# data[].attributes.body
Part-time instructors are responsible for most of the teaching that goes on in higher education institutions, but they are often the least prepared to teach. Nevertheless, they are responsible for sustaining academic quality, and they must do so often without the opportunity for professional development, something which their full-time counterparts continually reap the benefits of. With part-time faculty numbers increasing, additional research is necessary regarding what the best ways are to ensure they are effective in the classroom. As mentoring programs have been used as a method for providing training in the development of effective teaching skills of full-time faculty, it is important to consider whether these programs will have the same impact on part-time faculty.

# data[].attributes.body
Mentoring programs have contributed positively to the teaching effectiveness of full-time faculty, but some questions remain about how participation in a mentoring program can impact the effectiveness of part-time faculty. These include: Does it work? Is it the most effective method? This study can contribute to the understanding of  mentoring programs in higher education and their potential benefits for part-time faculty.

# data[].attributes.body
This research project focuses on the impact that faculty mentoring programs have on the teaching effectiveness of part-time instructors. Currently, adjunct faculty make up more than half of the faculty at master’s, baccalaureate, and two-year higher education institutions, and these numbers are expected to rise in the coming years (AAUP, 2018). While part-time faculty do not share the same level of responsibility as full-time faculty, they are expected to maintain academic quality and ensure that students meet their learning goals. Given that part-time faculty are responsible for the education of so many of our students, it’s essential to consider what measures are being taken to ensure that they have the skills and training they need to be effective in the classroom. While there is a great deal of research on various types of faculty mentoring models being used in higher education, the characteristics that define teaching effectiveness, and the use of part-time faculty in higher education, there is little research that ties together all three of these concepts. My aim is to determine if faculty mentoring programs that are designed specifically to develop the instructional effectiveness of for part-time instructors improves student perceptions' of teaching effectiveness.

References

American Association of University Professors. (2018). Data snapshot: Contingent
faculty in US higher ed. Retrieved from
https://www.aaup.org/sites/default/files/10112018%20Data%20Snapshot%20Tenure.pdf

# data[].attributes.body
The purpose of this research is to investigate the effect participation in a mentoring program has on students' perceptions of teaching effectiveness of part-time instructors.

# data[].attributes.body
Future research on this topic should focus on part-time faculty populations in particular contexts, such as professional education, STEM subjects, and liberal arts to determine whether mentoring is an effective means of increasing teaching effectiveness in these contexts. Also, comparative studies should be conducted to determine if other faculty development offerings, such as learning communities, can make a significant impact on the teaching effectiveness of part-time faculty.

# data[].attributes.body
Part-time faculty: Any non-tenure track faculty member employed contractually per course. In the literature, part-time faculty are also referred to as adjunct faculty or contingent faculty.
Mentoring: A relationship where faculty with useful knowledge, skills, and experience offers advice, information, guidance and support to another faculty member for that person’s professional development.
Teaching effectiveness: The extent to which teaching impacts student learning.

# data[].attributes.body
While a great deal of research exists on the impact of faculty mentoring programs, the majority of these studies focus on developing faculty who are seeking tenure, and the faculty mentoring programs they discuss concentrate almost exclusively on academic career development rather than on teaching effectiveness. As such, there is a need for research on how faculty mentoring programs that focus on non-tenure-track, part-time faculty impact teaching effectiveness.

# data[].attributes.body
Q1: Does participation in a faculty mentoring program affect students’ perceptions of teaching effectiveness of part-time faculty?

Q2: What are the benefits/challenges of faculty mentoring programs aimed at improving the teaching effectiveness of part-time faculty?

# data[].attributes.body
Delores Amorelli
Course: EDUC815-912
Term: Winter 2019
Topic: Impact of Faculty Mentoring Programs on Teaching Effectiveness of Part-Time Instructors