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Faculty Receive National Credential in Teaching Excellence

Faculty members at University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College were recognized for earning a nationally recognized teaching credential co-endorsed by the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) and the American Council on Education (ACE) at the college’s annual faculty-staff convocation on Aug. 11.

Faculty demonstrated their commitment to student success by completing a rigorous, evidence based, 25-week course that engages instructors with independently validated research to improve student achievement and close equity gaps. ACUE is the only nationally-recognized higher education teaching credential endorsed by the American Council on Education.

“The ACUE curriculum has a proven track record of increasing student success,” said UA-PTC Chancellor DeProw. “Our faculty are equipped with instructional skills that are shown to promote student motivation, learning and persistence.”

The ACUE Pinning Ceremony was held during convocation, so faculty and staff were assembled to witness their colleagues getting recognized for their participation in ACUE coursework.

To earn their Certificate in Effective College Instruction, faculty members completed a 25-module course that requires them to learn about and implement new evidence-based teaching practices in their courses and reflect on the experience. Aligned with the latest research in cognition and adult learning, 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. The credentialed faculty members include: Pam Atherley; Rick Barker; Bradley Braziel; Dale Clancy; Kacie Denham; Ashley Jones; Matthew Lemaster; John Morgan; Jeff Pardy; Stephanie Sims; Teresa Sims; Janine Tiner; Charleen White; and Jeff Williams.

UA-PTC also awarded ACUE Advanced Certificates to those who had previously completed their Effective Teaching Practice Course and then went on to complete 3 ACUE Micro Courses. Those that received their Advanced Teaching Certificate from ACUE are: Pam Atherley; Bradley Braziel; Rebecca Dover; Jason Hancock; Joe John; Kyle Johnston; Traci Johnston Matthew Lemaster; Leslie Lovenstein; Cyrus Marbaniang; Deena Martin; John Price; Julia Ramey; Eugene Rathfon; Madu Reniguntala; Thomas Russell; and Veronica Stewart.

“The enthusiasm of our faculty for earning ACUE credentials attests to their commitment to student success,” said Dr. Laurie Pendleton from ACUE who attended the ceremony “she also stated we are number one in what we are doing with ACUE and to keep the movement going for our students”.

Faculty will continue to learn about pedagogy and receive career-long support through ACUE’s Community of Professional Practice, which provides access to member forums, expert webinars, biweekly newsletters, the ‘Q’ Blog, and “office hours” with leading scholars in college instruction.

About ACUE: The Association of College and University Educations (ACUE) is the nation’s leading provider of professional development to higher education. ACUE’s mission is student success through quality instruction. Through innovative online courses, ACUE prepares and credentials faculty in evidence-based teaching practices. ACUE’s standards-based approach leads to the only nationally recognized Certificate in Effective Instruction endorsed by the American Council on Education (ACE). Numerous, independently validated studies confirm that students learn more, more equitably, when taught by ACUE-credentialed educators. ACUE supports thousands of educators nationwide through partnerships with colleges, universities, and higher education systems and directly to educators through open enrollment offerings. To learn more, visit acue.org.