Emily Dabolt, Faculty Professional Development
Emily Dabolt joined SFSC in June 2022 as the coordinator for the Heartland Pathways 2 Success (HP2S) grant. Not long ago, she was asked to take on additional duties, overseeing the College’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) and, then, became the director, QEP and Special Projects. As the Heartland Pathways 2 Success grant wrapped up at the end of September, Dabolt has stepped up and taken on further responsibilities — for faculty professional development. Her office is located in Building F on the Highlands Campus and she can be reached at ext. 7477.
Dabolt brought 12 years of experience in education to SFSC, eight of those years as a third-grade teacher and four years as a middle school history teacher. In fact, she was named Lake Placid Middle School Teacher of the Year for 2020-21. A native of Highlands County, Dabolt graduated from Lake Placid High School and later earned her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Florida State University. Currently, she’s working toward her master’s degree in Educational Leadership in Higher Education from Florida Gulf Coast University.
Tell us about your new role in faculty professional development at SFSC.
In this new role, I will work closely with the Center for Innovative Teaching (CIT) to support faculty in enhancing their teaching strategies, staying current with educational trends and technologies, and ultimately improving student learning outcomes. To begin, we are gathering faculty input and assessing the needs of each department. Future workshops, seminars, and training sessions will focus on various aspects of teaching and learning and will be driven by the needs of the faculty. I will be the point person for faculty professional development in a collaborative partnership with the CIT. Whatever faculty need to shape their teaching experience, whether it be a focus on engagement strategies, technology trends, health and wellness, or student mental health, my goal is to provide opportunities and resources for faculty as they continue to thrive within the classroom.
What did the HP2S grant entail?
The HP2S grant focused on expanded educational access and opportunity for low-income and minority students through the creation of resilient, technology-enabled courses and targeted dual enrollment offerings. There are 10 classrooms that are currently being upgraded with HyFlex technology as a part of the grant. HyFlex or “hybrid flexible” is an educational model that combines face-to-face and online learning in a way that gives students flexibility to choose their preferred mode of attendance. This technology improves accessibility and ensures educational continuity in various circumstances. The grant also funded faculty professional development opportunities in online course design and development. That’s how I met Carleigh Okwali. I met her at a Quality Matters (QM) conference in Arizona. She and her team from Polk State College were presenting at the conference and, later, Carleigh and her team worked with our faculty to provide instructional design support. After a field trip to Polk State and learning about their Teaching and Learning Center, plans of establishing something similar on the SFSC Highlands Campus quickly began and my efforts have been dedicated to bringing this project to fruition. The Center for Innovative Teaching (CIT) is now located on the first floor of Building H.
Your role is to support not just online but also face-to-face teaching?
Yes, regardless of modality, enhancing teaching and learning in all forms is vital to student success. Promoting active, student-centered learning spaces in both online and face-to-face courses ensures high-quality education. With rapid changes in higher education, growing student diversity, and accelerating technological advancements, faculty are faced with many challenges and they should feel supported during these times. I hope to keep three principles in mind as I step into this new role as a faculty development professional. I aim to create a faculty development program that not only enhances teaching skills but also respects faculty members’ time, engages their interests, and provides them with immediately applicable knowledge and skills.
How do you feel that your previous experience assists you in your position at SFSC?
Everything that I learned as a K12 teacher in the classroom has shaped what I do today. Effective communication, project management, collaboration, creativity, resourcefulness, and perseverance continue to shape my days at SFSC. I don’t work with one specific department. I think that’s one of the things I love the most about my role at SFSC; I can be focusing on facilities one day at the CIT looking at paint colors and floor plans, working with a faculty member who needs guidance with the Beacon student early alert system the next, or engaging in a QEP taskforce group discussion on career and transfer opportunities for students. At the end of the day, it’s all about student success. I look forward to supporting the faculty in their ongoing growth and development, which will create even more enriching learning experiences for our students.
