External Training
Are you looking for some more flexibility for your Professional Development?
If you would rather learn on your own time, you can choose from numerous self-designed Professional Development activities. In the Vision Resource Center, self-designed training is termed External Training. To add External Training to your Learning Transcript you have to go to the Vision Resource Center Welcome Page and click on the External Training button. You will then be able to add the details of the self-designed external training and select the appropriate self-designed categories.
Important Note: You cannot mark an External Training complete until the end date you entered has passed!
You must complete all 3 of the steps outlined in the User Manual to ensure your External Training is shown as Complete on your Transcript. All submissions will be reviewed by the Professional Development Coordinator. If you are a classified staff member, a required approval will be routed to your manager.
This Process and Criteria statement was approved by the Academic Senate February 2011 and the Professional Development Committee May 2020.
- The activity must meet the Title 5 state guidelines (improves teaching, maintains current academic and technical knowledge and skills, etc.).
- The hours requested are reasonable.
- Completion of the activity can be documented (e.g. receipt, program, agenda) and/or the faculty or classified member can clearly explain how the activity is relevant to his or her professional development in a brief summary submitted with the External Training form (found in the VRC).
- The activity is not part of normal job responsibilities and is not already compensated. These activities include, but are not limited to the following:
- Regular instructional and office hours;
- Regular department meetings held at any time during the semester other than Professional Development Week;
- Standing committee meetings (including screening committee meetings);
- Classroom preparation time (syllabus preparation, ongoing web page development, preparation of instructional materials, gathering resources, etc.);
- Chair/Coordinator responsibilities, including those that occur during Professional Development Week;
- Activities occurring during paid work hours;
- Activities used for salary advancement. See Faculty Contract, Article 15.
Step One - Enter the External Training Activity
Return to the Welcome page and click on the External Training button or access External Training from My Transcript.
Complete the electronic form, Attach pertinent documents and Click, “Submit”
Note: you cannot mark this activity as complete until after the end date of the activity.
To edit an External Training that has already been submitted, go to your Transcript, find the training item, and click on “View Training Details” and then “Edit External Training.”
Step Two - Mark the Activity Complete
To finalize an External Training and see it as complete on your transcript. Navigate to your Transcript, and click Mark Complete. Note: you will not see Mark Complete until the end date of the training has passed. If you do not see the Mark Complete option, please ensure the end date of your External Training has passed.
Step Three - Sign to Acknowledge Completion
After you Mark Complete you will then click on Sign. You can now sign your name and the activity will be confirmed as completed. Type your name under Acknowledge Completion and click Sign. The activity is now completed on your Transcript and your hours are added to your total training hours
Training related to Student Success and Equity
Description: Activities that support faculty and staff to generate and implement individual, departmental, and divisional equity efforts.
Online Teacher Training
Description: Any training that moves faculty toward fulfilling the Cuyamaca requirements to become an online instructor. In addition, any activities related to Online Educational Resources (OER) and Zero Textbook Costs (ZTC).
Read materials relevant to improvement of teaching
Description: Choose readings that will improve or enhance your knowledge in your discipline. Reading selections may include journal articles or books with implications for one's profession. Use your best professional judgment when estimating the number of hours. Using a website such as Audible.com can be helpful for estimating your reading time, or you can use a text to speech calculator which provides an estimation of reading time based on word count. Be sure to describe how the reading qualifies as professional development.
SLO Training - Individually or with Colleagues
Description: Working with the SLO Coordinator for training to develop SLO assessment processes. Part-time faculty can get up to 5 hours for working on SLOs or SLO assessment. Document your work with a TracDat report or email from your department chair.
Create Original Works for Instruction or Develop New Instructional Media
Description: Producing special topic videos and slide presentations, creating and/or maintaining a website, writing storyboards or scripts for multimedia presentations, or writing workbooks and lab manuals would all be appropriate activities. As well as, composing music, paintings, sculptures, essays, short stories, novels, poetry, and film are examples of appropriate activities. Routine classroom/teaching preparation (e.g., updating PowerPoint slides, presentations, handouts, lectures, etc.) does not count as professional development.
Instructional Technology Training
Description: Training that enhances your technology knowledge and skills such as Canvas, Zoom, Online Teaching, @One, Vision Resource Center, Microsoft Office, Accessibility, or any technology that helps with creating, and sharing content with students; facilitating classroom activities; and assessing learning inside the classroom or online.
Mentor a New Instructor or be Mentored by a Tenured Faculty
Description: If you have taught at Cuyamaca for at least 4 years, you can get up to 5 hours per semester for mentoring another teacher. If it is your first semester at Cuyamaca or your first semester teaching online, you can also get up to 5 hours for working with a mentor.
Write for a Publication
Description: The topic must be related to the writer’s field of expertise. Included are journal articles, popular magazine articles, scholarly books, textbooks, and other curricular materials. The writing does not have to be published in order to complete the professional development hours. Provide attachments to your External Training online form.
PREPARE for Conference and Workshop Presentation
Description: Preparing for oral or written presentations to professional conferences. Preparation time for presenters of professional development workshops are granted for as many hours as the preparation requires. USE THIS CATEGORY TO CLAIM HOURS FOR PD WORKSHOPS YOU LEAD ON CAMPUS.
ATTEND Professional Conferences, Workshops, and Educational Events
Description: This includes attendance at conferences, workshops, and community educational events including those offered on the Cuyamaca College campus not listed on the VRC Workshop Calendar.
Participate in Department Meetings and/or College Governance-PART TIME FACULTY
Description: Part-time faculty can get up to 5 hours per semester for serving on a Cuyamaca committee or attending a department meeting. This does not apply to any committee for which PT faculty are paid to attend.
Chair a campus committee
Description: Chair a campus committee for up to 5 hours of flex credit per semester (unless you are getting release time).
Observe a Colleague’s Teaching
Description: (arrange dates in advance). Submit your Completed Activity form with a brief summary of what you learned. Limit to 5 hours per semester.
Mentor and/or Advise Students
Description: Cuyamaca College is committed to student success and helping students identify and reach their educational goals. Support may come in the form of individual meetings, referrals to support programs or other out-of-class interventions designed to improve student success. This may also include advising students during open registration process. Mentoring students during office hours is a routine activity and does not qualify as professional development.
Engage in Legislation and State Programs which Affect the College
Description: Learning about, and acting on, changing regulations, legislation, and state programs which affect the College and District. This includes the statewide Academic Senate and other community college associations and commissions.
Participate in Online Webinars
Description: Educational webinars and online activities that you access on your computer may be used as a Professional Development activity. Please include the date of the webinar, the total time, and a description.
Take a Class Related to Your Teaching Area
You may earn up to 20 hours of flex credit per course. (You cannot use the same course for professional development credit and salary advancement.)
Meeting with Instructional Design Tech Specialist
Description: Meet with the Instructional Design Specialist to work on your Canvas container or other technology used to delivery instruction. Limit 5 hrs. per semester
Cultural Arts Activities
Description: Museum visits, site visits, cultural arts activities, and Exercise Science classes can be used for professional development credit. Limit 5 hrs. per semester.
