Learning Communities
Overview
As funding allows, the CAT regularly conducts faculty learning communities. These communities bring together a group of 8-12 faculty members around a specific topic. Past communities focused on topics such as course design, curriculum assessment, eportfolios, study abroad, and language learning. Please be aware that we can only accept applicants into one learning community at a time, so If more than one learning community interests you we ask that you apply for the one that you think will best fit your goals and needs.
Faculty Learning Community Proposals
The application window is now closed. Applicants will be notified of a decision by Friday, October 4th.
A faculty learning community (FLC) is a cross-disciplinary group of 8 to 12 members, led by one or two facilitators, that engages in a year-long collaboration dedicated to exploring one theme or topic related to teaching and learning within and beyond the university community. FLCs engage in “an active, collaborative, yearlong program with a curriculum about enhancing teaching and learning and with frequent seminars and activities that provide learning, development, the scholarship of teaching, and community building” (Newman, 2017, p. 428).
The CAT’s overall goals in offering this program are to support faculty in their efforts to adopt evidence-based teaching strategies and engage with the Scholarship of Teaching (SoTL), as well as encourage a culture of talking about and reflecting on one’s teaching.
This year, we are funding one FLC. The facilitator is ultimately responsible for running the FLC and guaranteeing that the goals of the FLC are met but the CAT will offer planning support. The FLC should have 8-12 faculty participants and run through the 2024-2025 academic year.
Preference will be given to applications that include:
- Faculty from multiple disciplines
- A plan to meet at least once every three weeks over the length of the FLC
The CAT has allotted the following budget for the FLC:
- Facilitator stipend (no more than two facilitators): $1,500
- Participant stipend (no more than 12 participants): $1,000
- Expenses related to hosting the FLC meetings (food, etc.) and materials (books, etc): $3,000
- Application Deadline – Sunday, September 29th
- Notification of FLC Selection – Friday, October 4th
Applications should include:
- Title of proposed Faculty Learning Community (FLC)
- Number of facilitators
- The name(s) of one or more faculty facilitators who lead and coordinate the meetings of the community, and maintain focus on the community’s goals and proposed outcomes.
- Number of community members (NOT including facilitators)
- The names of faculty who are committed to participate in the community. If you are still seeking community members, include a plan to recruit them before the proposed start date and how they will be chosen (e.g., established criteria, first come)
- Who is eligible to participate in the FLC (all faculty, full/part-time faculty, librarians, staff, postdocs, etc.)
- Description and rationale for the FLC (how does this align with the mission of the CAT and the WFU Strategic Framework?).
- FLC goals and planned outcomes
- Activities designed to meet the FLC’s goals and outcomes
- Plan for how the group will build social connections among the FLC members.
- Deliverables and or outcomes for the FLC
- References (any books or articles that are foundational materials for this FLC)
- A proposed schedule (how often the group will meet and length of the meetings. Meetings for 1.5-2 hours in length every 3 weeks are highly recommended)
The application window is now closed for the 2024 – 2025 Academic Year.
New Faculty Learning Communities
The Center for the Advancement of Teaching facilitates two learning communities for new faculty each year (one for permanent faculty and one for contingent faculty). Each year-long NFLC is intended to support our colleagues who are new to the Wake Forest community. New faculty members in their first or second year at WFU are encouraged to apply (full-time, permanent faculty are invited to apply for the permanent group; visiting, postdoc, and adjunct faculty are invited to apply for the contingent group).
The program is designed to help you connect with the WFU community and also enhance your efficacy around your role as a new faculty member, with a strong emphasis on teaching. You will be supported in your efforts to establish community, networks, and connections across the WFU community; explore evidence-based practices to enhance your teaching; and engage in observations of your peers’ teaching and reflective activities.
Participants will meet approximately every other week throughout the year with optional networking and social opportunities. Regular attendance at these gatherings is expected for all cohort members. To support this work, each participant will receive a $500 stipend and book.
The goals of the new faculty learning community are to:
- connect you with the WFU community, other new faculty, and the CAT as a support resource for your teaching.
- enable you to establish a cross-disciplinary, cross-institutional network across the WFU campus.
- encourage you to explore and adopt evidence-based practices that you feel will enhance student learning in your classes.
To fulfill the NFLC requirements and receive the $500 stipend, you are expected to:
- attend all scheduled meetings of the learning community (effort will be made to schedule meetings in alignment with participant schedules). The NFLC is expected to meet every other week each semester.
- observe and debrief at least two of your colleagues’ classes.
- submit guided reflective activities throughout the program.
The application window for the 2024-2025 academic year is now closed. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Kristi Verbeke at verbekkj@wfu.edu.
Past Learning Communities
- Pedagogy for Equity & Inclusion Faculty Learning Community (AY 2023-24)
- Peer-to-Peer Faculty Learning Community Initiative (Summer 2020)
- Course (Re)Design Faculty Learning Community (Spring 2015, Summer 2016, Summer 2017, Summer 2018, Summer 2019)
- First-Year Course Advising Faculty Learning Community (Fall 2019)
- Curriculum Design and Assessment Faculty Learning Community (AY 2019-20)
- First-Year Course Advising (Spring & Fall 2019)
- Language Program Evaluation (AY 2018-19)
- Technology & Multimedia Faculty Learning Community (Spring 2017)
- Course (Re)Design (Spring 2015, Summer 2016; Summer 2017; Summer 2018; Summer 2019)
- Blended Learning Faculty Learning Community (Fall 2015)
- Study Abroad Faculty Learning Community (AY 2013-14)
- Contemplative Pedagogy Faculty Learning Community (AY 2013-14; AY 2014-15; AY 2015-16)
- ePortfolio Faculty Learning Community (Fall 2012)
- New Faculty Learning Community (2011-present, annually)