Initial Survey for the Preparing Future Faculty Program
TO: ABD graduate students FROM: Joseph Evan, PFF graduate coordinator SUBJECT: A Survey for the Preparing Future Faculty Program
As you know by now, Professor L.C. Kappe has obtained a grant to establish a Preparing Future Faculty program. You have heard a great deal about the details of this program, and you can see that we hope to continue and enhance similar programs in which you may have participated in recent years. As the title of the program suggests, it is meant to prepare you for the role of a faculty member in the not so distant future. The conditions of the grant require us to make an assessment of the program. This initial survey is part of it. As a result, you will help us greatly by giving us some input about how well you feel you've been prepared for roles as faculty members. Please fill out the following survey which won't take any more than 10 or 15 minutes to complete, and return it to Marge or Carol in the envelope provided no later than Tuesday September 21. They will cross your name off our list and make sure your response remains anonymous. Thanks for your cooperation in advance.
Briefly describe your career goals:
If your goals do not include any type of teaching, you may return the questionnaire at this point. Otherwise please continue.
Please answer each of the following questions by circling the answer which is most appropriate:
1) How would you describe your knowledge of faculty roles outside of teaching, such as serving on committees?
a) Very small because I haven't been given the opportunity to learn about such roles.
b) Minimal, but I have obtained a little knowledge about these roles while at SUNY-Binghamton.
c) At least adequate because of professional seminars I have attended while at SUNY-Binghamton.
d) At least adequate because of discussions I have had with faculty here at SUNY-Binghamton.
2) What is your general impression of teaching at a 2 year college or 4 year college in comparison to teaching at SUNY-Binghamton?
a) Teaching at such a college is similar to teaching at SUNY-Binghamton.
b) I think that there are some big differences, but I haven't had enough opportunities to learn about them.
c) I know that there are several differences because I have been given the opportunity to interact with faculty members from such institutions while at SUNY-Binghamton.
3) How well are you prepared to teach students from widely varying academic backgrounds?
a) I need to know more about teaching students from widely varying academic backgrounds.
b) I am not sure that I am prepared to teach students from widely varying academic backgrounds, but I have obtained insight into the matter through professional seminars or discussions with faculty members.
c) I have been well-prepared to teach students from widely varying academic backgrounds.
4) How well are you prepared to work on research projects with undergraduate students?
a) I am well-prepared because I have experience in doing this while a graduate student at SUNY-Binghamton.
b) I think that I could do it, but I've never had any experience and haven't learned much about it while a grad student at SUNY Binghamton.
c) I think that I could do it because I have learned much about it through discussions with faculty and professional seminars.
d) I really don't know much about it, so I don't think that I am prepared.
5) What is your impression about ability to take on the role of advising students as a faculty member?
a) It will be a comfortable role for me because I have learned about it from faculty members here at SUNY-Binghamton.
b) It will be a comfortable role for me because I have learned about it by attending professional seminars.
c) It will be a new role, although I have obtained some knowledge about it here at SUNY-Binghamton.
d) It will be a new role, and I really need to be better prepared for it.
6) How would you describe your ability to balance teaching and research responsibilities as a faculty member at a college or university?
a) I will be able to balance them because I have learned a great deal from discussions with faculty at SUNY-Binghamton.
b) I will be able to balance them because I have learned a great deal by interacting with faculty from a variety of institutions.
c) I think I could balance them, but I need to learn more about conditions at different institutions.
d) I'm not sure how I would balance them, so I could use information about this from any source.
7) How would you describe your knowledge about using technology in the classroom?
a) I have little or no knowledge about the matter.
b) I have obtained some knowledge about the matter by attending professional seminar, but I still feel that I am not well- prepared to use technology in my teaching.
c) I have enough knowledge to use technology in the classroom because I have obtained experience in using technology in the classroom as a grad student at SUNY-Binghamton.
d) I have enough knowledge to use technology in the classroom due to professional seminars and interaction with faculty members at SUNY-Binghamton.
8) Which of the following aspects of being a faculty member do you feel most uncertain about?
a) Balancing time for teaching and research
b) Teaching introductory math courses
c) Teaching a wide variety of undergraduate math courses
d) Participating in faculty roles other than teaching, such as committee work.
e) Working with students individually as either an academic advisor or research advisor.
f) Incorporating technology into my teaching
Do you have any suggestions for the program?
Are there any topics which you would especially like to see covered in professional seminars?
Are there any particular activities which you would like us to initiate?
graduate/PFF-survey