Developing a Faculty Learning Community Grounded in the Science of How People Learn: A Year-Long, Faculty-Led Teaching and Learning Seminar

Authors

Alison Rudnitsky, Smith College
Glenn W. Ellis, Smith College
Patricia Marten DiBartolo, Smith College
Kevin M. Shea, Smith College

Date of this Version

2013

Document Type

Article

Citation

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development (2013) 32

doi: 10.3998/tia.17063888.0032.011

Comments

License: CC BY-NC-ND

Abstract

This chapter describes a multiyear professional development effort undertaken by a learning and teaching center at a liberal arts college. As part of its founding mandate, the center helps faculty improve teaching by paying attention to the current literature about how people learn. This core commitment of our center is pursued through support of a year-long faculty seminar. Now in its fourth year, the seminar has had a significant impact on its faculty participants and their thinking about teaching and learning. Moreover, the seminar has seeded a number of teaching and assessment initiatives at the college.