Grossmont College.
• Create and implement professional workshops, presentations, exhibitions, or theatre events.
• Participate in public or private school district outreach and education projects.

• If the conference conflicts with your teaching schedule or other campus responsibilities as outlined in the job description, classroom instruction hours must be subtracted from the FPD hours.
• Activities must be related to the faculty member's job responsibilities.
• FPD credit for preparation equals up to two hours per one hour of presentation.
• FPD credit is not granted if the presenter is compensated.

• Learn how to develop technology mediated instructional support materials.
• Create technology mediated instructional and instructional support materials.
• Develop curricula for new or existing courses.
• Provide supplemental instructional support in campus learning labs.
• Develop instructional media.
• Review articulation of courses or other cooperative agreements.

• Creating and delivering a supplemental instruction workshop
• Create and deliver a curriculum writing workshop series.

• This must be above and beyond fundamental job responsibilities (such as office hours, review sessions, and student counseling/advising.)
• This is not eligible for PD credit if the work is compensated (e.g. The Curriculum Writing Mini-Series)

• Collaborate with members of other departments or other educational institutions.
• Train or plan for institutional, departmental or program needs.
• Write grant proposals.
• Participate in committees or sponsor clubs above and beyond contract requirements.
• Mentor faculty.

• Adjunct faculty may include participation in departmental meetings as an FPD activity
• For contract faculty, attendance at their own regularly scheduled department meetings is not FPD
• Grant proposals should relate to instructional or institutional purposes,
• Professional Development credit is not granted if the writer is compensated.
• Attending employee benefit or retirement workshops are not considered FPD
• Regular orientation of adjunct faculty is considered a responsibility of department chairs and is not FPD.
• Both mentor and mentee receive PD credit.

• Write for publication.
• Create original works as they relate to the discipline.
• Research in one’s field or a related field.
• Observe a colleague’s teaching or counseling.
• Gain the knowledge needed for effective service in campus leadership.

• The writing must be submitted and/or published in order to complete the FPD hours.
• The topic must be related to the writer's discipline.
• Professional Development credit is not granted if the writer is compensated.
• Results of research will be made available to department, library, or college.
• New faculty members are encouraged to observe faculty in their departments.

• Preparation required to teach or perform the services on a day-to-day basis, such as writing syllabi, reading and/or grading of student papers, preparing class lectures or handouts. These are a part of a faculty member's contractual obligation,
• Activities for which a faculty member receives compensation.
• Activities that would conflict with assigned teaching hours or responsibilities as outlined in the job description (such as attendance at conferences or presentations or visits to business or commercial sites). NOTE: If a faculty member is approved for conference attendance during teaching time, such in-class time must be subtracted from FPD hours. NOTE: If an educational support faculty member claims FPD credit during scheduled working hours such time must be made up at a later date.
• Travel time to and from conferences and meetings.
• Moving, painting, cleaning or reorganizing office furniture or files.
• Evaluation of faculty within your department.
• Attendance at regularly scheduled department or division meetings. NOTE: Adjunct faculty may claim FPD credit for attending regularly scheduled department or division meetings.
• Fundamental requirements as outlined in a faculty job description.