Academies
Ambassadors Cross Training Academy
The Ambassador’s Cross Training Academy is designed to provide STC employees the opportunity to continually improve their knowledge of all aspects of the college and increase their ability to assist students and colleagues. Ambassadors (cross-trained employees) will help to:
- Eliminate road-blocks for students and employees
- Provide better assistance to their colleagues
- Create greater transparency, understanding and collegiality among all areas of the college
Participation in the Ambassadors Cross Training Program is recommended for employees with at least one year experience in their present position. Ambassador applicants are required to attend all sessions in their entirety on the scheduled Thursday mornings from 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. in order to be commissioned as an STC Ambassador. Should a conflict arise with any of the scheduled dates, it is the responsibility of the applicant to attend the needed sessions in order to graduate from the next scheduled Academy.
As part of the Benefits of the Academy, participants will be provided with in-depth information and understanding of other areas of the College such as Admissions, Advising, Financial Aid, Instructional Technology, Facilities and Public Relations. As an Ambassador, you’ll have confidence that you are assisting students and colleagues with information, procedures, improving everyone’s overall performance.
All sessions are held on selected Thursday mornings from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Participants are required to attend all sessions in their entirety and have the opportunity to attend make-up sessions if a conflict should arise.
Dual Enrollment Learning & Teaching Academy Online
Purpose
The Dual Enrollment Learning and Teaching Academy (DELTA) Online will help Dual Enrollment Faculty to become part of the South Texas College family. DELTA Online will provide participants with support and guidance as well as information on faculty expectations, resources, policies, procedures, and creating a college environment.
Timeline
Participants will have six weeks to complete all course requirements but are encouraged to complete each module on a weekly basis.
Learning Modules
The Academy is fully online and consists of six learning modules:
- The Community College Philosophy
- Dual Enrollment Faculty Responsibilities
- Creating a College Environment
- College Knowledge for Faculty
- Connecting Students to College Resources
- Dual Enrollment Program Assessment and Monitoring
FOCUS Academy
Focus on Creating Ultimate Student Success
Powerful Teaching. Powerful Learning.
The FOCUS Academy designed to provide support and structure for faculty working together in professional learning communities. The Academy provides in-depth training on andragogy, contextualized in the teaching and learning environment. For a period of one semester, participants are immersed in an interactive classroom environment to include active learning strategies and technologies around which they enhance their courses based on the principles and techniques they have learned.
The delivery of these strategies creates an embedded form of professional development that can be observed by academy participants. The faculty member and his/her peers then engage in reflective dialogue on student learning and corresponding teaching practices.
This process creates a community of reflective practitioners who are committed to embracing modern theories of learning to create an engaging classroom experience for all students.
Common Instructional Framework (CIF)
The CIF is an approach to teaching and learning that incorporates six powerful student engagement strategies that require the students to take an active role in their own education.
| Collaborative Group Work | Scaffolding |
| Questioning | Literacy Groups |
| Classroom Talk | Writing to Learn |
The Rounds Model
The Rounds Model is the faculty peer observation component that takes place within the classroom and is modeled on the medical rounds process. It extends the CIF from the theoretical to the very practical.
The faculty prepares and provides a lesson plan and highlights the strategy to be implemented and observed on the day of rounds. Participants in the FOCUS Academy are then invited into each other’s classrooms to observe student learning in action. After the rounds, the observation team will gather to debrief and reflect on the observable student learning behaviors and identify strategies to address learning enhancement.
Academy Outcomes
Participants implement proven instructional strategies learned in the Academy to create an engaging environment and implement effective interactive content that positively impacts the success of their students. Faculty learn how to:
- Utilize Lesson Planning Strategies
- Create an Active Learning Environment
- Incorporate Authentic Assessments
- Employ Reflective Practices
- Collaborate with a Professional Learning Community of Peers
- Integrate Technology
All interested full-time or part-time faculty are welcome!
The academy spans one academic semester. Participants are immersed in the Common Instructional Framework and engage in a practicum implementing what they have learned. The Academy requirements include the following:
- Attend the full-day FOCUS orientation session
- Attend at least 7 out of 8 scheduled FOCUS sessions during the semester
- Engage in two scheduled peer-to-peer observation rounds and collect observation data that will be turned in to the FOCUS Instructional Coach.
- Prepare and share a content lesson plan for the observation.
- Implement/model one of the FOCUS interactive strategies at the time of observation.
- Participate in a debriefing session after the observation.
Stipend
Eligible STC faculty who graduate from the Academy by completing the activities listed above will receive a $300 stipend. The stipend for graduates will be processed after completion of the Academy.
Teaching & Learning Academy
The Teaching & Learning Academy (TLA) was designed to help Faculty become part of the STC family. TLA provides support, guidance and training as new faculty transition into the role of Instructor. Faculty participants will receive information on available resources, policies, procedures and effective teaching strategies as well as provide faculty with many opportunities for professional development.
Each session will have an “STC Expert” in attendance to answer questions about the College. In addition, there will be a Great Teachers Retreat held at the beginning of the Spring Semester to give faculty the opportunity to reflect on best teaching practices and to share those experiences with colleagues. TLA Key1
Participation in the Teaching & Learning Academy is required for the first year as faculty at STC (AY2014 Faculty Letter of Appointment). There are a total of nine (9) TLA Sessions held throughout the Fall and Spring semester. Sessions are held on Fridays from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
