Links

 

August 2004

 

American Psychological Association-Preparing Future Faculty program

Departments/Programs of Psychology at

Miami University: Oxford, Middletown and Hamilton

College of Mount Saint Joseph * Northern Kentucky University

Earlham College

 

 

What is Preparing Future Faculty?

Preparing Future Faculty is a joint initiative by American Association of Colleges and Universities and the Council of Graduate Schools to improve the preparation of graduate students for faculty roles.   A key feature is forming partnerships with non-doctoral institutions, so that students learn about the ways in which faculty responsibilities are affected by institutional contexts, and increase doctoral students' awareness of diversity issues.  Our program is funded by American Psychological Association.

 

Midwest Regional Conference on PFF

Coming Sept 9-10!  The purpose of this workshop is to bring together representatives from doctoral programs in psychology in the Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky area to discuss programmatic efforts to improve the preparation of doctoral students for careers in academia.  Special guests include Rosemary Phelps (University of Georgia), Amy Buddie (Miami PhD, 2001), Carl Huether (University of Cincinnati PFF director).  We are grateful to our panel of partner faculty (Jim Bodle, Michael Jackson, Beth Uhler and Trish Ellerson), as well as current and former graduate students. 

 

APA- PFF scholars at teaching conferences

Midwestern Institute for Teaching of Psychology, Feb. 27-28 in Glen Ellyn, IL:

·         Surviving and Thriving in Graduate School (David Mueller, Mark Schlutsmeyer, Gloria Oliver, Don Domenici, & Cecilia Shore)

·         Developing your identity and authority as a beginning teacher (Don Domenici, Gloria Oliver, Mark Schlutsmeyer, David Mueller, & Cecilia Shore)

American Psychological Association, July 27-Aug 1:  Cecilia Shore, A developmental model for training in the scholarship of teaching.

2003-2004 APA PFF Scholars reflect

   Dave Mueller

Mentor: Kathy Milar, Earlham College

PFF has been an excellent experience for me.  I feel that I have benefited from it in three ways.  As a doctoral student at a research-teaching oriented university, PFF has provided me with the opportunity to learn about teaching from experienced instructors.  I feel that the CELT learning community, the mentoring program, and attending the Midwest Institute for Students and Teachers of Psychology was an especially valuable experience in this respect.  Second, I have benefited from working with students at a small liberal arts college.  The atmosphere at such an institution has an important effect on the students, the type of learning that occurs, and the day-to-day operation of an academic department.  Finally, I think that PFF has indirectly provided me with important knowledge of my teaching style, approach, and teaching philosophy.  These aspects will be important in an academic career.   

Donald Domenici

Mentor: Michael Jackson, Earlham College

The psychology department Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) program provided me with the opportunity to learn about the many roles of psychology faculty. In addition to engaging in projects and discussions together, we were each able to shadow a faculty mentor from an undergraduate partner institution. What I liked most about PFF was the flexibility to tailor my experiences in the program to match my teaching and research goals. As a clinical student with interests in multidisciplinary teaching and qualitative research, this was extremely valuable for me. At Earlham College I was able to shadow Dr. Jackson, who taught a multidisciplinary course this semester, and whose research interests include qualitative research. Interacting with the PFF group and with Dr. Jackson stimulated valuable discussion about topics such as attaining a faculty position, designing courses, and balancing teaching, research, and service as a faculty member.  


Gloria J. Oliver

Mentor:  Robin Bartlett, N K U

Text Box: For more info about Preparing Future Faculty: http://www.preparing-faculty.org/ Website for our program: http://www.users.muohio.edu/shorec/apapff/apapff.htm Newsletter edited by Cecilia Shore, shorec@muohio.edu

As a graduate student in clinical psychology, my training has focused on research and clinical work.  The Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) program expanded this training to include an understanding of academia and pedagogy in higher education.  As a first-time instructor at the college level, the program provided invaluable support from colleagues and mentors at Miami University and other university campuses.  Through the PFF program, I participated in the Midwest Institute for Students and Teachers of Psychology (MISTOP) conference and attended the Lilly conference, both of which helped to improve my teaching skills and understanding of different pedagogy.  The PFF program provided valuable insight into life as a faculty member as well as administrative responsibilities at different types of universities.  I worked with a supportive mentor at Northern Kentucky University and learned a lot about the adjustment process as a faculty member following graduate school.  I observed different teaching methods and different university faculty meetings.  In addition to learning about roles of a faculty member, I have also gained insight into the complex responsibilities of a clinical faculty member.  The PFF program has certainly helped me to expand my skills as a growing clinical psychologist in higher learning and has provided me with a stronger edge as a clinical psychologist. 

 

Mark Schlutsmeyer

Mentor: Mary Schwendener-Holt, Earlham College

Being involved in the PFF program has helped me to direct my thinking toward what goes on at the heart of teaching. While our attention to practical issues concerning careers in academia has been helpful, it is this focus on the heart of teaching that has been the most rewarding for me. I have had the chance to work with a faculty mentor who embodies great teaching and is closely connected to both her students and the subjects she teaches. She has been very open with me about her struggles, fears, and joys as a teacher and has encouraged me to look at my own teaching in the same open way. Although I continue to struggle with many aspects of my role as a teacher, learning to see my teaching in a more open light has pushed me toward feeling more courageous about what I am doing and why I am doing it. I am glad that the PFF program has provided me with a chance to grow in this way.

Upcoming events 2004-05

Sept 9-10

Midwest Regional Workshop on Preparing Future Faculty in Psychology

http://www.users.muohio.edu/shorec/apapff/workshop/workshop.htm. 

Sept 24

John Neal Bohannon

How to compromise in a small college environment and still be happy or at least not crazy  10 a.m.  205 Benton

Oct 11

Panel Discussion: Job search and interviewing skills.  Terri Messman-Moore, Heather Claypool, Sian Beilock, Paul Flaspohler.  4 pm, 207 Benton

Nov. 8

Panel Discussion: Surviving your first year as a faculty member.  Patricia Kerig, Amanda Diekman, Kurt Hugenberg. 4 pm 207 Benton

Nov. 18-21

Lilly Conference on College Teaching.

Registration deadline Oct. 1 http://www.units.muohio.edu/lillycon/

Nov. 22

Panel discussion: Pros and cons of non tenure-track jobs. Julie Rubin, Denise Fox-Barber, Zak Birchmeier, RoseMarie Ward.  4 pm 207 Benton. 

Feb 4

TriState APA PFF symposium

Interact with our APA PFF partners from College of Mount St. Joseph, Northern Kentucky University, Earlham College, and Miami's regional campuses at Hamilton and Middletown. Partner undergraduates show their research posters and attend events about graduate school admissions and life. Opportunities for graduate students to learn about faculty roles and for doctoral and partner faculty to learn about topics of mutual interest.  http://www.users.muohio.edu/shorec/apapff/symposium/Tri-StateSymposium.htm