Part-time Faculty Community (PT-FLC)

About Faculty Learning Communities

According to Milton D. Cox, a faculty learning community is a group of cross-disciplinary faculty members who come together to work on teaching and learning topics. Members of an FLC participate in activities grounded in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, which further the FLC curriculum, foster learning and professional development, and build community. A full FLC cohort is typically composed of eight to 12 applicants. A minimum of eight complete applications are required in order to offer this FLC for the 2012-13 academic year.

Call for Applications

Applications are now being accepted for Part-time faculty who wish to participate in the 2012-2013 Faculty Learning Community. This community is designed to offer a select group of Part-time faculty from across the disciplines a supportive, collegial atmosphere in which to explore and apply the findings of learning theory in one's teaching at UofL.

Bridging the Gap: Connecting How Students Learn with Practical Classroom Teaching Strategies

September 2012 - April 2013

Many faculty are aware of learning theory and how, for the past several decades, much has been uncovered with regard to how humans learn, yet most faculty receive little pedagogical training. Thus, this treasure trove of knowledge with regard to learning goes untapped by faculty who long for ways to improve their course design and foster a classroom climate which promotes learning and moves students towards becoming self-directed learners.

In the 2010 book How Learning Works: Seven Research Based Principles for Smart Teaching, Susan Ambrose and her colleagues summarize the findings of teaching and learning scholarship and identify important "gaps" that exist between faculty and students: the expert/novice disparity; differences in development stages between faculty and students; the presence or lack of meaningful knowledge structures; the level (or lack) of metacognitive skills; and motivational levels for learning.

In this year's Part-time Faculty Learning Community, we cordially invite you to join us as we collectively examine How Learning Works and consider how to "bridge the gaps" between the findings of learning theory and practical classroom strategies in order to foster a productive learning environment.

Learning Objectives

Participants in the 2012-13 FLC will experience opportunities to:

• Enhance their knowledge of learning theory and its implications for teaching;
• Identify practical classroom teaching strategies designed to take advantage of the growing database of knowledge about how students learn;
• Identify the role of student development theory in developing a productive classroom climate;
• Incorporate elements of critical thinking into course design;
• Gain exposure to instructional technologies that, if used well, foster student learning;
• Reflect on one's personal philosophy and approach to teaching;
• Become part of a cohort of FLC graduates who can provide collegial support; and
• Contribute to a growing library of "best practices" teaching artifacts to be made available via the Part-time Faculty web page on the Delphi Center's web site

Expectations

This FLC is intended to supplement the Part-time Faculty Institute (PTFI) with meaningful, ongoing discussion, dialogue, and activities. To achieve that goal, participants should plan to:

• Attend five of the six monthly meetings (see table below for dates), completing readings and other activities by assigned deadlines;
• Attend five of the six monthly sessions of the 2012-13 Part-time Faculty Institute (see table below for dates); and
• Produce two deliverables—one individual, one collaborative—as follows:
  1. Submit at least one artifact (an assignment, classroom or online activity) exemplifying best practices to be made available on the Delphi Center's Part-time Faculty webpage
  2. Work collaboratively with an FLC colleague to conduct a peer classroom observation and offer constructive feedback

2012-13 Part-time Faculty Learning Community (PT-FLC) and Part-time Faculty Institute (PTFI) Schedule

PT-FLC and PTFI sessions meet on Thursday evenings from 5:30—7:30 p.m. in the Delphi Center Lab, Ekstrom Library, 2^nd Floor. A light dinner is provided.

Eligibility Requirements for Applicants

Applicants for this 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 2012 and spring 2013;
• Must have one year of experience teaching at the University of Louisville;
• Must be willing to participate in peer classroom observations, sharing with and receiving feedback from fellow Part-time faculty colleagues; and
• Must be available and willing to attend five of the six monthly FLC meetings and five of the six sessions of the 2012-13 PTFI (see scheduled dates above).

Selection

Applications will be evaluated by a selection committee comprised of Delphi Center staff. 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 during the week of September 10, 2012.

Incentives for Participating in the FLC

• Stipend: Upon the successful completion of the PT-FLC (i.e., cohort activities, final deliverables), participants will receive a $700 stipend and remain eligible to receive the PTFI incentive of $300
• A copy of How Learning Works: 7 Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching by Susan A. Ambrose, et al. and other related resources and articles
• A certificate of completion or other written documentation of successful completion of the FLC
• Professional development and enrichment as a college teacher
• Opportunities to build community with other Part-time faculty members

Application Submission Instructions

To apply, please print and complete the application form [PDF], and obtain the signature of your department or course chair.

All materials should be sent via campus mail to Dr. Roy Fuller, Delphi Center, Ekstrom Library, by September 4, 2012.

Timeline

Tuesday, September 11 - Deadline for applications

Tuesday, September 11 - Participants are notified of acceptance

Thursday, September 20 - First regular meeting of the FLC

September 2012 - March, 2013 Regularly-scheduled Thursday evening sessions (see the timetable above for dates)

April 2013 - Wrap-up and submission of teaching artifacts