Bergen faculty and staff gathered for a January kick-off event that announced the partnership with the Association of College and University Educators.
PARAMUS, N.J. – Bergen Community College has partnered with the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) to offer its faculty a new resource to enhance effective teaching practices. As part of the three-year partnership, ACUE will offer Bergen educators a 25-module course on topics such as class design, assessment and promoting student learning. Faculty who complete the course will receive a nationally-recognized certificate in effective college instruction endorsed by the American Council on Education and can receive three graduate credits issued by the group’s accrediting body. Bergen secured funding for the program through a U.S. Department of Education grant (#P031S160134).
“We are improving students’ experiences by equipping faculty with evidence-based practices,” Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning Managing Director Amarjit Kaur, Ph.D., said. “The program will prepare faculty to use research-based practices in their classroom, consider alternative teaching methods and refine existing classroom practices.”
Fifty-three full- and part-time Bergen faculty members will participate in the effort’s inaugural two cohorts, learning together as part of the paced program. Additional cohorts will begin each fall. Faculty can expect to participate in hands-on learning experiences, according to Kaur.
“Faculty will watch authentic footage of exemplary classroom instructions from two- and four-year institutions, choose from hundreds of evidence-based practices, collaborate with colleagues, receive expert feedback from an external coach and obtain guidance from an in-house facilitator assigned to the team.”
Additionally, the College will have the opportunity to assess the results of students learning under the participating faculty, while seeking to identify possible impact on engagement, retention and graduation rates at the institution.
In partnership with institutions of higher education nationwide, ACUE supports and credentials faculty members in the use of evidence-based teaching practices that drive student engagement, retention, and learning. ACUE’s community of professional practice connects college educators from across the country through member forums, podcasts and updates on the latest developments in the scholarship of teaching and learning. For more information, visit acue.org.
Based in Paramus, Bergen Community College (www.bergen.edu), a public two-year coeducational college, enrolls more than 14,000 students at locations in Paramus, the Philip Ciarco Jr. Learning Center in Hackensack and Bergen Community College at the Meadowlands in Lyndhurst. The College offers associate degree, certificate and continuing education programs in a variety of fields. More students graduate from Bergen than any other community college in the state.
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