Faculty members: Earn a teaching credential & contribute to research on student success

Cincinnati State faculty members, both full-time and adjunct, are invited to participate in a research project that is focused on improving student experiences and outcomes in “gateway” courses, as a result of providing high-quality professional development support for faculty.

As part of the project, participating faculty will have the opportunity to earn the ACUE (Association of College and University Educators) Certificate in Effective College Instruction.

Cincinnati State is one of three Ohio institutions invited to take part in the research study, which is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

• The ACUE Certificate is the only nationally-recognized collegiate teaching credential endorsed by the American Council on Education.
   
• The focus of the ACUE Certificate is on preparing faculty to use evidence-based teaching practices that have been proven through independently-validated research to improve student achievement and close equity gaps.
   
  Course content includes five major areas of teaching:
• Designing an Effective Course
• Establishing a Productive Learning Environment
• Using Active Learning Strategies
• Promoting Higher Order Thinking
• Assessing to Inform Instruction and Promote Learning
• The certificate coursework is delivered through a fully onine (asynchronous) professionally-facilitated course.
   
• Cincinnati State participants will connect with each other through additional facilitated interactions.

Stephanie Stafford, CState Assistant Dean of Online Learning, said the ACUE Certificate program is a “top notch” training opportunity.

“The time commitment is minimal compared to the knowledge and skills you will acquire,” Stephanie said.

Stephanie also noted that the ACUE certificate program would cost $2,400 if a faculty member wanted to earn this credential outside of the opportunity currently available to CState faculty.

• If you would like to participate, please get in touch with Stephanie (stephanie.stafford@cincinnatistate.edu), no later than Wednesday, Feb. 2.

Additional Information:

• Project activities will start Feb. 21, 2022, and conclude in early December 2022.
• Participants should expect to spend about 2-3 hours a week on project activities.
• Breaks are built into the Spring and Fall semesters and the project Summer break is from late May to mid-August.
• “Gateway” courses are typically defined as classes in math, English, business, and natural and social sciences that students must complete in order to progress in their degree. However, other Cincinnati State courses may qualify for the project. Talk to Stephanie Stafford if you have questions.
   
• Courses taught in any delivery format (online, hybrid, in-person) are eligible for the project.
   
• Students are not the research subjects, and will not be identified individually anywhere. Data collected for the project will include faculty and student demographics, student achievement data, and surveys that faculty and students will complete.
   
• For more information about the research project and the ACUE Certificate coursework, you can view a 50-minute video recording of the OACC/ACUE/Gates Information Session.