by Tara S. Donahue

Despite appearances, F2P2 is not an acronym for a personable droid in George Lucas' latest Star Wars flick. Instead, F2P2 -- Future Faculty Preparation Program -- provides guidance to graduate, professional and post doctoral students as they work towards becoming tomorrow's faculty.

This new program, sponsored by the Center for Teaching, offers students interested in the professoriate the opportunity to explore the many functions that a faculty member serves. After participating in a variety of workshops, mentoring interactions, hands-on experiences, partner institution field trips and technological initiatives, the participants will receive a Graduate Teaching Certificate as well as have a well-tuned curriculum vitae and a Web page showcasing their research and teaching. The program is available to qualified students at no cost.

At a recent orientation for F2P2, Darlene Panvini, assistant director of the Center for Teaching, explained the program is part of a national initiative to give students a chance to explore the career of a faculty member in great depth. The Center for Teaching researched various national Graduate Teaching Certificate programs as well as the national Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) program.

"We took the best components of these programs and created F2P2. We also expanded it to post-docs," Panvini said.

Thus far, Panvini is pleased with the response from interested students. "We've been surprised at the interest shown by post-docs and M.D.-Ph.D.s at the Medical Center," she said. "We are also glad to see the wide range of disciplines and schools represented as every school with graduate students has had someone express an interest in F2P2."

The program focuses on three tracks for participants to explore -- professional development, teaching and learning, and the world of the university. Some of the requirements within the tracks include interviewing faculty about their roles and responsibilities, presenting research at a disciplinary conference, developing a lesson plan and teaching for five hours, developing and facilitating a university community service project, and developing a Web site documenting teaching and research.

F2P2 can be spread over several years of graduate or professional school or a post-doc career, Panvini said. Spread out over a four-year program, the average time spent in F2P2 activities is approximately two to four hours a month.

For students who are finishing their graduate or professional programs this year, there is a one-time fast-track option that can be developed by working with the Center for Teaching. Also, students can choose to participate in only a few F2P2-sponsored activities without completing the whole program.

"We want students to understand that the program is voluntary and self-directed," Panvini said. "We also want them to know that the activities themselves will enhance a participant's understanding of what it is like to be a faculty member, in addition to boosting their CV."

F2P2 Workshops for Fall 2000

"Understanding University Organizations"

Date and time: Wednesday, Oct. 25, 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Location: Calhoun 117

Facilitator: Joe Aniello, Master Teaching Fellow (MTF), Leadership and Organizations

RSVP to: joseph.aniello@vanderbilt. edu (please include name and department)

 

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"Crafting a Teaching Philosophy Statement"

Date and time: Wednesday, Nov. 1, 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Location: Calhoun 103

Facilitator: Helen Koudelkova, MTF, Philosophy

RSVP to: helen.koudelkova@vanderbilt.edu (please include name and department)

 

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"Using the 'Discovery Method' to Increase Student Learning and Motivation"

Date and time: Thursday, Nov. 9, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Location: Calhoun 104

Facilitator: Helen Koudelkova, MTF, Philosophy

RSVP to: helen.koudelkova@vanderbilt.edu (please include

name and department)

 

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"Refresh your Teaching of Foreign Languages"

Date and time: Friday, Nov. 10, 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.

Location: Sarratt 189 (Brown Bag Lunch)

Facilitator: Bérénice V. Le Marchand, MTF, French and Italian

RSVP to: berenice.v.le.marchand@vanderbilt.edu

 

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"Teaching Portfolios: Tips and Samples"

Date and time: Tuesday, Nov. 28, 3 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Location: Sarratt 189

Facilitator: Bérénice V. Le Marchand, MTF, French and Italian

RSVP to: berenice.v.le.marchand@vanderbilt.edu

 

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"Web Page Design - The Questions You Always Wanted to Ask"

Date and time: Thursday, Dec. 7, 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Location: TBA

Facilitator: Lubomir A. Rivarov, MTF, Mechanical Engineering

RSVP to: lubomir@vuse.vanderbilt.edu (please include name, department and any previous Web page design experience)

 

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