The Contingent Professor : Advice for Adjuncts.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Sanford, Robert.

Contributor:

Martínez, Daniel.

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource (226 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

New York : Business Expert Press, 2025.

Summary:

Unlock the College Classroom and Make a Lasting Impact Are you a working professional intrigued by the idea of teaching college students but uncertain about stepping into the role of an adjunct professor? The Contingent Professor: Advice for Adjuncts offers a no-nonsense, insider's guide to transforming your knowledge and experience into effective, impactful teaching. Drawing from insights shared in The Contingent Professor podcast, Daniel Martínez and Robert Sanford bring you straight talk, and actionable advice collected from years in the trenches of higher education. This book covers everything an aspiring adjunct needs to know--from engaging students and designing insightful lessons to navigating the academic world as a part-time instructor. Whether you're a seasoned professional, new to teaching, or already a full-time faculty member looking to deepen your impact, The Contingent Professor offers practical strategies to help you overcome challenges, inspire students, and thrive in the classroom. This book empowers you to leave a lasting impact on the next generation of professionals while adding new dimensions to your own career, making every teaching moment meaningful and rewarding.

Contents:

Front cover

Half title

Title

Copyright

Description

Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

CHAPTER 1 Your Value as a Contingent Professor

So What Is a Contingent Professor Anyway?

Why You Are Needed in Higher Education

Time and Title

The Pressure to Say "Yes"

Are You Qualified to Work in Higher Ed?

Dirty Secret: Most New Professors Are "Worse Than Average" at Teaching

What Does Your Degree Mean to the Institution?

Job Tip: Read up on Your Future Co-Workers

Advantages for Institutions

Demanding Students

Enhancing Institutional Prestige and Competitiveness

Preserving Organizational Flexibility

Serving the Community

Trends and Challenges

Reasons for the Rise in Cost

Discriminatory Skills

Community Connections

Separation From Regular Faculty

Figuring Things Out on Your Own

Being Present in the Office

Student Hours

Salary

Can I Negotiate?

Where to Look for Jobs

The Types of Courses You Can Expect to Teach

Get Ready to Teach Intro Courses

Syllabus Expectations

Getting a Second Offer

Conclusion

Keep Coming Back

CHAPTER 2 Understanding the Organization and Hierarchy of Higher Ed

Higher Education Fuzziness: Some Key Concepts

We Don't Teach, We Profess

Tenure? They Still Do That?

Faculty Levels and Roles

Adjunct Faculty

Adjunct Assistant Research Professor

Lecturers/Instructors

Loads Keep Rising

Professor, Professor, and Professor

Emeritus/Emerita faculty

Visiting Professors

"Ranking" Titles

Administrative Leadership

The Department Chair: Heartbeat of the Department

A Possible Warning Sign

Deans: Guardians of Academic Integrity and Budgets

Provosts: The Chief Academic Officer

Is the Provost Responsible for the Curriculum?

The Myth, the Legend, the University President.

The Role of Nonacademic Staff

CHAPTER 3 Understanding the Students

Students in a Continuum of Learning

Navigating the Four-Year Sequence

Six-Year Graduation Rates, Not Four

Diverse Student Profiles on the Rise

Understanding Different Generations

Generation Z

Students as Consumers

A UK Perspective

"I Pay His Salary"

Getting a Feel for the Local Culture

Turning Consumers Into Professionals

Student Personality Types

The Distractor/Disruptor Student

Staying on Track, Ranked by Rank

The Laptop Student

Co-Opting the Laptop Student

The Casual Student, Sometimes Known as the Sleeper

The Engaged Student

A Study Skills Epidemic

CHAPTER 4 Preparing a Course and Running a Class

How Do You Prepare for the Academic Semester?

Asking Questions

A Preview for First Timers

Talk to Your New Colleagues

Specify Learning Goals First

Teach Less Content

Someone Probably Taught This Already

Use the Teaching and Learning Center

Save Your Work

Different Approaches to "Prepping" for a Semester of Teaching

Early Career Teaching Investments

Mid-Career Efficiency

Seasoned Teachers Need Less Time

Shortcuts

The Syllabus: A Course Design and Management Document

Easter Eggs in the Syllabus

Syllabus Nuts and Bolts

Goals and Objectives

Scheduling

Attendance

Canceling a Class

Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Flexible Delivery Options

Discussions

Assessments

Exams

Immediate Feedback After an Exam Helps

Quizzes

Term Papers

Short Papers or "Mini Papers"

Portfolios

Textbooks

Is It Unethical to Require Your Own Textbook?

Course Budgets

Zero-Budget Science Lab

Embracing Technology

Classroom Management

Learning Management Systems

Some Drawbacks

CHAPTER 5 Teaching Tips.

Effcient and Effective Tips

Being Effective and Effcient

Active Learning

Five Active Learning Techniques

The Flipped Learning Trend

Experiential Learning and Community Engagement

Assessment Learning

Formative and Summative Assessment

Assessments to Match Course Objectives

Homework and Problem Sets

Plagiarism

ChatGPT and Friends

Group Learning

Handling Personalities Within Groups

Some Tips for Group Work

Teaching Tips From the K-12 (and Beyond) Crowd

K-12 Tips

"Dipsticks" to Gauge Learning

The 5E Instructional Method

Other "Hacks"

Beyond K-12

CHAPTER 6 On Learning

Introduction

Debunking Popular Learning Myths

The Learning Pyramid Myth

The Multitasking Myth

Left Brain Versus Right Brain Learning Myth

Understanding How Learning Works

Cognitive Load Theory

Metacognition

Seven Steps to Improve Metacognition

Motivation and Learning

Lifelong Learning and Continuous Education

Evidence-Based Learning Practices

Retrieval Practice

Spaced Practice

Interleaving Practice

Practicing With Concrete Examples

Practicing With Dual Coding

The Irony of the Term "Evidence-Based Practice"

CHAPTER 7 On Grading Students and Evaluating Instructors

The Interesting Dichotomy of Grading and Being Graded in Academia

Grading Students

WTF Is DFW?

Norming of Grades

Navigating Grade Pressures

Contract Grading

Addressing Incompletes and Exceptions

Keep a Paper Trail

Rubrics

Confidentiality Considerations

Evaluating Faculty

Student Evaluations

Peer Evaluation

Formal Peer Evaluations and Their Impact

Reflective Practice and Self-Review

Teaching Statements: A Self-Evaluation Document

Working With the Department Chair

CHAPTER 8 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

References.

About the Authors

Index

Backcover.

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

ISBN:

9781637428030

1637428030

OCLC:

1512319618