Sanford, NC — The North Carolina Community Collegern System (NCCCS) recently awarded Central Carolina Communityrn College (CCCC) a grant to pursue innovative training opportunitiesrn for college faculty.

rnThe grant, totaling over $ 29,000, provides for the creation of new online trainingrncourses, mini-grants for faculty initiatives and the development of a statewidernforum for vocational faculty. 

rn“rnWe are always looking for opportunities to train our faculty and have those experiencesrntranslate into better instructional quality in the classroom,” says CeliarnHurley, director of staff development and distance education. “Continualrnstaff development is very important in maintaining CCCC’s high academicrnstandards.”       

rnThe grant was created by NCCCS through funding provided in Title I, Section 124rnof the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998.

rnCCCC plans to develop two online courses targeted at training new faculty.  Onerncourse will be for faculty that teach traditional seated courses while the otherrnwill train faculty that teach primarily online courses.  Both courses willrnteach faculty how to improve the design and organization of their class meetings.  Topicsrnwill include integrating technology into the classroom and instructional strategiesrnand classroom ethics and legal issues.  

rnBoth classes will be developed and tested during the 2004-2005 academic year.  Hurleyrnplans to incorporate the classes into CCCC’s 2005-2006 new faculty orientationrnsessions.   Once completed, the classes will be shared through thernNCCCS to other community colleges in the state.

rnThe college will also develop mini-grants using funds from the state grant tornprovide unique and innovative development opportunities for faculty members.  Grantsrnfor the attendance of conferences and seminars are excluded in favor of a morerntailored experience that can translate directly into the classroom.  Examplesrnof such activities include automotive instructors visiting a NASCAR team garagernor a community journalism instructor setting up an online chat forum with a famousrnjournalist. 

rn“rnWe want our staff to get creative,” says Hurley.  “We’llrndetermine funding for the mini-grants based on the type of applications received.”

rnHurley is in the process of creating the mini-grant application and selectingrna committee of faculty and administrators to award the mini-grants.  Facultyrnwill be given the opportunity to apply for the mini-grants this fall, with fundingrnbeing available in the spring semester.  The quality and number of grantrnapplications will determine how many mini-grants will be awarded.
rnLastly, the college will plan and host a forum for vocational and technical facultyrnfrom all of the state’s community colleges.  The forum’s goalrnwill be to enhance the quality of vocational and technical education in NorthrnCarolina.  Hurley is planning the forum for the 2005 spring semester. 

rnWith the grant, CCCC will be able to increase the number of development opportunitiesrnfor college faculty and staff.  During the 2003-2004 academic year, CCCCrnoffered over 230 development sessions.  Each college employee is requiredrnto participate in a certain number of sessions or activities each year.