What is the Professional Development for the QEP?

Participating QEP faculty complete 24 hours of professional development training and implement teaching strategies in the Dimension of Learning Power – Changing and Learning. Professional development for faculty encompasses:

  • understanding of the theory Developing Learning Power;
  • knowledge of the key learning dimension of Changing and Learning;
  • administration of the Effective Lifelong Learning Inventory (ELLI) for feedback on students’ understanding of Learning Power;
  • development of the language of thinking and strategies for lifelong learning;
  • teaching tools and classroom practices that promote Changing and Learning;
  • analysis of formative and summative student learning assessment data; and
  • demonstration of ePortfolio as the primary repository of evidence of student success.

The four phases of professional development for participating QEP full-time and adjunct faculty are:

  1. in-training;
  2. participating in a discipline pilot;
  3. implementing QEP in designated classes; and
  4. ongoing application of QEP in designated classes.
What are Professional Development Champions?

Specially selected and trained faculty Professional Development Champions lead the QEP professional development activities. The Richland College Senior Leadership, in collaboration with the QEP Resource Team and faculty QEP Implementation Team, selected the QEP Professional Development Champions. These Champions are faculty members selected for their knowledge of Developing Learning Power, their ability to teach, and their interest in being a part of this professional development team. The Professional Development Champions develop and conduct various training for faculty who are classified as in-training, piloting, and implementing. The Professional Development Champions also facilitate ongoing Professional Development Learning Communities, where faculty:

  • discuss and design discipline-specific resources as related to the four QEP designated courses;
  • develop classroom strategies and thinking routines as related to Developing Learning Power; and
  • assess, reflect upon, and refine teaching practices and methodologies as related to ongoing application of Developing Learning Power.

Four, three-hour sessions cover at an introductory level:

  • Learning to Learn: Developing Learning Power and uses of the Effective Lifelong Learner Inventory (ELLI);
  • Dimension of Learning Power – Changing and Learning;
  • Thinking Routines; and
  • Assessment of the QEP.

Professional Development Champions also incorporate Cooperative Learning theory and practice, as appropriate. The QEP Director and the Professional Development Champions review and discuss professional development evaluation results collected at each session.