Professional Development

NC-NET Academy Details

An Online Professional Development Program for Faculty

The NC-NET Academy offers courses in various formats and lengths to meet the needs of busy instructors. There are fully facilitator-led courses, lightly-facilitated or “guided” courses, and on-demand, self-enrolled courses, all delivered asynchronously via Moodle. Academy courses weave together readings, activities, and opportunities for participants to share stories from their lives (and their classrooms), pose questions to the group, and develop immediately-useful teaching resources. Enrollment is open to part-time or full-time community college instructors in North Carolina, with special emphasis on career and technical faculty. The courses provide an opportunity for faculty from across the state to network with and learn from each other.

Participant Requirements: Full-time and part-time faculty from any community or technical college in North Carolina may apply. Participants in facilitated courses should plan to spend 5-7 hours per week on course assignments. Participants in self-paced courses may participate as time allows. Course completers receive a certificate and a professional development badge. Please check course descriptions for information about stipend availability. Stipends are not awarded for on-demand courses.

Cost: Funding from the North Carolina Community College System to the NC-NET project (using Carl D. Perkins funds) covers the course tuition for all participating faculty.

Enrollment Policies: A group of 38 colleges are eligible for early enrollment to ensure institutions with fewer resources have an opportunity to benefit from these professional development experiences. Up to six instructors from one college may register for a particular course; additional faculty from the same college will be placed on the waiting list and admitted as space allows. No faculty members will be permitted to take more than one course at a time. Please note that some courses are taught in CTE program faculty cohorts.

Registration: All course registration occurs online. When the enrollment period for a course is open, you will find a link to the online registration form on the Course Schedule page, above the course description. Participants will be enrolled until each course reaches a maximum of 30 participants. A waiting list will also be maintained. There is no enrollment limit for On-Demand courses.

Comments from Recent Academy Course Completers

“This has been an exceptionally beneficial course to me, helping me to focus on the evolution of teaching strategies and giving me encouragement and inspiration in ways to improve. Just as we as teachers want to help our students learn and develop, we also need time to ‘sharpen the saw.’ I am impressed and astonished by the degree of professionalism of all the participants – and the depth and breadth of thought in analysis and collaboration. It is hopeful for the future of our students that we have such dedicated and committed adjunct faculty members… I would definitely recommend this course to others. The readings were relevant and well-moderated, and the expectations were high and professional. In this point in the semester when we all are feeling the crunch of projects, papers, and upcoming exams, it is always hard to find the time for one extra thing. But I am so glad I did.”
“I learned quite a lot from this course. I was often humbled by the insight of my fellow classmates. I think this course has been helpful to me on many fronts, as it has gotten me to think about teaching techniques and learning styles. I got a bit out of my comfort zone but I think I needed the motivation. I think I will be a better teacher next semester as I try and implement these new ideas into my course. I thank you for this wonderful opportunity to become better at my dream job, and I thank all of my classmates for being there. I will miss these weekly sessions as it was nice to interact with others who faced the same struggles as me, but were still passionate about teaching.”
“I can’t believe this course is over. I have learned so much that I want to share with my colleagues. This course has reaffirmed for me why I teach and why it is exhausting! I have a new energy to try new strategies in the classroom.”
“I’ve really enjoyed this class and have been energized on a weekly basis by the enthusiasm and genuine thought and dedication you all put into the craft of teaching. I was reminded that teaching is such an evolutionary process and that there is great pleasure in recognizing and rolling with that evolution. It is too easy to get frustrated (sometimes at students) when things don’t go well. Stepping back to look at the bigger picture and talk about that with engaged educators has been incredibly refreshing. So, thank you all!”
“Taking this course and thinking about active learning in my classes has helped me better connect with my students, and some of their frustrations with a passive approach to learning. I have underestimated their willingness to take on more of the responsibility of engaging with the content deeply. I think this reflects not only a change in how I view my students, but also how I see my role as teacher. I realize that I really am responsible for creating the environment for them to learn, not just presenting information.”

Questions? Please email academy@nc-net.info for additional information.