Assistant Professor of Teacher Education - Oklahoma Baptist University

OBU Mission Statement

OBU transforms lives by equipping students to pursue academic excellence, integrate faith with all areas of knowledge, engage a diverse world, and live worthy of the high calling of God in Christ.

Expectations for all Employees

Oklahoma Baptist University achieves its mission through a shared commitment to the following expectations. All employees must embrace these expectations and model them in their behavior.

• Demonstrate commitment to the essentials of the Christian faith.
• Commit to the mission and vision of Oklahoma Baptist University.
• Treat people with dignity and respect.
• Build relationships on honesty, integrity, and trust.
• Strive for excellence through teamwork, leadership, and a strong work ethic.
• Manage human and financial resources wisely and efficiently.

Purpose: Oklahoma Baptist University seeks a dynamic and student-focused Administrative Faculty member to serve as the Online Teacher Education Student Success Coordinator. This role provides leadership and support for online teacher education students, with a primary focus on onboarding, academic advising, and student success throughout the program lifecycle. The Coordinator will also contribute to the academic mission of the university by teaching a limited load of online courses and collaborating with faculty and staff to enhance student retention, progression, and completion. Candidates should be active Christian scholars of education with a strong commitment to assist teacher education candidates in developing the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to assist PK-12 students in reaching their potential. The Teacher Education program at OBU is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Education Preparation (CAEP) and by the Office of Education Quality and Accountability (OEQA)

Essential Functions:

Student Success & Advising

• Serve as the primary point of contact for all online teacher education students, including those in student teaching (Student Ed).
• Design and implement a comprehensive onboarding experience for incoming online students.
• Provide proactive, holistic academic advising from admission through program completion.
• Monitor student progress, identify at-risk students, and implement intervention strategies to support persistence and success.
• Maintain accurate advising records and documentation in institutional systems.

Program Coordination

• Collaborate with faculty, field experience coordinators, and administrators to ensure alignment and quality of the online student experience.
• Support coordination of student teaching placements and readiness for Student Ed in partnership with program faculty.
• Assist with scheduling, course planning, and communication specific to online programs.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives, including assessment and accreditation processes.

Teaching Responsibilities

• Teach four (4) online courses per academic year within the teacher education program.
• Ensure courses reflect best practices in online pedagogy and align with university and accreditation standards.
• Provide timely feedback, meaningful engagement, and academic support to students.

Communication & Engagement

• Develop consistent communication strategies to keep students informed of program requirements, deadlines, and opportunities.
• Foster a supportive and engaging online learning community.
• Represent the program in recruitment and informational efforts as needed.
• Assist in the School of Education's retention initiatives.

Other Duties:

• Participate in state and national accreditation processes.
• Serve on the Teacher Education Committee, Education Advisory Council, and attend monthly division meetings.
• Participate within the campus community, serving on committees as assigned.
• Participate fully in campus faculty development opportunities.
• Remain professionally active – attend appropriate conferences, present programs, papers, and conference sessions as appropriate, stay current on the latest changes in field.

Required Qualifications:

• Must hold a current teaching license.
• Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Student-centered mindset with a commitment to retention and completion.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Collaborative and team-oriented approach.
• Strong problem-solving and data-informed decision-making skills.
• Effective use of technology in advising and online teaching.

Education:

Required: Master’s degree in Education or a related field.

Preferred: Doctorate degree in Education or a related field.

Experience:

Required:

• • Experience in teacher education, PK–12 education, or related field.
  • Demonstrated experience in academic advising, student success, or online education.

Preferred:

• Experience with online program development or coordination.

• Familiarity with accreditation standards (e.g., CAEP or state licensure requirements).

• Experience supporting diverse or nontraditional student populations.

• Higher education teaching experience, particularly in online formats.

• Experience in public or private school administration (with corresponding licensure)

Physical Requirements:

• This could be a 12-month faculty appointment or a 9-month faculty appointment with a stipend for administrative summer work.
• The position may be eligible for remote or hybrid work, depending on institutional needs.
• Occasional travel or on-campus presence may be required for meetings, trainings, or events.

Special Requirements:

• Must be a member of a local evangelical* Christian church.

• Evangelical is a broad term referring to segment within Christianity which maintains the authority of the Bible and the belief in salvation by faith in Jesus alone.

OBU Benefits Summary:

OBU understands that our employees are our most valuable assets when fulfilling our mission. We strive to offer an extensive array of benefits and opportunities for employees to choose from. Full-time employees benefit from the generous OBU provision of premium contributions for nationwide family-friendly Health and Dental coverages along with free life insurance that includes accidental death and dismemberment equal to an employee’s base salary. OBU provides access to optional employee-paid ancillary benefits like vision, hospitalization, critical illness, accident, additional employee-paid family life insurance coverages, and education benefits at OBU and other institutions of higher education. There is generous paid time off that includes annual granted vacation time, accrued sick leave, six annual holidays, and week-long breaks for Thanksgiving and Christmas that include energy conservation days. For all employees working at least half-time, there is an employer matching opportunity for retirement investments in a 403(b)(9) plan administered by Guide Stone. There are numerous other perks and opportunities for OBU employees including FREE family membership to the OBU Recreation and Wellness Center or RAWC, Global outreach university mission trips, cafeteria discounts, and parking privileges to name a few.