Tips for Program Directors: Faculty Professional Development
By Merrilou Rauch
One of the frequent issues that arises in reviewing self-evaluation reports of programs applying for approval or reapproval is the insufficient detail provided in response to the questions concerning faculty professional development.
This section of the report form asks for a description of the measures taken to support and encourage the professional growth of all full- and part-time faculty members in the legal assistant education program and requests information on each faculty member's participation in professional growth activities that pertain to their work in the paralegal program. A general description of support for faculty should be given, such as funding for attendance at AAfPE and other conferences, available or mandatory in-service, stipends for courses or materials, followed by a list showing each faculty member's participation in such activities during the reporting period.
Some approved programs are offered by institutions that have extensive in-service training for all faculty members, and some are not. Many paralegal programs have instituted their own in-service professional development programs designed specifically for paralegal faculty members. Some programs offer an annual event or a designated faculty meeting devoted exclusively to professional development and others incorporate short professional development segments into each faculty meeting.
Programs are using a variety of resources to put together these programs, including experts from their own college or another local college, commonly from the education department. Some experts in teaching and learning have standard one- or three-hour workshops or will design something specifically for the paralegal faculty. Programs are finding that videotapes for rent or sale can be viewed and used to stimulate discussion. One such example is the videotape, POLISHING THE APPLE! Teaching Techniques for Paralegal Faculty, produced last year by the Standing Committee, AAfPE, and Kapi'olani Community College. This video was prepared in response to the needs of paralegal educators for materials that would help them to fulfill the professional development guideline requirement. Nearly 200 copies have already been sold. The video can be obtained through Robert J. LeClair at Kapio'lani Community College at leclair@hawaii.edu.
Programs that enhance the teaching skills of all faculty members are an important part of the Guidelines for the Approval of Legal Assistant Education Programs and a great asset to any paralegal program. As always, if you have any questions about the Guidelines or the approval process, please email Merrilou Rauch at rauchm@staff.abanet.org.
Merrilou Rauch is the Approval Process Manager for
the Approval Commission of the Standing Committee on Legal Assistants.
