Professional Development for Effective Teaching in Higher Education

Abstract

Improved instruction leads to effective student learning, which is one of the key elements for the success of the higher education institutions. Most faculty members begin teaching professionally based on their experiences as university students, without completing any formal professional development program. The aim of this study is to investigate the needs of faculty members in a newly established private university in Istanbul to improve their teaching and learning process. Findings are based on the answers of 200 faculty members aged between 25 and 75. Besides the demographic information which included if they have had any professional development program, the study entailed a checklist. Whether they needed information about distance education (teaching methods, measurement and evaluation, student relationships); face to face education; (teaching methods, active teaching techniques, critical thinking, classroom discussion, effective techniques for large and small classes, differentiation, classroom management); and general information (techniques to cope with stress, learning styles and strategies, syllabus design, to evaluate student learning, student centered learning, increase student motivation, teaching technologies) are among the items of the checklist. Results showed that the 97% of the respondents had never had a professional development program before. While measurement and evaluation were the areas that they felt they needed to be informed the most, classroom management was the least one. As a result, a professional development program for all faculty members was highly recommended to the institution.