Faculty Learning Communities
Faculty Learning Communities have been recognized as a particularly effective form of faculty support in teaching and learning. By bringing together a group of faculty from different disciplines for in-depth conversations over an extended period of time, faculty are able to work through problems, share what works, and adapt their teaching practice to accommodate what they have learned.
In addition, these groups build a community of support as faculty adapt to changes in technology, student populations, and an evolving college culture. When we come together in community, we are stronger and happier.
Creating Communities Since 2001
UC Blue Ash has offered faculty learning communities since being invited to participate in the Ohio Teaching Enhancement Program (OTEP) in 2001. Initially, participation was sponsored by a FIPSE grant led by Dr. Milt Cox, Miami University. Over the next nine years, the OTEP group has continued with a strong tradition of supporting faculty in these groups as they learn about the literatures of cognitive science and scholarly teaching, as well as design classroom-based research projects to assess teaching. Over 60 faculty have participated in OTEP. Participants present their projects at teaching conferences. Several go on to publish their studies in scholarly journals. In addition to this Scholarship of Teaching and Learning faculty learning community, the Peer Review of Scholarly Teaching group has enrolled over 40 faculty since 2003. In this group, faculty created documentation of their teaching practices. The reflective process frequently led to changes in classroom activities.
Another faculty learning community, Critical Thinking, was started in 2006 as a result of a need seen by our Academic Assessment Committee. Finally, in 2010-2011, the UCBA Learning & Teaching Center in partnership with the CET&L expanded the learning community offerings to include a variety of interest areas for faculty.
Resources
Contact Information
Learning and Teaching Center
Brenda Refaei
513-558-1641
refaeibg@ucmail.uc.edu