Instructors
Courses offered through the Advanced College Project are taught by Indiana University faculty who are approved and trained high school teachers who hold IU Bloomington adjunct lecturer appointments.
The selection of ACP instructors is completed by applying the same standards applied to any adjunct or part-time faculty teaching on the IU campus. Final approval is made by the college academic department as represented by the faculty liaison and in keeping with current credentialing requirements for dual credit instructors.
Indiana University campuses are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The HLC has extended to September 1, 2022, the deadline for Indiana's dual credit instructors to meet the HLC faculty credentialing requirement that dual credit instructors have a master's degree in the discipline or a master's degree outside the discipline (such as Education) and 18 graduate semester hours in the discipline.
When reviewing instructor applications Indiana University faculty liaisons look for academic and personal backgrounds that demonstrate the applicant's ability and inclination to collaborate with the ACP office to develop a plan to meet the HLC credentialing guidelines. Potential teacher applicants at Indiana high schools should view the qualification guidelines.
The ACP instructor recommended criteria include:
- two years teaching experience in the discipline,
- experience teaching an upper level advanced course in the discipline (AP or honors equivalent),
initiating and following a plan to meet the Higher Learning Commission dual credit faculty-credentialing requirement that calls for a graduate degree in the discipline or a master's degree outside the discipline and 18 graduate semester hours in the discipline.
Approved instructors undergo one to five days of summer training with their IU faculty liaison on the IUB campus. For each course, instructors are expected to return to campus annually for a one-day professional development review seminar. Seminars occur during the school year and the high school must provide substitutes in order for instructors to attend. These day-long sessions are used to evaluate the implementation of the specific course for that term and to provide instructors an opportunity to discuss any questions or problems that have arisen. In addition, any policies governing the course such as curricular changes or the adoption of a new textbook are discussed. In other cases, a review seminar may introduce ACP instructors to new developments in the discipline and focus on issues of pedagogic innovation.
For both the initial summer training and the annual review seminar, mileage to campus is reimbursed and hotel accommodations are provided if the school is more than fifty miles from IUB. Trained instructors can offer IU courses after completing summer training.
All ACP instructors are expected to comply with the policies and follow the procedures found in the Instructor Handbook.