Anne Taylor-Vaisey recently posted a link to the Spring 2004 issue of New Directions for Teaching & Learning (Issue 97) (for publisher link, click here). It's all about faculty learning communities. Anne's exerpt from the editor's notes read:
- The FLC approach offers great potential for addressing institutional interests by connecting colleagues across disciplines and departments, and the FLC movement is ready to expand from the colleges and universities of early practitioners to institutions that are willing to explore and initiate FLC programs. These early practitioners, the authors of the chapters in this book, explain how and why.
Maybe this exists for faculty of CME activities, but I haven't heard of it. Wouldn't it be great if the FLC movement expands beyond universities to all those who provide education, particularly for continuing adult learners? I've been hearing so much lately about faculty issues that go way beyond honoraria creep. I think building a faculty learning community for CME faculty could go a long way toward resolving at least some of these issues. What do you think?
To comment on this post, click on "comments" below. To receive a weekly update, e-mail Sue.
Faculty Learning Communities is the theme for the Spring 2004 issue of New Directions for Teaching & Learning (Issue 97).
Excerpt from Editors' notes, Cox, Milton D.; Richlin, Laurie pp. 1 - 4.
At this point in FLC history, the focus is on the practitioners who have solved the issues of initiating, managing, and facilitating FLCs. The next focus will be on the outcomes from assessment of participants in these FLCs, which should be available in the next five years. The FLC pproach offers great potential for addressing institutional interests by connecting colleagues across disciplines and departments, and the FLC movement is ready to expand from the colleges and universities of early practitioners to institutions that are willing to explore and initiate FLC programs. These early practitioners, the authors of the chapters in this book, explain how and why.
Here is a listing of the chapter titles and authors, with short abstracts:
Introduction to faculty learning communities
Cox, Milton D. pp. 5 - 23.
Faculty learning communities create connections for isolated teachers, establish networks for those pursuing pedagogical issues, meet early-career faculty expectations for community, foster multidisciplinary curricula, and begin to bring community to higher education.
Overview of faculty learning communities
Richlin, Laurie; Essington, Amy pp. 25 - 39.
This chapter reports the results of a series of surveys that investigated the locations and attributes of FLCs, including type of institution and FLC sizes, budgets, participants, and activities.
Institutional considerations in developing a faculty learning community program
Shulman, Gary M.; Cox, Milton D.; Richlin, Laurie pp. 41 - 49.
For successful implementation of FLCs, consider leadership recommendations for institutional change, reasons for choosing the FLC model, and institutional conditions that may facilitate or hinder FLC development.
Developing facilitators for faculty learning
Sandell, Karin L.; Wigley, Katy; Kovalchick, Ann pp. 51 - 62.
The processes for choosing, preparing, and supporting facilitators for faculty learning communities are as unique as the campuses housing them. This chapter reports on a range of activities and highlights three preparation programs.
Facilitating faculty learning communities: A compact guide to creating change and inspiring community
Petrone, Martha C.; Ortquist-Ahrens, Leslie pp. 63 - 69.
Previous FLC facilitators share experiences and insights about group process and provide their advice for facilitating successful communities.
Developing a statewide faculty learning community program
Hansen, Sheryl; Kalish, Alan; Hall, Wayne E.; Gynn, Catherine M.; Holly, Mary Louise; Madigan, Dan pp. 71 - 80.
A small state agency used the FLC model to collaborate with campuses on faculty development efforts that resulted in successful implementation of pedagogically robust and technologically enhanced programs.
Managing multiple faculty learning communities
Barton, Melody Ayn; Richlin, Laurie pp. 81 - 85.
As FLC programs expand, there is an increasing need to use technology and diplomacy to manage the details of multiple concurrent FLCs.
Assessing faculty learning communities
Hubball, Harry; Clarke, Anthony; Beach, Andrea L. pp. 87 - 100.
Evaluation and assessment are critical to the success of FLCs, and authentic assessment has the potential to contribute greatly to the quality of FLC experiences in terms of both process and outcomes.
Technology in support of faculty learning communities
Vaughan, Norman pp. 101 - 109.
Technology can be used to effectively support FLCs. This chapter explores how technology and a community of inquiry model can be used to facilitate individual reflection and critical discourse about teaching practice.
Supporting diversity with faculty learning communities: Teaching and learning across boundaries
Petrone, Martha C. pp. 111 - 125.
Both in structure and focus, FLCs create a necessary construct for a cultural transformation of teaching and learning that invites all to achieve their intellectual and social potential.
Developing scholarly teaching and the scholarship of teaching and learning through faculty learning communities
Richlin, Laurie; Cox, Milton D. pp. 127 - 135.
The scholarship of teaching and learning has been a primary motivator and focus of faculty learning communities. This chapter reports on the strategies, processes, and activities that foster this scholarship in FLCs.
Midcareer and senior faculty learning communities: Learning throughout faculty careers
Blaisdell, Muriel L.; Cox, Milton D. pp. 137 - 148.
Faculty members' productivity may shift over time, not as a function of age but as a function of the amount of time a senior faculty member spends with colleagues (Bland and Bergquist, 1997). This chapter shows how faculty learning communities can provide the opportunities and connections that senior and midcareer faculty need to continue productive academic lives.
Faculty learning communities for preparing future faculty
Richlin, Laurie; Essington, Amy pp. 149 - 157.
Faculty learning communities have many attributes that can contribute to the successful preparation of graduate students as future faculty members.
