Hudson County Community College Faculty Earn Nationally Recognized ACUE Teaching Credential
September 14, 2022
Pictured here, Hudson County Community College (HCCC) President, Dr. Christopher Reber with HCCC Director of the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Innovation, Dr. Paula Roberson at the College’s recent College Service Day.
Recent celebration highlights the College’s commitment to strengthening student success.
September 14, 2022, Jersey City, NJ – Twenty-four Hudson County Community College (HCCC) faculty members were honored at a College pinning ceremony to begin the 2022-23 academic year. The ceremony was held to recognize faculty for becoming Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) certified, earning the only nationally recognized collegiate teaching credential endorsed by the American Council on Education (ACE).
To earn the ACUE credential, faculty members completed the “Effective Online Teaching Practices” course and learned evidence-based teaching practices that improve student engagement, increase persistence, and close equity gaps. The 25-module course requires faculty to implement and reflect on new teaching practices in their courses and refine their methodologies.
“In pursuing this certification, HCCC faculty demonstrated a strong commitment to their continuing professional development and closing equity gaps in student achievement,” said HCCC President Dr. Christopher Reber. “The ACUE courses augment the resources Hudson County Community College provides to assist faculty in helping students succeed personally and academically.”
The pinning ceremony was hosted by the College’s Center for Teaching, Learning, and Innovation (CTLI), which partnered with ACUE to facilitate the courses. ACUE courses address over 200 evidence-based teaching practices that include how to design an effective course, establish a productive learning environment, use active learning techniques, promote higher-order thinking, and utilize assessments to inform instruction and promote learning.
“Through this partnership with ACUE, which began in December 2019, 64 faculty have amassed 3,978 hours of professional development to improve student success and enhance teaching practices. We are proud of this stellar accomplishment by all completers,” said Dr. Paula Roberson, Director of the College’s CTLI. “The faculty completed a significant and meaningful certificate program during the height of the pandemic. They persisted while balancing the transition of their courses to an online format to become better educators and improve student learning.”
“ACUE has given me the ability and confidence to attempt new teaching techniques and activities. In addition, ACUE has encouraged me to view my teaching, classroom organization, and management from the student’s perspective,” said Nancy Saliba, Lecturer of Nursing.
Numerous independently validated impact studies show that students learn more and that equity gaps close when courses are led by ACUE certified faculty.