Fall 2024 Faculty Learning Community (FLC) offerings
Interested in gathering with an intimate group of fellow instructors a few times a semester to talk about your teaching? Want to stay up-to-date on conversations in teaching and learning? If so, we welcome you to join our faculty learning community (FLC) program! All faculty, staff, postdocs, and graduate students with an interest in teaching are welcome to join us.
Our common read for Fall semester will be Teaching with AI: A practical guide to a new era of human learning by Jose Antonio Bowen and C. Edward Watson. This text is available through the UA libraries: Click Here
We will also have a variety of other topics.
FLCs will meet 6 times during fall semester. Meetings are the weeks of September 9, September 23, October 7, October 21, November 4, and November 18.
Please email Kate Bunton (bunton@arizona.edu) if you are interested in joining a group or with any questions.
Fall Schedule:
| Days/Times | Topics and Facilitators |
|
Asynchronous ONLINE |
Teaching High Structured/Inclusive Classes using Perusall In this FLC we will discuss high structure and inclusive teaching practices, but in an asynchronous environment. Are you interested in learning more about adding structure to your classes or picking up tips on making it more inclusive? Maybe you don't have time for one specific hour to meet? This FLC will explore high structure and inclusive teaching through a social annotation program. I will post a new reading or material each week and we will read/listen together and comment together. A new reading/podcast will be posted every two weeks for more interacting and learning together, in a fun asynchronous manner. Tim Ottusch and Arin Haverland |
|
Asynchronous ONLINE |
The AI-Savvy Educator Explore innovative strategies that promote authentic learning and academic integrity in the face of rapidly advancing artificial intelligence technologies. Through a series of online workshops and discussions, participants will examine the challenges and opportunities presented by AI tools like ChatGPT, share best practices for building responsible AI practices and creating more effective assessments, and develop a toolkit of adaptable assessment techniques that encourage critical thinking, creativity, and original work. The FLC aims to foster a supportive peer learning environment where faculty can experiment with new approaches, troubleshoot common issues, and ultimately enhance their teaching and assessment practices to better prepare students for success in an AI-infused world. We will cover: Understanding the AI Landscape: An overview of AI writing tools, their capabilities, and their implications for academic assessment. Promoting Trust in the Classroom: Best practices for educating students about the responsible use of AI tools and fostering a culture of academic honesty. Embracing AI as a Teaching Tool: Investigating ways to leverage AI constructively in the classroom, such as using ChatGPT to generate writing prompts or provide personalized feedback on drafts. AI and Course Development: Take a structured 5-step approach to accelerating AI course development. Kathleen J. Kennedy |
|
Monday 2:00-3:00pm ZOOM |
Writing-to-Learn Activities in STEM Emily Jo Schwaller and Mascha Gemein |
|
FULL |
Teaching with AI: A practical guide to a new era of human learning by Jose Antonio Bowen and C. Edward Watson. This text is available through the UA libraries: Click Here Kathy Broneck |
|
Tuesday 10:00-11:00am IN PERSON WEEKLY ILC-UCATT conference room |
CIRTL FLC This FLC is for postdocs enrolled in the CIRTL Postdoc Pathways Program and runs concurrently with the 8-week CIRTL course, An Introduction to Evidence-Based Undergraduate STEM Teaching. Note: This FLC meets weekly. Kristin Winet and Alyssa Sachs |
|
Tuesday 12:00-1:00pm
ZOOM |
Teaching [Writing] with AI Aimee Mapes and Ahn Dang |
|
FULL |
Preparing for Critical Conversations in the Classroom In this FLC, facilitators and participants will act as co-learners in evaluating resources and identifying key strategies for instructors to prepare for critical conversations (on politics, class, race, immigration, or religion) to support student learning and bandwidth in the classroom. Based on participant choice, topics may include reflective practice and self-care for instructors, course design choices and teaching materials that guide students, learning techniques for discussions and dialogues, and strategies for facilitation and moderation to create an environment of openness and intercultural awareness for varied perspectives. Spencer Willis & Mascha Gemein |
|
Wednesday 11:30-1:00pm IN PERSON lunch provided Meets: 9/25, 10/23, 11/20, 12/18
Registration: https://bit.ly/4go6cxk |
Creating Inclusive and Equitable Learning Environments for Native American students The Graduate College and the Agnese Nelms Haury Program for Environment and Social Justice are sponsoring a new FLC that supports the success and wellbeing of Native American students. Participants will build a community of practice that explores culturally relevant, Indigenously focused mentorship models and teaching strategies. This safe and empowering space will develop your mentoring and leadership praxis and build a circle of advocates for Indigenous student success. Speakers include, but are not limited to Dr. Sweeney Windchief, Montana State University, Dr. Jeremy Garcia, University of Arizona, Native American PhD alumni and current graduate students Maggie Pitts and Frans Tax
** 90-minute meetings in Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. will accommodate participant schedules |
|
Wednesday 12:00-1:00pm ZOOM |
Infusing Critical Thinking This FLC will discuss how to infuse critical thinking into your course or curriculum. Elaine Marchello and Susan Miller-Cochran |
|
Wednesday 1:00-2:00pm ZOOM |
Teaching with AI: A practical guide to a new era of human learning by Jose Antonio Bowen and C. Edward Watson. This text is available through the UA libraries: Click Here Kathleen J. Kennedy |
|
FULL |
Teaching with AI: A practical guide to a new era of human learning by Jose Antonio Bowen and C. Edward Watson. This text is available through the UA libraries: Click Here Jeri Heileman and Jackie Maximillian |
|
Wednesday 3:00-4:00pm ZOOM |
Teaching with AI: A practical guide to a new era of human learning by Jose Antonio Bowen and C. Edward Watson. This text is available through the UA libraries: Click Here Lisa Rezende |
|
Thursday 10:00-11:00am IN PERSON 313 Science Library |
Fostering Student Belonging for Success: Students become more successful when they feel like they belong in a class, in a major, or at a school. There are low-cost easy actions that we can take as faculty to help students connect with us and each other so that their sense of belonging will increase. We will explore ideas around this topic together through reading some accessible materials and discussing how we might deploy ideas inside and outside our classrooms. Paul Blowers |
|
cancelled |
|
|
Thursday 12:30-1:30pm Hybrid (in-person and ZOOM) |
FeedbackFruits: Pedagogy and Design UCATT is moving FeedbackFruits from a pilot to a fully supported and integrated D2L tool. Feedback Fruits is designed to support active learning pedagogies (e.g. self-reflection, team-based learning , peer review, IF-AT) for in-person and remote classes. The tools in the Feedback Fruits suite are well-designed, user friendly, and similar in look and feel. Feedback Fruits is feature-rich, allowing instructors and students to screen record directly into the application in the web browser, add attachments, audio and video recording, text, and more.
Each FLC meeting will start with a brief theoretical overview of a pedagogical method FeedbackFruits is designed to support. Then together we will build a FeedbackFruits activity exemplifying the pedagogy, and you will get the opportunity to complete the activity from the student perspective.
If you would like to request that FeedbackFruits be enabled in your course(s) ahead of time, please complete the Request FeedbackFruits In Your Course Qualtrics form.
Buddy Buttram and Katrina Henry |
|
Thursday 3:30-4:30pm ZOOM |
Teaching with AI: A practical guide to a new era of human learning by Jose Antonio Bowen and C. Edward Watson. This text is available through the UA libraries: Click Here Gretchen Gibbs and David Herring |
|
Thursday 3:30-4:30pm ZOOM |
Teaching Large Classes If you have taught (or are preparing to teach) a large class, you know teaching large classes can be a daunting experience. But whether you have 50 or 1,000 students, good learning experiences can come in classes of any size. In fact, large classes offer some learning opportunities that small classes do not. In our FLC discussions, we'll explore some important design considerations that promote a successful learning experience for all. Bill Neumann |
|
Thursday 4:30-5:30pm ZOOM
|
STEM Research and Practice: Reviewing the Research on Asset Based Instruction Asset based instruction focuses on learners’ strengths and values what students bring to the classroom. Join us as we explore the research on asset-based teaching with implications for instruction. To avoid meeting on Halloween, please note that our later dates are shifted slightly from the regular FLC meeting weeks. Erin Galyen and Sanlyn Buxner |
|
Friday 10:00-11:00 am ZOOM |
Using data to increase equitable outcomes in your course We'll work together to strategize how you can use course design to address persistent equity gaps in student outcomes. This FLC will offer personalized insight into course-level student outcomes through a custom-built data dashboard and give you space to explore with other educators how to create a more inclusive course through teaching and learning techniques known to enhance student success and equity for minoritized students. Open to all disciplines and especially well-suited to larger courses that you routinely teach. Lisa Elfring and Sarah Kyte |
|
CANCELLED |
Teaching with AI: A practical guide to a new era of human learning by Jose Antonio Bowen and C. Edward Watson. This text is available through the UA libraries: Click Here Jean McClelland |
FAQs
Our learning communities are open to anyone who is interested in teaching and learning in the UArizona community! We encourage all faculty, staff, postdocs, and graduate students to participate.
Click the REGISTER button at the top of the page. You will be taken to a Qualtrics survey to fill out. Once you register, you are registered for the entire semester.
Participants can register for more than one group; however, sessions are capped at 12 in order to facilitate intimate, meaningful conversation. To register for more than one session, you will need to fill out the registration form twice.
Yes! Active participation is expected from all community members, so please plan to contribute your ideas, questions, examples, and curiosities at each session.
Yes! Participants who attend at least 5 of the 6 sessions will receive a certificate to demonstrate their continuing professional development in Edge Learning.
We offer FLCs that are in person, hybrid, and on Zoom. We are also offering asynchronous learning communities for the first time this semester.
Please contact Kate Bunton (bunton@arizona.edu) to discuss any accessibility needs you may have.