The CTLA sponsors Faculty Learning Communities each year. As originally conceived by Milton Cox (2004), Faculty Learning Communities are designed for small, interdisciplinary groups of teaching faculty to come together on a regular basis over a sustained period of time, with a focus on investigating and implementing new teaching and learning approaches. Faculty who participate in these communities often report a number of benefits, including developing lasting relationships with faculty in other departments, thinking deeply about their own pedagogical approaches, and developing new expertise.Participants in previous faculty learning communities were asked to complete an anonymous survey about their experience. In response to the question, “What would you tell other faculty who are trying to decide whether or not to participate in a year-long Faculty Learning Community?” participants gave the following responses:
- It is an incredible use of your precious time! The main ways that I learned over the years to be a better teacher have come from colleagues and my own openness to learning and bettering myself.
- Great use of time- and fun as well!
- I would tell them it is a worthwhile experience. We all have time constraints but carving out time to discuss pedagogical practices with your colleagues is invaluable. I learned so much from other faculty and made a few friends in the process.
- Just do it. You'll wind up learning more about yourself and your teaching regardless of the topic because of the people who will be in the room with you throughout the year.
- a great learning opportunity and a way to meet others across campus
- To make sure there is time in one's schedule - flexibility is a must, and missing more than one or two meetings per semester due to over-scheduling can detract from the "community" aspect.
- It is well worth the time invested to connect with colleagues to develop strategies to help our students succeed.
- Having dedicated time to discuss pedagogy is golden. Having a set schedule to do this was key. If I had tried to get together with other profs to talk shop, it would happen maybe once or twice an academic year. Invest in this time to learn or it may not happen!
- There is no downside to participating in the faculty learning community. We read and learn at our pace, determine for ourself what to try out, and how to make it work for us individually. Also, it is a rare opportunity to connect with colleagues from other disciplines in a prolonged learning engagement (committee work brings various colleagues together, but that has a clear task, unlike this purely learning experience).
- If you have the time, it's worth the engagement. It's important to get to know colleagues/peers outside of your own silo. This program helps to break down those barriers. Think of it as a networking opportunity.
- This was a very satisfactory experience! Having community on campus is so important, especially when it involves multidisciplinary collaborations. This is where new ideas are generated and relationships are built. If you are on the fence, I say don't hesitate and join in! You won't regret it.
- It's a great opportunity to have devoted time throughout the semester to think about teaching.
- It’s so valuable to have a learning experience with varied faculty from differing departments.
- You will be surprised at the depth of satisfaction that comes from this learning opportunity. You will engage with brilliant adults from other departments who provide a fresh and inspiring perspective. I paraphrase Merlin (T.H.White), who said the best remedy for all that ails you is to learn something. “That is the one thing which the mind can never exhaust.”
- I would highly recommend other faculty participate in Faculty Learning Communities; the interchange of ideas and collaboration among faculty in various disciplines is very valuable for expanding as well as solidifying perspectives on the topic discussed.
- Social learning from our colleagues is a very important element in our profession.
- I would encourage them to try it just once (at least). It is a rare opportunity to engage in dedicated conversations with faculty from diverse disciplines. I would encourage them to choose topics that are far out of their realm so they can stretch themselves. I would also tell them to commit to reading for each meeting, to attend each meeting, and to be present for the full length. Every community depends on each member to fully participate, so I would tell them to be sure before committing.
