Faculty Learning Communities (FLC)

The Faculty Learning Community (FLC) is “designed to facilitate and support collaborative learning environments in which faculty first explore and broaden their understanding of learning and then investigate alternative approaches to teaching. The mission is to design and support programs that validate what faculty members intuitively know about learning, assist in building a foundation for future interactions about learning, provide collaborative experiences, and build community (Layne, 2002).” Faculty participate in a yearlong (May to May) group with a cohort-based (ie. new faculty) or a topic-based (a diverse faculty group with a chosen theme) that centers on enhancing teaching and learning. Effective topic-based FLCs consist of 6-12 teaching faculty, including tenure, tenure-track, non-tenure and adjunct instructors (who wish to participate) from across disciplines. FLCs meet once a month during the regular faculty meeting times (full faculty meetings are reduced to once-a-month), and have an elected coordinator and are hosted through rotation of members on the FLC. Records for FLC meetings will be housed through D2L, which is coordinated through the Center for Teaching and Learning. An 80min provided structure is used during the meeting. Each member of the FLC will be reviewed with a classroom analysis during the year. Classroom Analysis might be an observation, analysis of student assessment data, student course evaluations, IDPs or some other information that the FLC can help analyze and support the individual sharing. In each case, the focus of the analysis should address the objective the FLC is exploring. In addition, the FLCs will present their findings annually during one of three events: Fall Faculty Fellowship, Faculty Forum, or the May Convention Week. Those faculty undergoing evocative coaching or serving as an evocative coach may select a faculty member to conduct their classroom evaluations during the year.

An 80min provided structure is used during the meeting which includes a community welcome time (10 min*), reviewing the objective for the meeting (5 min*), the outcomes of action steps from the previous meeting (10 min*), discussion of new content including professional articles, books, and/or seminars regarding the theme (20 min*), sharing and discussion of individual classroom analysis (observations, Individual Development Plans (IDPs), assessment data or student course evaluations) (20 min*), creating action steps to be completed during the month prior to the next meeting (5 min*) and end in a prayer time (10 min*). Each member of the FLC will be reviewed with a classroom analysis during the year. This means they will either be observed during the year by another member of the group, or will share student assessment data, student course evaluations, IDPs or some other information that the FLC can help analyze and support the individual sharing. In each case, the focus of the analysis should address the objective the FLC is exploring. Participation and action steps will be documented to provide information for upcoming reviews.

Sample Topics for Collaborative Inquiry (FLCs)

● Facilitating academic dialogue
● Publishing academic writing within the next year (scholarship)
● Questioning--asking higher level questions
● Increasing the quality of assessments
● Integrating service learning into the curriculum (service)
● Culturally responsive pedagogy
● Increasing student engagement
● Increasing interactive elements in lecture-based courses
● Evaluating performance-based assignments
● Impacting institutional change through leadership (governance)