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Faculty Learning Communities Program

 

Description

A Faculty Learning Community is a cross-disciplinary group of 6 – 10 faculty who engage in an active, collaborative, and self-guided exploration of a teaching and learning issue. Participants immerse themselves in a prolonged exploration of an issue as “expert” learners in an attempt to (1) better understand the issue, (2) make modifications to their teaching practice based on what they have learned and (3) promote better teaching and learning across the institution by sharing what they have learned with a wider audience.

The Center for Teaching Excellence started its FLC program in the spring of 2005 in an effort to address two key issues. One, faculty members have traditionally worked in some degree of isolation from one another—in silos. Research on FLCs indicates that they are very effective at promoting collegiality and collaboration—both within and between academic units. The second issue is that faculty members rarely have the opportunity to exploit their strengths as expert learners beyond their subject matter. We have found that learning communities are a great way to promote, support and guide learning across the academy. Furthermore, FLCs serve the larger Strategic Plan. VCU 2020 which charges us to become, “…nationally recognized as a learning-centered research university…”

Common Features

Size	6 – 10 participants
Stipend	$500 per participant
Duration	Although on average FLCs tend to last an academic year, the duration of an FLC can vary. FLC participants choose to either end or extend their work in an FLC based on when their learning objectives have been met
Eligibility	All VCU faculty and staff who have regular teaching responsibilities are eligible. In some cases, more specific  criteria may be applied when a specific target audience has  been identified.
FLC Type	Although all FLCs are characterized by dual attention to both products and processes, many of them lean in one direction or the other. FLCs can belong to one of two categories: Topic- based FLCs explore specific topics, whereas, cohort- based FLCs explore common experiences.

FLCs @ VCU

Since the spring of 2005, the CTE has offered a number of FLCs on a variety of teaching and learning issues (see list below). In an effort to expand the FLC program, and to support faculty who wish to explore new or original topics, the CTE is requesting proposals from faculty groups who wish to explore the efficacy of the FLC model as a means of supporting and guiding the work of their group. In addition to this call for proposals, the CTE will continue to offer faculty opportunities to participate in FLCs that focus on key issues / topics in teaching and learning. These annual FLCs will be offered each year by the CTE. Additional information about our annual FLCs and the call for proposals is available below.

Annual FLCs

Based on our continued work with faculty here at VCU, a number of key topical areas have emerged as central to our mission—to become nationally recognized as a learning-centered research university. These topical areas will serve as the core FLCs offered each year out of the CTE. Although these topical areas won’t change that much for the foreseeable future, they are complex enough for each cohort of participants to take a different tack on the issue affording them the opportunity to identify their own learning objectives and ultimately contribute to a larger body of knowledge.

To learn more about our core FLCs and to apply, please click on the FLCs below

• How People Learn
• Engaging Online Learners
• Using Technology to Enhance Teaching and Learning: Exploring Smart Phones
• Junior Faculty Development

All FLCs for the 2009-10 academic year have been filled.

CTE FLC Program: Call for Proposals

In addition to these core areas, the CTE is also interested in learning about additional areas of interest. Toward this end, the CTE is launching a new feature to our Faculty Learning Communities (FLC) Program. This year (2009-10), in addition to offering a number of FLCs out of the CTE, we are also requesting proposals from groups of faculty who think that they might benefit from the FLC model as a means for supporting and guiding the work of their group. Please follow the link below for more information. The deadline for proposals is April 17th, 2009.

Proposals Accepted for 2009-10

• Defining 21^st Century Literacy
• Integrating Digital Technology into Teaching and Learning
• Addressing Issues of Diversity and Oppression in the Classroom
• Black Education Association – Faculty Learning Community: A Conversation on Learning

Previous FLCs

2008-09

• Redefining Literacy for the 21st Century
• Using Technology to Enhance Teaching and Learning
• Engaging in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)
• How People Learn

2007-08

• Problem Based Learning (2007-8)
• Developing Engaged Online Learners (2007-8)
• Fostering Adjunct Faculty Success (2007-8)

2006-07

• Using Technology to Enhance Teaching and Learning (2006-7)
• What is a Learning-Centered Research University? (2006-7)
• Teaching Systems Biology to Undergraduates - HHMI Grant (2006-7)

2005-06

• Teaching Large Classes at VCU (2005-6)
• Junior Faculty Development (2005-6)

For more information on how to start your own FLC, or how to participate in a CTE sponsored FLC, please contact Zachary Goodell at 827-0562 or by email cte@vcu.edu.

Additional Reading

• Introduction to Faculty Learning Communities