The foundational premise of Faculty Learning Communities (FLCs) and Communities of Practice (CoPs) is that learning is socially situated. Both FLCs and CoPs are facilitated by faculty scholar-practitioners in the Center for Teaching and contribute to teaching and learning excellence. 

CoPs are dedicated to developing each instructor’s knowledge around a shared domain of practice, while FLCs also facilitate the production, dissemination, and use of evidence-based practice (Cox and McDonald, 2016). 

Joining a Faculty Community

If you are interested in joining a faculty community or learning more about its topic and process, you can contact that community's faculty leaders and liaison which are listed below.  

Please contact the Center for Teaching if you have general questions about faculty communities. 

Current CoPs

Data-Informed Teaching

This CoP meets to explore student data available to UI faculty with two goals: 1) identify barriers to student learning and 2) generate solutions to implement at the course or program level.

Transparent Assignment Design

Participants will leverage an evidence-based transparent assignment design framework, receive feedback from their peers, and refine their course assignments. The participants can also use this space to reflect on the effectiveness of the transparent assignment design framework to improve their teaching practice and students’ learning experience.

Generative AI in Teaching

Co-sponsored by the Office of Teaching, Learning, and Technology, this CoP will meet monthly to explore the implications of generative AI, such as ChatGPT, in higher education. Members will discuss ideas and practices related to generative AI in the classroom.

Conducting Research in Engineering Education

This CoP will explore the differences and relationships between scholarly teaching, the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL), and rigorous research in engineering education. We also discuss conceptual and theoretical frameworks and the IRB process for engineering education research and provide peer feedback for the members' NSF proposals in engineering education. 

Experiential Education

Broadly, this CoP will support the university's 2022-2027 Strategic Plan’s Excellence in Teaching & Learning goal of Improving equitable access to distinctive, high-impact educational opportunities for students and is appropriate for both those teaching existing experiential courses and those who are interested in developing new courses or assignments with an experiential education approach. In this CoP, we will discuss incorporating an experiential education framework into course design and assessment, exchange feedback on assignments, and leverage each other’s experiences and expertise to enrich student learning. 

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Current FLCs

Assessing Assessment for Equity and Student Motivation

This FLC explores strategies for ensuring equity in assessment and helping students move away from grade-centered motivations. 

Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)

This FLC provides a place for faculty to learn about SoTL, support each other in pursuing SoTL, and discuss ways to make it more visible. 

Playing with Education: Gamifying the Classroom

This FLC explores strategies for incorporating games into teaching with the goals of facilitating content learning, engaging students in active learning, and making learning fun. We’ll also explore integrating the tech and tools needed for leveraging games and gamification principles into a course. 

Cognitive Support for Student Learning

This FLC, co-sponsored by the P3-funded Learning at Iowa project, explores equitable strategies to nurture students’ reflection on their learning. Our aim is to discuss how to foster students’ metacognition and support their learning using empirically supported practices from cognitive science. 

Community-Engaged Teaching and Research

This FLC will work in tandem with university strategic planning efforts to develop policies and tactics that advance the goals, strategies, and objectives of the University of Iowa strategic plan related to community engagement. The FLC members will explore the potential and process of developing partnerships with community partners, promoting skills for community-engaged course faculty, and nurturing students' experience in this course context. 

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Student Engagement and Civic Dialogue

This FLC explores teaching practices to foster student growth and enhance students' ability to thoughtfully participate in diverse, challenging conversations within the university and broader communities. Members will explore evidence-informed practices on navigating difficult classroom discussions and integrating civic dialogue into curricula to enhance student learning and civic responsibility.

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Other Elements

One critical component of this work is assessment, which measures and understands the impact of the FLC or CoP. The Center for Teaching uses assessment frameworks that facilitate faculty member’s understanding of the changes in their process (e.g., their teaching practice) and also represent changes in institutional culture. One model of authentic assessment for these communities includes participants in the design of assessment strategies and criteria and addresses the learning that is important to participants (Hubball et al., 2004). 

  • Two to three faculty members serve as leaders of each faculty community. Leaders are invited to attend a leaders’ coffee session at the beginning of the academic year to share ideas and get support. 
  • FLCs and CoPs often begin the academic year by sharing short readings to jump-start discussion. 
  • Faculty communities meet at least three times per semester; some choose to meet as frequently as every three weeks. 
  • The goals, discussions, content, agendas, and outcomes develop iteratively throughout the academic year.

  • The Center for Teaching liaison provides expertise in the form of literature recommendations, thought partnering, and collaboration for FLCs and CoPs.  
  • Administrative staff can provide additional support for meeting scheduling as needed. 
  • Funding from the Center for Teaching can provide books to spark discussion during FLC meetings, enable FLC members to attend relevant community events, invite speakers, or participate in working dinners.

  • Student Research Teams
  • Community Engaged Research