Part-time Faculty Community (PT-FLC)

The Delphi Center for Teaching and Learning is pleased to announce the call for applications for the third annual Part-time Faculty Learning Community.

Critical Thinking Skills for College Students

2013-2014 Part-time Faculty Learning Community (PT-FLC)

Praise from past participants:

"I found this opportunity with the PT-FLC affirmed my teaching methods, gave me evidence to back up those methods and supported my growth."

—Bonnie Reuling

College of Education and Human Development

"The Part-Time Faculty Learning Community has certainly played a significant role in refining my practices and in my growth as a teacher. I am now able to recognize my own use of metacognitive skills, something I was not actively aware of prior to participating in the PT-FLC."

—John Ritz

School of Music

One of the goals of The University of Louisville’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), known as Ideas to Action (i2a), calls for improving the educational experience of undergraduates by infusing critical thinking tools and concepts across the undergraduate curriculum, including Gen Ed courses. One way to accomplish this goal is by providing training in critical thinking tools and their pedagogical application. Since many Gen Ed courses are taught by part-time faculty, this Faculty Learning Community (FLC) seeks to further these goals and offer opportunities for part-time faculty to build community and engage in professional development.

Goals

The 2013-2014 Part-time Faculty Learning Community (PT-FLC) seeks to accomplish the following goals:

1. Develop part-time Gen Ed faculty members’ understanding and application of the Paul-Elder (2008) critical thinking framework through sustained pedagogical support, with priority given to part-time faculty teaching Gen Ed courses;
2. Promote best practices in instructional design through sharing the principles of collecting and analyzing formative feedback and student impact data for teaching improvement; and
3. Engage participants in a reflective professional development process in a supportive and collegial cross-disciplinary setting.

Objectives

PT-FLC participants will experience opportunities to:

1. Enhance engagement with critical thinking concepts and tools by learning how to apply the Paul-Elder critical thinking model in Gen Ed courses;
2. Dialogue and constructively discuss experiences across disciplines in an environment that supports and enhances learning; and
3. Engage in reflective practice following Brookfield’s (1995) the “four lens model,” which promotes the use of theory, feedback from colleagues and students, and self-reflection as a basis for improving one’s teaching.

Expectations for Participants

PT-FLC participants are expected to fully participate in all sessions, including completing assigned readings, participating in related activities, and submitting deliverables by due dates. Participants will be expected to work with PT-FLC staff to develop a plan to share their work with relevant colleagues in their department and/or unit.

Deliverables

Participants will complete two deliverables as follows:

1. Submit at least one artifact exemplifying i2a critical thinking tools and concepts to be made available on the Delphi Center’s i2a and Faculty Exemplars web sites. Artifact will include student impact data and an analysis of that data as well as any
2. Work collaboratively with an FLC colleague to conduct a peer classroom observation related to their critical thinking assignment and complete a reflective essay about the experience.

(Additional guidelines regarding the deliverables and schedule will be introduced at the first session of the PT-FLC)

Session Dates and Proposed Topics

All sessions will take place on Thursday evenings from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the Delphi Center, Ekstrom Library. A light dinner is provided.

Eligibility Requirements for Applicants for 2013-14 PT-FLC

Applicants for this PT-FLC should carefully consider the eligibility requirements below. Successful participants should:

• Reasonably expect to teach one face-to-face or online course in both fall 2013 and spring 2014;
• Be available to attend six of the seven monthly sessions of the PT-FLC;
• Have previous experience teaching at the University of Louisville;
• Be willing to participate in peer classroom observations, sharing with and receiving feedback from fellow part-time faculty colleagues;
• Complete all assignments and submit deliverables on time (as defined in course syllabus) in order to qualify for the stipend. Participants will work with Delphi Center staff to revise project descriptions for inclusion on the Delphi Center’s web page, with web-ready revision submitted by May 15, 2014.

Incentives for Participating in the PT-FLC

• Upon successful completion of the PT-FLC (i.e., all assignments, projects, and final deliverables submitted), participants will receive a $700 stipend. Part-time faculty who are already full-time staff, either monthly or classified (hourly), do not qualify for incentives. P&A staff working at 80% or more and ALL classified (hourly) staff are ineligible for incentives. Participants must be actively teaching at UofL during the semester for which credit towards the incentive is accrued. Attendance requirements for incentive eligibility must be met between July 1, 2013 and June 30, 2014.
• Copies of course materials and readings
• Certificate of completion and letters of completion sent to department/unit chairs
• Professional development and enrichment as a college instructor
• Opportunities to build community with other part-time faculty

Application Submission Instructions

To apply, complete the electronic application form, and obtain an email endorsement from your department or course chair. Application form should be submitted and email endorsement should be emailed to Dr. Roy Fuller, Delphi Part-time Faculty Fellow, by Wednesday, September 11, 2013.

Selection

Applications will be evaluated by a selection committee comprised of Delphi Center staff. In keeping with the mission of the Delphi Center, which is to serve the professional development needs of UofL faculty, and the university’s Quality Enhancement Plan, which calls for improving the critical thinking skills of undergraduates, preference will be given to part-time faculty who teach Gen Ed courses. In the case of having too many eligible applicants, the selection committee will chose a diverse group representing a variety of disciplines and experiences. Selection of participants is final. All applicants will be notified about the status of their application on Friday, September 13, 2013.

Timeline

Wednesday, September 4 – Deadline for applications

Friday, September 13 – Participants are notified of acceptance

Thursday, September 19 – First session

April 2014 – Submission of Deliverables