Applications for next year's Faculty Learning Communities are due May 15. The application itself is short, but does require approval of your chair. Please see the details below.

The Faculty Development Center invites applications from all UMBC faculty to participate in UMBC’s Faculty Learning Communities program. A faculty learning community (FLC) is a group of 8-12 faculty across disciplines who join together in a year-long exploration of specific evidence-based teaching practices. Through FLCs faculty connect with colleagues, find out more about how teaching can impact learning, and come away with a product to use in their own teaching. FLCs support faculty in developing a new pedagogical approach, new kinds of assignments, and/or new ways to assess student learning. The program consists of: regular meetings every three weeks which participants agree to attend faithfully, a kick-off retreat to build community and initiate the conversations, and a follow-up presentation of products from participants. Faculty participants gain new colleagues, expertise, and an opportunity to document their teaching effectiveness.

For the academic year 2014-15 four year-long FLCs will be led by UMBC Faculty Learning Community Facilitators:

Contemplative Pedagogy led by Sarah Leupen, Department of Biological Sciences and Robin Barry, Department of Psychology

Diversity in the Classroom: Enhancing the Curriculum and Environment led by Eileen O’Brien and Julie Murphy, Department of Psychology

iTEACH: Using Tablet Computers in the Classroom led by Donald Snyder, Media and Communication Studies and co-facilitator to be announced

Teacher-Scholars, a pre-tenure faculty cohort FLC led by Linda Hodges, Director of the Faculty Development Center

Participating faculty are expected to:

 ·       Attend all meetings

·       Attend kick-off retreat August 15^th, 2014

·       Create and present a product related to the work of the FLC

In addition to becoming part of a network of faculty across disciplines who provide support and creative ideas about teaching and learning, participating faculty will receive $500 for professional development.

Faculty may apply for as many FLCs as they wish, but they will be chosen for only one. Participants for each community will be chosen by a committee consisting of the FLC Faculty Learning Community Facilitators and the Director of the Faculty Development Center. Criteria for choosing applicants include:

·       Commitment to quality teaching as demonstrated by: reflection on teaching; changes in teaching methods based on assessment of student learning; or interest in or use of innovative strategies

·       Potential contribution to UMBC

·       Willingness to try new ideas

·       Ability to commit to regular meetings (one every 3 weeks)

Please see the attachments for descriptions and applications for each of the four FLCs. Applications MUST also include a schedule grid for the fall semester 2014 and the signature of the department chair. All applications are due no later than May 15, 2014.