JSCC Launches New Program to Strengthen Student Success through Quality Teaching

This semester, Jackson State Community College is launching a partnership with the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE), the leader in student success and equity through quality instruction, to equip faculty with evidence-based teaching practices shown to improve student engagement, increase persistence, and close equity gaps. Faculty members who meet program requirements become ACUE Certified – earning a Certificate in Effective College Instruction, the only nationally recognized collegiate teaching credential endorsed by the American Council on Education.

“As educators, it’s essential that we continue to educate ourselves on the best practices and most effective teaching methods in order to better serve our students,” said Dr. Jennifer Lopes, Vice President of Academic Affairs. “With the ACUE Effective Online Teaching Practices course, our faculty will be able to develop a more efficient framework for the courses we provide students. Our goal is always to strengthen the quality of education students receive here at Jackson State.”  

Faculty will participate in a year-long Effective Online Teaching Practices course developing core competencies across 25 modules outlined in ACUE’s Effective Practice Framework©. Based on more than three decades of research, faculty will gain foundational knowledge, implement evidence-based teaching practices, reflect on their implementation, and refine their practice. Numerous independently validated impact studies show that students learn more and that equity gaps close when courses are led by ACUE Certified faculty.    

JSCC launched its ACUE course on September 11 and the course will continue to run through the end of April 2024. There are currently 66 full and part time faculty members enrolled in the Effective Online Teaching Practices course.  

ACUE’s courses address over 200 evidence-based teaching practices, covering how to design an effective course, establish a productive learning environment, use active learning techniques, promote higher order thinking, and utilize assessments to inform instruction and promote learning.  

“We’ve already begun to take further steps to improve professional development at Jackson State with the courses offered through our Teaching and Learning Center, which is scheduled to open officially later this Fall,” said Tammy Prater, the Director of the Teaching and Learning Center (TLC) and Campus Facilitator for ACUE. “The Effective Online Teaching Practices course through ACUE offers our faculty even more knowledge on the current best practices and ways to adapt our online teaching to best educate 21st century students. By implementing this new course, we hope to keep our faculty as informed as possible on the ever-evolving field of education.”  

Faculty members who complete the program will be celebrated and recognized for their commitment to student success in a pinning ceremony in Fall 2024.  

About Jackson State Community College: Jackson State Community College opened in 1967 as West Tennessee’s first community college. JSCC provides accessible learning opportunities that enhance the lives of individuals, strengthen the workforce, and empower our diverse communities by offering traditional and contemporary associate degrees, certificates, continuing education and enrichment, and college-readiness programs. 

About ACUE: The Association of College and University Educators’ (ACUE) mission is to ensure student success and equity through quality instruction. In partnership with colleges, universities, higher education systems and associations, ACUE prepares and credentials faculty in the evidence-based teaching practices that improve student achievement and close equity gaps. Numerous and independently validated studies confirm that students are more engaged, learn more, and complete courses in greater numbers—more equitably with their peers—when taught by ACUE-credentialed faculty. ACUE’s online, cohort-based credentialing programs are delivered through institutional partnerships and open enrollment courses endorsed by the American Council on Education.   

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