Making an Impact: Utilising Faculty Learning Communities to Enhance Teaching and Learning

2016 ◽  
pp. 423-435
Author(s):  
Tara Newman
Keyword(s):  
Learning Communities ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Faculty Learning Communities ◽  
Faculty Learning

scholarly journals Facilitators and Barriers to Engagement and Effective SoTL Research Collaborations in Faculty Learning Communities

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 53-72
Author(s):  
Claudia A. Cornejo Happel ◽  
Xiaomei Song
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Learning Communities ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
The United States ◽  
Faculty Engagement ◽  
Faculty Learning Communities ◽  
Academic Communities ◽  
Faculty Learning ◽  
Explanatory Sequential Design ◽  
Collaborative Structures

To determine factors that influence faculty engagement and success in faculty learning communities focused on collaborative Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), our project gathered information on (1) faculty motivation to engage with SoTL; (2) structures that support collaboration; (3) the perceived impact of SoTL on teaching, scholarship, and faculty engagement in academic communities on campus and beyond; and (4) the role of the teaching center in supporting collaborative faculty learning communities focused on SoTL. In this explanatory, sequential design mixed-methods study, participants were asked to complete a survey on their experience as participants in faculty learning communities at a large comprehensive public university in the southeastern United States; researchers then conducted one-on-one interviews with select participants to gain an in-depth understanding of trends and questions emerging from the survey data. Results indicate that personal, institutional, professional, and team factors contribute to participants’ perception of the success and effectiveness of collaborative research teams. Findings from the study offer guidance for setting up effective collaborative structures for SoTL projects and nurturing inter-disciplinary research among faculty members, thus providing insights that can inform the design and facilitation of similar programs in the United States and internationally.

Improving Teaching Effectiveness and Student Learning Through the Use of Faculty Learning Communities

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 209-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen M. Roth
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Learning Communities ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Teaching Effectiveness ◽  
Knowledge And Skills ◽  
Faculty Learning Communities ◽  
Faculty Learning ◽  
Improve Student Learning

Higher education faculty have many responsibilities, with teaching as arguably the most public of those yet also the task for which many are least prepared. Professional development around teaching and learning can provide faculty with the knowledge and skills needed to improve student learning while also improving job satisfaction. The present paper describes the use of faculty learning communities as a best practice for professional development around teaching. Such communities engage a group of participants over time and provide a way to impart knowledge and resources around teaching and learning, encourage application of new skills in the classroom, and evaluate and refect on the effectiveness of those trials. Research shows that time spent in faculty learning communities translates into improvements in both teaching effectiveness and student learning. Resources are provided for administrators interested in developing and supporting faculty learning communities around teaching and learning.

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