Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer

Section Two: Faculty for the Engaged Campus Funded Sites

Vol. 16 No. 1

Competency-Based Faculty Development in Community-Engaged Scholarship: A Diffusion of Innovation Approach

Submitted
March 13, 2012
Published
2012-03-13

Abstract

The authors utilized interviews, competency surveys, and document review to evaluate the effectiveness of a one-year, cohort-based faculty development pilot program, grounded in diffusion of innovations theory, and aimed at increasing competencies in community engagement and community-engaged scholarship. Five innovator participants designed the program for five early adopter participants. The program comprised training sessions and individual mentoring. Training sessions focused on the history and concepts of community-engaged scholarship; competencies in engaged research and teaching; and navigation of career advancement as a community-engaged scholar. Mentoring focused on individual needs or discipline-specific issues. The interviews and surveys indicated that the participants gained knowledge in specific areas of community-engaged scholarship. Critical program features and lessons learned are explored.