Program offers online certificate for adjunct faculty, journalism teachers

The Poynter Institute and Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication are accepting registrations for an innovative online certificate program for adjunct faculty and others who teach journalism and mass communication classes at universities and colleges across the country.

The course, offered through Poynter’s highly successful e-learning platform, News University (NewsU), provides adjuncts with the skills necessary to be effective teachers. Registration is available at newsu.org/courses/adjunct-certificate.

Built on the Cronkite School’s subject matter expertise, the course covers five key areas:

• building a syllabus and course schedule
• preparing for and measuring teaching success
• new teaching tools for the classroom
• student engagement and participation
• grading and evaluation

Participants can take the class at their own pace. The lessons, coaching and assessments take approximately 7 to 10 hours to complete.

"This partnership is key to Poynter’s mission to support educators," said Vicki Krueger, director of interactive learning at the Poynter Institute. "I am delighted we can build upon our e-learning platform in working with one of America’s best and most innovative journalism schools."

According to the U.S. Department of Education, part-time faculty members are the country’s largest and fastest-growing segment of the post-secondary instructional workforce. Christopher Callahan, dean of the Cronkite School, said the new certificate program fills the growing demand among adjuncts for classroom management training.

“This certificate is an outstanding resource for adjunct faculty and journalism instructors, who are looking to sharpen their teaching and classroom management skills,” Callahan said. “The program offers the same best practices we use to train our faculty at the Cronkite School.”

Registration is available through Poynter's e-learning platform, News University. The certificate program costs $299 per person, with pricing at $199 for schools and departments who wish to enroll multiple participants. For more information about the certificate program, contact info@newsu.org.