Baker partners with national student success initiative

Baker University and ACUE today announce a partnership to drive student success through effective instruction. The program launches in September when 40 educators begin a national certificate program in evidence-based teaching practices shown to increase student achievement and course completion.

Baker University is one of seven competitive grant winners selected by the Kauffman Foundation to receive support under the KC Scholars program to implement ACUE’s Course in Effective Teaching Practices. Faculty who complete the program are awarded a nationally recognized Certificate in Effective College Instruction that is co-endorsed by ACUE and the American Council on Education.

“At Baker’s School of Professional and Graduate Studies, we strive to hire adjunct instructors who have achieved professional success within their field, as well as have the necessary academic credentials needed for quality instruction,” said Dr. Emily Ford, Interim Dean of the School of Professional & Graduate Studies at Baker University. “The ACUE certification will further enhance the ability of our instructors to deliver dynamic and engaging instruction to our students that not only improves their ability to learn, but can be applied beyond the classroom.”

ACUE’s course is based on more than three decades of research that identifies specific teaching practices that improve learning for all students, with an especially strong impact among historically underrepresented students. Baker University will implement the course among faculty teaching in the School of Professional and Graduate Studies, which serves over 1,000 adult learners.

The initiative complements the work of the Baker Academy, a four-week professional development program required for all incoming faculty. Included in this semester’s faculty cohort are three BU administrative faculty and staff going through the training with the adjuncts who will enhance their work as faculty mentors by applying ACUE course knowledge in their many faculty support roles.

“We are excited to collaborate with Baker as they engage their faculty in this additional opportunity alongside the Baker Academy work designed to fully support instructors in learning and putting into practice the evidence-based teaching practices we know improve student motivation and engagement and increase student learning,” said Penny MacCormack, chief academic officer at ACUE.

ACUE’s Course in Effective Teaching Practices is aligned with the latest research in cognition and adult learning, and it exceeds online learning standards, as certified by Quality Matters. It consists of 25 learning modules that address more than 200 evidence-based teaching practices and are organized into five units of study:

• Designing an effective course and class
• Establishing a productive learning environment
• Using active learning techniques
• Promoting higher-order thinking
• Assessing to inform instruction and promote learning

About Baker University

Founded in 1858 as the first university in Kansas, Baker is a private institution that educates traditional and nontraditional students through small classes, innovative instructors, and rigorous course work. Fortune 500 CEOs, New York Times best-selling authors, and Super Bowl champions all proudly claim Baker as their alma mater. The university is home to four schools: the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Nursing, the School of Education, and the School of Professional and Graduate Studies. Baker offers undergraduate through doctoral programs. Visit bakerU.edu to learn more.

About ACUE

ACUE was founded in 2014 by leaders in higher education to promote quality instruction at colleges and universities nationwide. ACUE’s comprehensive Course in Effective Teaching Practices prepares college educators to implement all of the essential practices shown to improve student outcomes. Aligned with the latest research in cognition and adult learning, ACUE’s course design exceeds online learning standards as recognized by Quality Matters. Educators who satisfy course requirements earn a Certificate in Effective College Instruction endorsed by the American Council on Education. Visit acue.org/course to learn more.