What is a Faculty Learning Community?

Faculty Learning Communities (FLCs) are peer-led groups of faculty, staff, and graduate students who engage in an active, collaborative, year–long program structured to provide encouragement, support, and reflection.

Stimulate innovation and create experiential, collaborative learning environments
Increase collaboration and make the best use of limited funding
Provide a flexible professional development structure to support learning of any topic
Increase communication and collaboration among faculty who, by the nature of their work in individual classrooms, are often isolated from colleagues

Participant Expectations

Attend all required meetings, and attend 75% of optional meetings. FLC leaders may decide with their group to attend a workshop in replacement of or in addition to the normal monthly meetings.
Propose and construct your “Big Idea Project.” The Big Idea Project can be one project completed by the entire group or each member can have their own project. Some examples of what this project could be are:
- Course specific improvements
- Creating a teaching resource for the UF teaching community
- Conducting research that can contribute to the scholarship of teaching and learning
Attend the wrap-up session in which each FLC will present their Big Idea Project (individual or group)

Registration

The link to each FLC’s registration form is located in the drop-down menu below. Some forms will require you to login with your UF Google Account. Once you’ve registered, you will be added to the Faculty Learning Communities Canvas course. If you’re interested in hosting a future FLC, start planning your session with our campus collaborators form. Please contact Zaina Sheets if you’d like to become an FLC facilitator.

2022-2023 FLCs

Affordable Access for Student Success

Overview

Participants in this FLC will interact with experts from across UF’s campus as well as multidisciplinary external project advisors to guide the creation of their own OERs. Participants in this year-long program will form a small cohort of instructors committed to the development of free, open course materials through intensive training and mentorship. Over the course of the program, participants will develop an initial prototype for an OER, as well as a long-term project plan. This learning community will be held in Spring/Fall 2023.

Note: Acceptance into this FLC is by application only. For more information about this FLC, visit the Affordable Texts website.

Formative Assessment Rubric for Peer Evaluation of Teaching (FARPET)

Overview

The FARPET Crew has created a flexible research-based tool for the Peer Evaluation of Teaching, specifically for lectures. The Formative Assessment Rubric for Peer Evaluation of Teaching has been piloted for use within the veterinary academic community but we believe that it is applicable to other health science and non-health science fields. This FLC was created to provide a collaborative space for educators from various fields who are passionate about peer evaluation of teaching and faculty development. Participants in this FLC will get to expand, adapt, and customize the FARPET peer evaluation tool for use in a broad range of disciplines. Register for FARPET.

Goals

Create opportunities for collaboration among diverse educators
Expand and customize the peer evaluation of teaching tool for broader use across diverse fields
Maximize ease of use and adaptability of the instrument to meet the needs of educators

Exploring Experiential Learning for UF Quest 3 Courses

UF Quest 3: Experiential Learning Faculty Learning Community workshop series will introduce you to high impact experiential learning practices as you develop or enhance your Quest 3 courses. Through this seminar series you will be introduced to different types of experiential learning such as Community Service, Internship, Study Abroad, Design Competition, and Undergraduate Research. You will develop an aspect of your Quest 3 course and present it at the Fall luncheon. In the spring you will work with other faculty to create a handbook on experiential learning and share it with the teaching community at UF. Register for Exploring Experiential Learning for Quest 3 Courses.

Goals

Discover diverse experiential learning practices
Create or enhance experiential learning aspects of your course
Develop a handbook on experiential learning practices at UF

Please view the UF Quest 3 Booklet below:

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Schedule

Date	Title	Description	Location	Speakers
September 1 (Part 1)	Opening Session	The opening session offers an overview of the goals and expectations for this series and gives faculty an opportunity to meet and network.	CTE	John Richard (Rick) Stepp Marta L. Wayne Andrew Wolpert Alex-Bitton-Bailey Paloma Rodriguez Colab facilitator: Alex-Bitton-Bailey
September 1 (Part 2)	Teaching through Oral Histories	Engaging in the recording of oral histories makes students more empathetic and culturally aware. This session offers examples of hands-on oral history projects faculty have implemented in their courses. Participants will learn about the resources available at the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program.	CTE	Deborah Hendrix Jeffrey Pufahl Kathryn Dwyer-Navajas Ingrid Kleespies Facilitator: Paloma Rodriguez
Sept 8	International Virtual Exchange	Virtual exchange connects faculty and students across borders. This session features a panel of faculty who have developed global classrooms by connecting their students to peers and experts around the world. Participants will learn about virtual exchange resources available at the UF International Center.	Online	Eric Esterline Megan Mocko Diba Mani Facilitator: Paloma Rodriguez
Sept 15	Experiential Learning at the Museums	The UF Museums are fabulous venues for experiential learning. This workshop and guided visit to the Harn Museum and the Florida Museum will help faculty discover valuable resources for projects and out-of-the-classroom experiences for their students.	Harn & Florida Museum	Eric Segal Darcie MacMahon Facilitator: Paloma Rodriguez
Sept 22	Undergraduate Research & Library Resources	Engaging in undergraduate research helps students apply knowledge and improves their overall engagement. In this session, faculty will share their experiences with mentoring undergraduate students. Participants will learn ways to collaborate with the Center for Undergraduate Research.	Libraries	Anne Donnelly Anthony Auletta Ginessa Mahar Monika Oli Facilitator: Alex-Bitton-Bailey
Sept 29 Rescheduled To 11/17	Volunteering	This session will introduce participants to the wide range of opportunities available to students interested in volunteering. UF has considerable resources and infrastructure in place to facilitate these opportunities and some of the UF leaders of these initiatives will present their work.	O’Neill Reading room, Puhl Hall, Bob Graham Center	Kevin Bird Manda Wittebort Susan Crowley Facilitator: John Richard (Rick) Stepp
October 6	Internships	This session offers a variety of internship models and provides information about the management and structure of these learning opportunities. Faculty will tour the Career Connections Center and learn about the resources available for faculty and students.	Explorations Room, Career Connections Center	Holly Moses Ryan Braun Keira Simmonds Facilitator: John Richard (Rick) Stepp
October 13	Service Learning: Gainesville and Beyond	As a land grant institution, community outreach and service is an essential part of the UF mission. This workshop will host experts from UF and Gainesville with experience in working in communities (especially East Gainesville) and provide ideas and best practices for successful collaboration.	FIBER Ayers Building Suite 105	Carrie Bush Jeff Carney Jonathan Leslie Facilitator: John Richard (Rick) Stepp
October 20	International Experiential Learning	Global learning experiences foster adaptability and intercultural skills. This panel overviews different modalities of global experiential learning such as research, internships, service learning, and study abroad. Participants will learn about professional development opportunities, funding, and resources available through UF International Center to create global experiences for students.	Large Conference Room, UF International Center (HUB)	Marta L. Wayne Brian Harfe Jason Ward Timothy Murtha Facilitator: Paloma Rodriguez
October 27	Design Competitions & Project Based Learning	Design competitions help to honor students’ talent and innovative thinking and showcase emerging professionals while problem-based learning allows students to acquire a deeper knowledge through active exploration of real-world challenges and problems. Participants will explore different options for design competitions and problem-based learning from experienced faculty as well as learn about the various resources available to support these endeavors.	Large Conference Room, UF International Center (HUB)	Matthew Traum Edward Latorre Facilitator: Rick Stepp
November 17	Volunteering	This session will introduce participants to the wide range of opportunities available to students interested in volunteering. UF has considerable resources and infrastructure in place to facilitate these opportunities and some of the UF leaders of these initiatives will present their work.	O’Neill Reading room, Puhl Hall, Bob Graham Center	Kevin Bird Manda Wittebort Susan Crowley Facilitator: John Richard (Rick) Stepp
December 1	Symposium: Faculty Presentations	The symposium will include presentations by participants and a discussion about the next steps for the Faculty Learning Community.	Libraries room 100	Facilitator: CTE

Teaching Excellence Faculty Fellows

Overview

The Teaching Excellence Faculty Fellows are a group who demonstrate excellence in online teaching. The Fellows provide guidance to members of the UF teaching community who wish to improve their online courses and complete online course reviews. Fellows also serve as ambassadors and reviewers for the Pathways Online Course Reviews process.

Teaching Excellence Fellows advise in these areas of the course review process:

Best practices for writing and submitting a self-review
How to interpret and incorporate feedback from your review team
How to efficiently “pay-it-forward” as a Reviewer

*Teaching Excellence Faculty Fellow applications will be accepted April-May of each year.

Sustainable Development Goals in the Classroom

Overview

To connect faculty and staff committed to integrating the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in educational environments at the University of Florida. Register for the Sustainable Development Goals in the Classroom FLC.

Goals

Create awareness of the SDGs, their importance, and application in their classroom(s), department, college, and/or community affiliation(s).
Actively collaborate with others to share relevant resources and research surrounding sustainability and the SDGs.
Develop a classroom resource during your time in the SDG Faculty Learning Community.

Schedule

Kick-Off Workshop – Sept 19 @2pm

Learning Community Dates (Fall) – Tuesdays @Noon-1pm:

Oct 4 – Initial meeting & Introductions

Resource highlight
Overview of “Big Idea Project”

Oct 18 – World Food Day (celebrated Oct. 16) Discussion

SDGs connection to Food
SDGs overall role

Nov 1 – Virtual Exchange as a tool for the integration of SDG related challenges into the classroom

Nov 15 – SDG resource show & tell and project development discussion

Nov 29 – Thinking forward to Spring and beyond

Reflect on resource development progress
Guest speakers from across campus

Dec 13 – Project development and social time

Affordable Access for Student Success: An OER Learning Community

Open educational resources (OERs) have flourished as institutions and educators respond to soaring textbook costs and the potential for teaching with customized, free online resources. To promote the adoption of OERs and other affordable materials that make a UF education less expensive and more equitable, Affordable UF is seeking applicants for the second cohort of instructors. This cohort is scheduled to meet throughout the Spring and Fall 2023 semesters.

Participants will earn $1000 stipends to make their courses as financially inclusive as possible by eliminating or substantially lowering course material costs. The emphasis of the community will be OER, which are learning materials that carry open licenses and allow anyone to freely read, share, and modify them. These permissions also enable instructors to adapt these materials for greater cultural responsiveness and accessibility or even include students in building them. The learning community is supported by the Center for Teaching Excellence in partnership with the UF Smathers Libraries, Center for Instructional Training and Technology, and University Press of Florida. Experts from these units will work closely with participants throughout the program and external guest advisors will complement the expertise available at UF.

If you have been interested in taking first steps to transitioning your course to free or low-cost materials but need support to do so, consider applying to this learning community.

About the Program

Learning Communities are peer-led groups of faculty, staff, and graduate students who engage in an active, collaborative, year–long program structured to provide encouragement, support, and reflection. Learning communities also:

Stimulate innovation and create experiential, collaborative learning environments
Increase collaboration and make the best use of limited funding
Provide a flexible professional development structure to support learning of any topic
Increase communication and collaboration among faculty who, by the nature of their work in individual classrooms, are often isolated from colleagues

Over the course of the Affordable Access for Student Success Learning Community, participants will engage with the cohort to:

Understand the spectrum of affordable learning materials available openly through campus/UF Libraries Services, with an emphasis on OER
Search for OER that may be relevant to the courses you teach in one or more repositories
Evaluate course materials for basic accessibility best practices and cultural responsiveness; identity opportunities to enhance and customize these aspects of OER you find or develop
Identify and interpret open licenses associated with OER created by others and those you wish to apply to your own materials
Connect with both internal and external expertise to facilitate successful adoption and evaluation of OER
Create an openly licensed learning object
Develop an initial course map matching your course objectives to existing OER and other free and affordable material options

Participant Expectations

Attend all required meetings. Participants must attend all 8 required meetings and attend 75% of optional meetings. Facilitators or guests may decide with their group to attend a workshop in lieu of or in addition to the normal monthly meetings.

Create a sharable OER. One of the requirements for the learning community is to share something beyond the cohort in the spirit of actively contributing to the open education movement. This can take several forms, such as openly licensing a learning object (such as a syllabus, lesson plan, or module) or a proposed alternative.

Propose and construct your final project. Each member of the learning community should complete one of the final projects based on their own personal goals:

A course map matching some of your course objectives to existing OER and other free and affordable material options
A project roadmap that charts your course for adapting or developing new OER

Attend the wrap-up session. Each learning community member will present their final OER project at an event hosted by the UF Center for Teaching Excellence.