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Faculty Learning Community

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Fostering equitable and inclusive classroom discussions

Engaging students in classroom discussions is a common teaching strategy that takes place across disciplines, class sizes, and course levels. Equitable and inclusive classroom discussions can support students' learning (Tanner, 2013). Yet fostering such discussions can be challenging.

Want to foster equitable and inclusive classroom discussions?

Join an upcoming Faculty Learning Community (FLC):

Take part in a monthly interdisciplinary exchange where you can share with and learn from other instructors and the literature. At each meeting, we'll discuss and practice different strategies for fostering equitable and inclusive classroom discussions that you can apply in your own course. All UU直播 instructors are welcome!

This FLC aligns with UU直播's and .

Time commitment: 20-minute initial conversation, 1.5-hour monthly meetings, plus time to implement strategies in a course and gather feedback.

Benefits: Learn along with an interdisciplinary group of colleagues about evidence-based practices; share implementation ideas and experiences.

Note: The Fall 2024 FLC cohort is currently underway. to be notified of future FLC opportunities.


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What makes classroom discussions challenging?

  • Some students may hesitate to participate in discussions, while others may dominate discussions.
  • Instructors may find it difficult to facilitate discussions when a topic is 鈥渃harged鈥� 鈥� whether politically, socially, racially, etc.
  • Instructors and students may be concerned with making (or addressing) a microaggression and may self-censor to the point of scarcely contributing.

What is a Faculty Learning Community?

  • A Faculty Learning Community (FLC) brings instructors together to connect with each other and engage in collaborative learning, encourage reflection, and support action around a central topic or challenge.
  • FLCs are a well-established format for focusing on teaching development and supporting cultural transformation (Cox & McDonald, 2017; Petrone, 2004).
  • Participants should be prepared to contribute to all meetings and share lessons learned with colleagues at UU直播 or beyond, to support strategy implementation and information sharing.

References

Cox, M. D., & McDonald, J. (2017). . In J. McDonald & A. Cater-Steel (Eds.), Communities of practice (pp. 47鈥�72). Springer.

Petrone, M. (2004). . New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 97, 111鈥�125.

Tanner, K. (2013). . CBE Life Sciences Education, 12(3), 322鈥�331.

UU直播 is on land which has served and continues to serve as a site of meeting and exchange amongst Indigenous peoples, including the Haudenosaunee and Anishinabeg nations. Teaching and Learning Services acknowledges and thanks the diverse Indigenous peoples whose footsteps mark this territory on which peoples of the world now gather. This land acknowledgement is shared as a starting point to provide context for further learning and action.

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