Parrott Tonya M, Grabinski C Joanne, Silverstein Nina M, Spencer Marian, Takayanagi Paul W, Yee-Melichar Darlene
Austin Christian Fellowship, Austin, TX, USA.
Gerontol Geriatr Educ. 2007;27(4):69-83. doi: 10.1300/J021v27n04_05.
This article presents an overview of the use of adjunct faculty generally and within gerontology programs and discusses the benefits, drawbacks and possible solutions for both adjunct faculty and gerontology programs to utilize part-time teaching staff. The benefits reported for being a part-time faculty member include wanting to be in academia and supplementing an income. The reasons gerontology programs hire adjunct faculty members include their being less costly and bringing new skills to the programs. There are also practical and substantive drawbacks faced by part-time faculty. Practical issues include confusion with the pay schedule and last-minute class cancellations. Substantive issues include a lack of both respect and opportunities for professional development. The solutions to these issues include assigned space and support to part-time faculty members, maintaining peer and student evaluations, and affirming diversity in gerontology by recruiting adjunct faculty with knowledge and research capabilities for tenure-track positions as a strategy for successful gerontology program development.
本文概述了兼职教师在一般情况下以及在老年学项目中的使用情况，并讨论了兼职教师和老年学项目利用兼职教学人员的益处、弊端及可能的解决方案。作为兼职教师所报告的益处包括希望投身学术界以及增加收入。老年学项目聘用兼职教师的原因包括成本较低以及能为项目带来新技能。兼职教师也面临实际和实质性的弊端。实际问题包括工资发放时间表混乱以及课程临时取消。实质性问题包括缺乏尊重和职业发展机会。这些问题的解决方案包括为兼职教师分配空间并提供支持、维持同行和学生评估，以及通过招聘具有知识和研究能力的兼职教师担任终身教职岗位来确认老年学领域的多样性，以此作为老年学项目成功发展的一项策略。
