Faculty Development

Guidance to Write a
Philosophy of Education

The Philosophy of Education addresses your opinions about the purpose of education, goals of education, how to educate learners effectively, how to assess learners and provide feedback, settings/environments in which you teach, whether and how to adjust to different learners, and what you hope your learners will take away from their educational experiences with you. It also includes what you believe and expect of yourself and others responsible for teaching.

You should discuss:

  • Your overall philosophy of education and your goals
  • Why do you hold this particular philosophy, and on what was it based/developed
  • How you put your philosophy of education into practice
  • How you assess learners and why (e.g., formative, summative, self-reflection, peer assessment, before, during, or after a session)
  • How you incorporate new teaching and learning technology and strategies
  • If and how you adapt or change your teaching based on topics, situations, settings, resources, time, learners, and instructors available (including yourself and other instructors)
  • How you deal with underperforming, competent, and outstanding learners

 

Guidance for Writing a
Scholarly Statement

A scholarly statement differs from a personal statement or a letter of interest. It should include more than just your position and desire for promotion. Instead, it should address the types and topics of scholarship you have been and continue to be engaged in and how your scholarly activities relate to your professional role. Faculty members may engage in one or more of the following categories of scholarship (as described in USU Instruction 1100A):

  • Discovery: original research that contributes new information or new procedures
  • Integration: brings information together from more than one field of study 
  • Application: implements knowledge gained in meaningful ways
  • Teaching: innovative ways to organize and disseminate information to optimize learners’ and instructors’ comprehension of relevant information 

The Scholarly Statement should be approximately two single-spaced pages in length and should address the following:

  • the topic/problem/issue studied and why
  • the scholarship domains in which you engage
  • the methods/approaches/subjects/techniques used 
  • findings and their value
  • your current scholarly activities and what you plan to do in the future

Level 1, 2, 3 Teaching

Teaching is a central role for faculty members in MEM, SOM, USU. Faculty members are expected to teach at a “level” commensurate with their faculty rank. Details about roles, responsibilities, and levels of teaching are described in detail in USU Instruction 1100A. To summarize, faculty members at all ranks (Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor) and all Pathways and Prefixes are expected to be able to teach competently at Level 1. Associate Professors and full Professors also are expected to contribute to Level 2 teaching. Professors also are expected to contribute to Level 3 teaching. Briefly:

Teaching entails clear, effective transfer of knowledge and/or skills to learners at the appropriate level of detail and in accordance with the course or session curriculum, goals, and learning objectives. Level 1 teaching occurs in classrooms, clinical settings, field settings, small groups, and one-on-one.

Teaching includes curriculum development, such as a new program of study, new course, new session within a course, innovative ways to deliver information, more effective ways for learners to become engaged with the material, understand it, and receive feedback. Level 2 teaching activities consider what happens with the learners, input from the learners, input from other faculty members, and work “outside” the setting where the information is taught.

Teaching refers to contributions that disseminate educational information, techniques, and processes broadly, such as through published papers and books, invited lectures at professional organizations and other universities, podcasts or other ways to disseminate information broadly. Level 3 teaching consists of sharing information and approaches with other faculty members through publications, presentations, and “teaching the teachers.”