Designing professional development programs for adjuncts: Opinion

In an editorial for Inside Higher Ed, Anna Conway encourages postsecondary institutions to strategically design professional development programs for adjuncts to improve student achievement. Since many instructors are adjuncts, institutions should design professional development that specifically meets their needs and provides the skills and knowledge needed to effectively instruct students. The author recommends surveying adjunct faculty on their professional needs, developing professional development offerings from adjunct suggestions, and designing these offerings for virtual delivery to enhance accessibility. Finally, Conway encourages drawing on the principles of connection, consistency, and innovation and striving to support adjunct faculty who participate in these programs with stipends.