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Defining and Documenting Professional Development, Scholarship, and Service
Defining and Documenting Professional Development, Scholarship, and Service
Faculty Handbook: 2.5 Professional Development
Faculty Handbook: 2.5 Professional Development
Because of the need to share information and build learning communities, Purdue Global’s Center for Teaching and Learning provides professional development opportunities to all faculty members. Professional development includes both training and scholarship activities.
Faculty development is essential to the mission of the University and to the Faculty for maintaining current knowledge in their field. Any activity that either advances their knowledge in their field or helps a Faculty member stay current in their teaching is considered Faculty development. Faculty responsibilities include completing and reporting no fewer than 8 hours of formal/active professional development annually. Faculty are encouraged to report professional development using the streamlined activity entry form.
NOTE: The CTL staff will report professional development for CTL-sponsored activities. You are responsible for posting your presentation activity at a CTL-sponsored professional development event. Learn more about the CTL reporting service.
Professional Development Defined
Professional Development Defined
Professional development is defined as tools, resources, and training that help instructors further their knowledge in their subject area, develop and expand teaching techniques, and enhance skills to better meet the needs of students.
Professional development activities at Purdue Global can be classified into the following categories:
Discipline-Specific Compliance Training* – refers to the process of training on laws, regulations, and policy within the faculty/staff’s field of study or profession. This type of activity should be logged in “Compliance Training Activity.”
*This should not be confused with Purdue Global Compliance Training from Human Resources, as those activities are not considered professional development.
Discipline-Related – refers to the process of continued education on topics specific to faculty/staff field of study. This type of activity should be logged in “Discipline-related Activity.”
Leadership – refers to the process of education on leadership and further development of leadership skills as related to faculty/staff current and future roles. This type of activity should be logged in “Leadership Activity.”
Other – refers to any professional development activity that is not included in the preset categories. A full description of the activity should be included. This category should be avoided if possible.
Skills Attainment – refers to the process of education on obtaining new skills or strengthening existing skills related to faculty/staff current and future roles. This type of activity should be logged in “Skills Attainment Activity.”
Teaching and Learning – refers to the process of continued education on topics of teaching and learning in higher education as related to the faculty role. This subtype should be used when preparing and presenting for internal conferences. This type of activity should be logged in “Teaching and Learning Activity.”
Training Development – refers to preparation of materials to present at PG sponsored conferences or events. Presentation time at the live session is logged by the CTL team.
Faculty Handbook 2.5.2 Scholarship
Faculty Handbook 2.5.2 Scholarship
The scholarship agenda should be developed in coordination with the Dean, Associate/Assistant Dean, or Chair. Appropriate scholarly activities for faculty may include, but are not limited to:
Research activities employing methodologies appropriate to their subject matter. The University is particularly interested in faculty engaging in research using well‐established and rigorous research methodologies to increase our understanding of the world and to expand the body of knowledge and literature that comprises the various disciplines represented in the University through original work. Activities that suggest engagement in research include the following:
Presenting at academic or professional association meetings
Publishing articles related to research within the discipline or profession
Implementing solutions or approaches to work/academic-related issues
Serving on thesis/dissertation advisory or examining committees
Scholarship activities involving the critical examination of concepts and theories within academic disciplines. Such research might entail a systematic investigation of primary source material and scholarly journals related to the discipline. Activities that suggest an advanced study of the discipline include the following:
Using literature reviews to identify the state of research within a field
Writing new instructional units and courses that reflect new or broadening areas of a discipline
Serving as editor or publishing reviews or comments for professional journals within the discipline
Participating in professional development activities sponsored by national and regional academic and professional organizations
Leading professional development activities related to emerging topics within a discipline for an organization
Scholarship related to teaching/learning. This area of scholarship is concerned with posing problems or issues related to teaching or learning, studying the problem or issue, employing appropriate methodologies, applying the results to the improvement of practice, communicating the results, and engaging in peer reviews. Activities that suggest engagement in scholarship related to teaching/learning include the following:
Making faculty development presentations on effective teaching or appropriate assessment tools and activities
Creating web publications or journal articles related to the classroom experience
Cultivating a formal process for the exchange of ideas among teachers, students, and others within and outside the classroom
Applying appropriate educational innovations (teaching strategies, educational technology) in the classroom and sharing findings with other faculty and instructional designers
Designing, implementing, and reporting on the impact of changes in teaching methodologies or course content on student learning
Scholarship Defined
Scholarship Defined
Scholarship is defined as published or presented research activities that
employ methodologies appropriate to the faculty member's subject matter
examine concepts and theories within academic disciplines
study issues related to teaching or learning, employ appropriate methodologies, apply the results to the improvement of practice, communicate the results, and engage in peer review
Scholarship activities at Purdue Global can be classified into the following categories:
Applied – This area is concerned with the scholarship of teaching and the usable application of theories related to the faculty’s area of study.
Discovery – This area is concerned with the scholarship of new research that advances knowledge and exploration of theories related to the faculty’s area of study.
Integrated – This area is concerned with the scholarship of creating connections within and across disciplines and is related to the faculty’s area of study.
Other – This area is concerned with scholarship that does not fall into one of the pre-set definitions. A full description of the activity should be included. This category should be avoided if possible.
Teaching and Learning – This area is concerned with the scholarship of student learning and the practice that influences that learning.
Scholarship Activity Reporting Note
All external scholarship (preparation and product) is reported in the scholarship area in APL. Currently, we report on the number of activities and not the count of hours. Documentation of scholarship hours is optional and you will need to be able to validate any reported time.
Internal conferences are not considered scholarship and should be reported as professional development.
Faculty Handbook 2.8 Service
Faculty Handbook 2.8 Service
2.8.1 Service to the Institution
2.8.1 Service to the Institution
Service may take the form of engagement in and/or leadership roles in Purdue Global faculty development programs and/or institution-wide governance committees. Activities that suggest engagement in service and commitment to the institution/college/school include, but are not limited to:
Mentoring new members of the profession or discipline
Facilitating student‐focused organizations or activities
Training and mentoring first‐term faculty members
Serving on University committees
2.8.2 Service to the Profession
2.8.2 Service to the Profession
Activities that suggest engagement in service and commitment to the profession include, but are not limited to:
Participating in peer review
Serving as an officer for an academic or professional organization
Consulting with organizations and institutions within the discipline or profession
Providing voluntary service to organizations related to the profession or discipline
Serving on national, regional, or local governing boards
Serving on national, regional, or local boards for organizations that are approved by the Dean or designee as relevant to the field of service to the profession
External Service Defined
External Service Defined
External Service is defined as service to the profession. Activities that suggest engagement in service and commitment to the profession include, but are not limited to:
Participating in peer review*
Serving as an officer for an academic or professional organization**
Consulting with organizations and institutions within the discipline or profession*
Providing voluntary service to organizations related to the profession or discipline*
Serving on national, regional, or local governing boards**
Serving on national, regional, or local boards for organizations that are approved by the Dean or designee as relevant to the field of service to the profession**
* Service should be entered under the category “Professional Organization Activity”** Service should be entered under the category “Board Member Activity”
Internal Service Defined
Internal Service Defined
Internal Service is defined as service to the University. Service may take the form of engagement in and/or leadership roles in Purdue Global faculty development programs and/or institution-wide governance committees. Activities that suggest engagement in service and commitment to the institution/college/school include, but are not limited to:
Mentoring new members of the profession or discipline
Facilitating student‐focused organizations or activities
Training and mentoring first‐term faculty members
Serving on university, college, or department committees
Developing and revising courses (Excluded from service are those developments or revisions from which faculty are granted a course release or compensation)
Activity Reporting Form
Activity Reporting Form
The Activity Reporting form is for Purdue Global faculty and staff to report professional development, scholarship, and service activities.
One form should be completed for each activity being reported.
The CTL will take care of reporting activities in APL based on the information provided in this form.
A member of the CTL team may reach out to you regarding your entry if there are questions.
NOTE: This form is to be used in place of reporting activity directly in APL. DO NOT enter activities reported on this form in APL as this will result in duplication.
If you have questions, please email askctl@purdueglobal.edu for assistance.
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