HBCU Faculty Development Network Enhances Student Learning

The HBCU Faculty Development Network was created as a support system for faculty members within the HBCU community to provide better support for students. The network’s goal is to help encourage the education of fellow HBCU students. The group also creates different activities that provide a way for teachers and students to connect. The group also brainstorms different activities and workshops that help foster trust and equip students with some of the tools they need to be successful in school and in life.

What are their objectives?

• Develop creative teaching methods that students can identify with.
• Give students access to resources
• Encourage faculty collaboration and teamwork
• Emphasize positive activities including scholarly research
• Create community service opportunities
• To help promote the use of technology
• Embrace effective communication

What does membership include?

• Create proposals and help with fundraising
• Help with recruiting new members and try to expand the network
• Coordinate semester exchanges and short term visits for faculty exchange programs
• Promote HBCU activities and annual conferences

How can someone join the HBCU Faculty Development Network?

If you are interested in becoming a member you can join the network through the website for $95 to buy an individual membership. If you are part of a large institution, membership is $280. That price includes the membership fee for up to three people from the same institution.

How often do they meet and where?

The members meet periodically and hold annual conferences. Members can register for the conferences online. The last conference was held in Orlando, Florida from October 18-20, 2012. The theme was called “Innovating and Inspiring in a Global World” and covered different breakthroughs in teaching methods. The conference started with pre conference workshops that had different panels and exhibits focusing on different issues in the HBCU faculty and academic community.

Additional topics that were discussed included how to motivate students in this digital age when young people have access to an overload of information. Techniques were shared that faculty can use to help inspire students and increase their drive to succeed. HBCU faculty understand that they have to continually progress in their teaching methods and how they operate their classroom environment so students continue to stay challenged. The network is great since it provides a supportive place that teachers can develop new ideas and strategies together, no matter what HBCU they are affiliated with.

For more information about the HBCU Faculty Development Network, please visit www.hbcufdn.org or call (601) 977-4460.

Photo credit: Jake Jacobson/ Flickr Creative Commons