Classroom assessment and research are effective means of professional development for community college faculty. Assessment tests engage students in monitoring and evaluating their own learning, and encourage teachers to reflect on their classes from a learning perspective. Classroom research is learner-centered, teacher-directed, collaborative, practical, context specific, scholarly, and continuous. It builds upon the skills and knowledge gained in classroom assessment, and is the next step in helping teachers understand the impact of their teaching. To develop professionally, community college faculty need clear goals, concrete suggestions for attaining the goals, high motivation, active involvement, prompt assessment and feedback, and appropriate rewards. Classroom assessment and research fit these conditions, fostering professional fitness and uniting professional competence with a commitment to learning. (Contains 22 references.) (YKH)