Who can help wite a paper on Reflective Practice and Goal Setting for becoming a Professor for online teaching?

CAREER PLANNING CHECKLIST SUGGESTIONS FROM THE CAPELLA CAREER CENTER

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LEARNERS INTERESTED IN TEACHING IN HIGHER EDUCATION Many Capella learners are interested in pursuing teaching in higher education positions while in their program or upon graduation. Colleges and universities typically require at least 27 quarter credits (or 18 semester credits) at the graduate level in the subject area you plan to teach. A master's degree in the subject area is the minimum requirement for most teaching positions, and a doctorate in the subject area is often preferred or required.

While your graduate degree is one important qualification, institutions often request 3 to 5 years of professional experience related to the discipline that you plan to teach. Your related professional experience increases your creditability, provides you with a strong knowledge base for the subject matter and allows you to integrate real world work experience into the classroom.

This list provides suggestions for career activities to complete while working on your degree to better position yourself for teaching positions. This list is not intended to be an exhaustive list of recommendations, nor as a guarantee of employment.

Note: Some of the recommended resources contain links to webpages or documents in Campus that require a user name and password and are available only to current Capella Learners and Alumni.

FIRST YEAR

1st Quarter and throughout your program Professional association membership and involvement

Begin regularly reading The Chronicle of Higher Education. Sign up for the newsletters to receive email notification of relevant Chronicle articles. Start investigating professional associations and industry information resources in the field of Higher Education that are specific to your career goals (e.g., the Professional Nurse Educators Group (PNEG), or the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)).

Networking

Join LinkedIn: • Review the Online Social Networking on-demand tutorial for suggestions

on how to effectively leverage LinkedIn. • Join the Capella University Career & Networking Connection group

on LinkedIn and groups related to higher education, such as: o Higher Education Teaching and Learning o Online Faculty - Adjunct, Full-Time, University Administrators, and

Instructional Designers

Professional Portfolio

Review the portfolio information on Campus to learn how to start creating your own professional portfolio. A portfolio is a valuable tool in an academic job search, as it allows you to provide evidence of your teaching skills and effectiveness as an instructor.

CAREER PLANNING CHECKLIST SUGGESTIONS FROM THE CAPELLA CAREER CENTER

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2nd Quarter and throughout your program Career exploration

Refer to the Career Center website section focused on Teaching in Higher Education.

• Review Navigating the Application Process to understand the market and requirements for entering your field of teaching.

Investigate your options. Consider the type of teaching you’d like to do (online, face-to-face, or hybrid) and the types of educational institutions at which you’d like to teach. To learn more about online and “blended” (or hybrid) instruction in higher education, visit The Online Learning Consortium.

Networking

Review the Connect section to find and prepare for your interactions with teaching professionals.

Professional association membership and involvement

Identify professional associations in your specific field of study, and join the state or local chapter of the association. If you live in an area without a local chapter, seek out opportunities to connect virtually. Attend at least one meeting, workshop, or conference per quarter, if available. Consider joining a committee in order to develop stronger connections in the association.

• Introduce yourself to members affiliated with college teaching (instructors, college administrators, etc.); collect their business cards and contact them to set up informational interviews.

• Colleges and university administrators may attend professional association events or academic conferences to recruit candidates or promote open positions to members through group email announcements.

Professional Portfolio

Begin compiling information from your coursework and other relevant experiences. Keep all of this information in a designated area and continue to add content throughout your career.

• Some of the documents or information aspiring instructors may choose to include in a portfolio are: course syllabi and descriptions of the classes taught or training programs facilitated, workshop PowerPoint presentations developed, student evaluations, etc.

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CAREER PLANNING CHECKLIST SUGGESTIONS FROM THE CAPELLA CAREER CENTER

3rd Quarter and throughout your program Networking

Conduct at least two informational interviews with instructors and/or administrators in higher education.

• Identify networking contacts by reviewing your professional association membership directories, using LinkedIn, and the Connecting with Capella Learners and Alumni resource.

Career exploration

Find teaching opportunities of interest. • Identify potential skill gaps by reviewing job postings in which you have

an interest; discover the required and preferred skills and qualifications. Compare this list to the skills you have developed through your experience and education.

• Select course paper and project topics based on your interests and continue to develop your subject matter expertise. Save final drafts of papers for possible incorporation into your portfolio.

4th Quarter and throughout your program Experience

If you have little or no experience in teaching, consider the following: • Volunteer for teaching and training related tasks in your current

organization • Develop curricula and teach community education courses • Present at professional association conferences • Tutor at a local college • Offer to be a guest or substitute presenter for an instructor at a local

college For additional information regarding these activities, refer to

Breaking into Teaching in Higher Education. SECOND YEAR

1st Quarter and throughout your program Professional association membership and involvement

Present at conferences, workshops, and other association events. Submit white papers to contribute to the body of knowledge in your field. For more information on how to leverage professional associations, refer to Making the Most of Your Professional Association Membership.

Professional Portfolio

Review the Portfolio content on the Career Center website to determine what type of portfolio is preferred for your field and institutions of interest. Begin developing the portfolio and continue to update it throughout your program.

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CAREER PLANNING CHECKLIST SUGGESTIONS FROM THE CAPELLA CAREER CENTER

2nd Quarter and throughout your program

Networking Consider asking higher education professionals in your network the following question: “Based on my experience and education, what else can I do to better prepare myself for a teaching position?”

3rd Quarter and throughout your program

Application documents

Applications for teaching positions in higher education may require curriculum vitae (CV), rather than a resume; some institutions also require a Statement of Teaching Philosophy.

• Review information on curriculum vitas (CVs) and Writing a Statement of Teaching Philosophy.

• Tailor your CV to positions and institutions of interest; pay particular attention to the mission of the college or university, the student population, and the specific courses offered in your area of expertise.

4th Quarter and throughout your program

Application documents

Seek feedback on your CV from higher education professionals or others with whom you’ve developed a professional relationship; incorporate their suggestions. You may also submit an Ask a Career Counselor form to request a critique of your CV.

THIRD YEAR

1st Quarter and throughout your program Gaining experience

Act on the feedback you gained from higher education professionals you interviewed last quarter.

• What skill gaps still exist? How can you address those? Continue to seek out opportunities to gain teaching or training experience. You may not yet be qualified to teach in a higher education setting, but you can seek alternative settings that will allow you to address gaps in your skills and experience. Refer back to Breaking into Teaching in Higher Education for suggestions.

Professional portfolio

Practice using your portfolio in a mock interview.

CAREER PLANNING CHECKLIST SUGGESTIONS FROM THE CAPELLA CAREER CENTER

2nd Quarter and throughout your program Job search strategies

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Review the Job Search section of the Career Center. • Develop and begin implementing your individualized career plan.

Interviewing

Practice your interviewing skills using Big Interview. Prepare a teaching demonstration, which is often required in the interview process. Practice in front of a trusted audience and seek feedback on your performance.

3rd and 4th Quarter and throughout your program

Job search strategies

Continue work on your individualized career plan. Include continued involvement with professional associations and regular informational interviews. Continually update your resume or CV and have it reviewed by the Career Center team.

FOURTH YEAR AND BEYOND

Professional development

Consider writing an article for publication in an academic journal. Capella’s Writing Center has developed resources on academic publishing to help you get started.

Career reflection and support

As you move forward, assess the progress you have made on your individualized career plan and refer to the Career Center services and resources, as needed.

GRADUATION Congratulations! As a graduate of Capella University, you have free access to a wide variety of benefits including access to the Career Center and a variety of other resources at your described on the Alumni Association Campus page. Visit the Alumni Association website to discover ways you can continue to be involved with Capella University and proactively manage your career.