Spring 2023 Communities of Practice
Fall 2022 Discussion Groups
What is a Community of Practice?
“Groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly.”
– Wenger-Trayner, 2015
Cohort-based programs, where faculty come together several times during the semester, can have meaningful impacts on helping build community, networks and knowledge.
Communities of practice were first defined in 1991 by Lave & Wenger, and have grown in their popularity and application since that time. In educational settings, CoPs have become powerful models for growth and change in higher education. They help to build community, provide a sense of belonging, enhance cross-discipline collaboration, and promote knowledge and innovation.
The topics of exploration and discussion are driven by the interests and needs of participating faculty.
A primary value of these communities is shared knowledge. Though informal, CoPs are most effective when participants participate in sustained interactions, either face to face or virtual.
When you register for a CoP you are registering for all events in the series – so please mark your calendars and plan accordingly!
Past Communities of Practice
Fall 22
New Faculty Community of Practice on Teaching
Digital Equity & E-Inclusion Community of Practice
Engaging in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Community of Practice
Racial Equity Fellows Learning Community on Teaching (REFLeCT)
Equity-Fostering Syllabus Discussion Group
Spring 22
Assessing Assessments
Scholarship of Teaching & Learning Journal Club
Racial Equity Fellows Learning Community on Teaching
Equity-Fostering Syllabus Working Group
Lecturer’s Learning Circle
Fall 21
Digital Equity & E-Inclusion Community of Practice
Racial Equity Fellows Learning Community on Teaching
Teaching Check-Ins
Online Teaching and Learning
Grading and Equity
Science of Learning
Prior Years
Part-time/Adjunct Faculty
Large Enrollment Courses
Fundamentals of College Teaching
Active Learning Strategies
Active Learning Strategies for Online Teaching
Teaching with Equity in Mind
International Teaching Assistants
Online Teaching and Learning
New Faculty Seminar
Department Specific Communities of Practice
Past Book Clubs
Teaching Gradually: Practical Pedagogy and Classroom Strategies for Graduate Students by Graduate Students by Kacie L. Armstrong, Lauren A. Genova, John Wyatt Greenlee, and Derina S. Samuel
What Inclusive Instructors Do.Principles and Practices for Excellence in College Teaching by Tracie Marcella Addy, Derek Dube, Khadijah A. Mitchell and Mallory SoRelle
The Spark of Learning: Energizing the College Classroom with the Science of Emotion by Sarah Rose Cavanagh
Ungrading: Why Rating Students Undermines Learning (and What to Do Instead) by Alfie Kohn and Susan D. Blum
Radical Hope: A Teaching Manifesto by Kevin M. Gannon
Teach Students How to Learn: Strategies You Can Incorporate Into Any Course to Improve Student Metacognition, Study Skills, and Motivation by Saundra Yancy McGuire
Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning by James M. Lang
Critical Digital Pedagogy edited by Jesse Stommel, Chris Friend, and Sean Michael Morris
What the Best College Teachers Do by Ken Bain