Saturday, October 24, 2009

UCLA Extension Instructor Development Recognized


UCLA Extension doesn’t just provide professionals with the skills to succeed in their careers – it also provides its employees with opportunities to excel in their professions. From publications to professional recognition, UCLA Extension employees are active, contributing members of their fields.

This month, the contributions of many dedicated UCLA Extension employees and instructors were recognized with the University Continuing Education Association (UCEA) Outstanding Administrative Process or Service Award, presented at the UCEA Region West annual conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Extension earned the award for its long-running Instructor Development Program, administered through the dean’s office. The unique program, which includes a quarterly New Instructors Orientation and a series of 10 weekend seminars, “is not about teaching instructor policies and procedures; it’s about demonstrating behavior in the classroom and showing how to teach adults across different learning styles,” said Extension Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Karim Cherif. “We’re one of the few institutions with a program this comprehensive.”

Taught by UCLA Extension “master instructors” (including Pamela Kelly, who teaches Classroom Presentation Skills) who have earned consistently high student evaluations and are capable of teaching across disciplines, the program’s value is attested to by its popularity: not only have professors from other institutions requested to take it, but also professionals from other fields.


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