VCU CTE - Proposed FLCs for 2008-09 academic year

Many faculty members understand the nature and merits of active learning. However, many of us continue to struggle with how to integrate active learning into courses that do not appear to be conducive to this type of teaching (e.g. large enrollment classes, foundational science courses and even hybrid courses or fully online courses. Participants in this FLC will explore these challenges and will seek ways to overcome them. The community will meet every 2 – 3 weeks throughout the academic year—August 2008 to June 2009.

Participants will meet throughout the fall semester of 2008 and will determine as a group the topics (active learning techniques for large enrollment classes, foundational sciences courses, etc.) and formats (seminars, workshops, guest speakers, etc.) that will inform their learning. In addition, participants will be expected to plan, develop and propose an individual teaching project for one of their classes. During the spring semester of 2009, participants will work toward implementing, assessing and disseminating the results of their teaching project

In addition to the individual teaching projects, participants will work collectively throughout the academic year on a group project. The nature of the group project will be determined by the FLC participants. However, the purpose of the group project should be focused on how to support and provide resources for VCU faculty who are interested in the integration and assessment of active learning in their courses.

Each participant will have available up to $1000 to support the integration of technology into teaching and learning. This can include for example, purchase of hardware and software, travel to conferences that feature sessions on technology, etc. A portion of the funds can be distributed at the beginning of the FLC, and in full at the close of the 2008 – 2009 academic year.

The community will be assisted by a facilitator from the CTE who is trained in pedagogy and the effective use of instructional technology to support learning.

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Literacy has traditionally been equated with an ability to read and write, as well as listen and speak. With the introduction of the internet and mobile connectivity, this concept may be outdated. A Faculty Learning Community provides an opportunity to explore what literacy now means in a wired world. Access to information has exploded in the past five years, yet few students have the skills to organize, manage, and digest this array of data. The digital divide is no longer hardware-based but rather skill-based. It is therefore a timely opportunity to research how literacy is evolving. This community welcomes participants of all capabilities and experiences who wish to explore what this new concept of literacy might mean in the classroom. Meeting every 2-3 weeks, the community will offer members the opportunity to investigate, discuss, implement and critique 21st Century literacy and skills into their teaching as a means of enhancing student learning. This community will meet for the duration (August – June) of the 2008 – 2009 academic year. Key outcomes for participants will focus on identifying the skill sets students (and faculty) will need for learning, how to access levels of those skills during instruction, and methods to sustain these skills in the future.

Participants will determine the selection of topics for seminars and workshops that will guide the activities of the community for the academic year. During the Fall 2008 semester faculty members will explore the literature associated with 21st Century literacy. In the Spring 2009 semester, participants will build on knowledge and insights gained during the fall semester to propose, design and implement teaching projects aimed at using 21st Century skills to enhance student learning.

In addition to the individual projects, FLC members will also design and complete a collaborative project that will contribute to enhancing student learning within the wider VCU community.

Each participant will have available up to $1000 to support the integration of the information and knowledge gained in the FLC into their classrooms. The funding can include, for example, purchase of appropriate hardware and software, travel to conferences, and so forth. A portion of the funds can be distributed at the beginning of the FLC, and in full at the close of the 2008 – 2009 academic year.

The community will be assisted by a facilitator from the CTE who is trained in digital pedagogy and instructional technology, with twelve years of evolving knowledge in technological impacts to education.

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This community welcomes participants of all capabilities and experiences using technology as an instructional tool in the classroom. Meeting every 2-3 weeks, the community will offer members the opportunity to investigate, discuss, implement and critique the integration of technology into their teaching as a means of enhancing student learning. This community will meet for the duration (August – June) of the 2008 – 2009 academic year. Key outcomes for participants will focus on identifying the strengths and weaknesses of particular technology tools, how to determine the appropriate use of technology to support learning, and methods for assessing the impact of technology on learning outcomes.

Participants will determine the selection of topics for seminars and workshops that will guide the activities of the community for the academic year. During the Fall 2008 semester faculty members will explore a range of tools and practices to support the instructional use of technology in teaching and learning. In the Spring 2009 semester, participants will build on knowledge and insights gained during the fall semester to propose, design and implement teaching projects aimed at using technology to enhance student learning.

In addition to the individual projects, FLC members will also design and complete a collaborative project that will contribute to the meaningful use of instructional technology within the wider VCU community.

The community will be assisted by a facilitator from the CTE who is trained in pedagogy and the effective use of instructional technology to support learning.

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How do you know your teaching practices are effective? Are you interested in sharing your pedagogical innovations with a community of scholars? Participants in this FLC will focus on the research process as applied to teaching and learning, including creating, carrying out, and publishing classroom research.

Participants will determine the selection of topics for seminars and workshops that will guide the activities of the community for the academic year. Generally, the participants will work on different stages of their projects throughout the academic year.

In addition to the individual projects, FLC members will also design and complete a collaborative project that will contribute to the meaningful use of the information on how people learn to the wider VCU community.

Each participant will have available up to $1000 to support the integration of the scholarship of teaching and learning obtained in this FLC experience into their classrooms. The funding can include, for example, purchase of hardware and software, travel to education-related conferences, and so on. A portion of the funds can be distributed at the beginning of the FLC, and in full at the close of the 2008 – 2009 academic year.

The community will be assisted by a facilitator from the CTE who is trained and experienced in educational research.

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Recent research efforts in cognitive science, educational psychology, and neuroscience have made significant contributions to our understanding of how people learn. These research efforts have revolutionized some of the earlier theories on how people learn and have necessitated a change in classroom practice. Participants in this FLC will explore significant aspects of this research, engage in discussions about the implications for teaching, and revise one of their own courses to reflect the research.

Participants will determine the selection of topics for seminars and workshops that will guide the activities of the community for the academic year. During the Fall 2008 semester faculty members will explore a range of literature regarding how people learn. In the Spring 2009 semester, participants will build on knowledge and insights gained during the fall semester to propose, design and implement teaching projects aimed incorporating how people learn into their course design.

Each participant will have available up to $1000 to support the integration of the information and knowledge obtained in this FLC experience into their classrooms. The funding can include, for example, purchase of hardware and software, travel to education-related conferences, and so on. A portion of the funds can be distributed at the beginning of the FLC, and in full at the close of the 2008 – 2009 academic year.

The community will be assisted by a facilitator from the CTE who is trained in pedagogy, cognitive science, and neuroscience and has experience in facilitating faculty learning communities.