Teaching Communities
Communities of Practice
Instructors interested in learning about and trying new techniques of instruction can join a community of practice. In a community of practice, instructors come together around a common interest to improve their teaching by sharing best practices and collaborating to create new ideas. The Teaching Center organizes several such communities annually for instructors who teach a course that enrolls students in the School of Arts & Sciences or Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
In Fall 2024, we are sponsoring a New and Early Career Instructor Teaching Group, a College Course Development Fellowship to plan for Spring 2025 courses, a Generative Artificial Intelligence Group, and an Inclusive Teaching Group.
These groups will meet in person.
Fall 2024
College Course Development Fellowship—This two-semester fellowship program brings together a small group of instructors to collaborate in (re)developing and implementing their undergraduate courses. Fellows enjoy intensive support from Teaching Center staff and are each awarded $1,000 in non-salary funding to cover expenses related to their teaching and research. This cohort meets in person and will plan in fall 2024 for spring 2025 courses. Open to instructors who teach a course that enrolls students in the School of Arts & Sciences or Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Register on the linked page.
This group will be scheduled immediately after the August 22 registration deadline.
Generative Artificial Intelligence Group— This group will meet to discuss the implications of generative AI for teaching and learning, as well as to share resources and teaching ideas. In addition to exploring how to revise courses in response to generative AI, this in-person group will consider how and whether to integrate generative AI into student and/or instructor work. Open to instructors who teach a course that enrolls students in the School of Arts & Sciences or Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
Registration has passed for the Fall 2024 group, which is meeting six times in person on River Campus on Wednesdays from 10-11 am: 9/11, 9/25, 10/9, 10/23, 11/6, and 11/20.
Inclusive Teaching Group—Explore evidence-based teaching practices to create and sustain inclusive learning environments, particularly as they relate to reducing performance disparities and improving students’ sense of belonging and self-efficacy. Over six weeks, participants will engage with online video content (videos and reflection prompts) before coming together as a group to engage in dialogue and explore how these concepts can be applied specifically at UR. This program meets in person and is open to instructors teaching a course enrolling students in School of Arts & Sciences or Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences.
Registration has passed for the Fall 2024 group, which runs weekly from 2:00 - 3:30 pm on Mondays, September 9 - October 7, and also on October 21, 2024.
New and Early Career Instructor Teaching Community—The Teaching Center will be launching a new group program this fall to support new instructors and foster teaching success at the ÂÒÂ×Ç¿¼é. This program will be open to new and early career instructors of any rank on multi-year contracts in the School of Arts & Sciences and Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Science.
Registration has passed for the fall 2024 cohort of this community, which meets six times during the semester on 9/10, 9/24, 10/8, 10/22, 11/5, and 11/19.
Other Regularly Scheduled Groups
Active Learning Teaching Group—Instructors currently teaching are invited to explore small, easy-to-implement, evidence-based classroom activities that can be dropped into ongoing courses. Participants commit to meeting six times to read James Lang’s Small Teaching (provided), as well as trying out one of the teaching strategies once and reporting back to the group on how it worked out. Open to instructors who teach a course that enrolls students in the School of Arts & Sciences or Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
Large Courses Discussion Group—Instructors of large courses (75+ students) are invited to join a teaching discussion group to share ideas and experiences, as well as benefit from center support for common challenges. Open to instructors who teach a course that enrolls students in the School of Arts & Sciences or Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
Transparent Assignment Design Fellowship—The Transparent Assignment Design Fellowship supports instructors teaching courses that enroll students in School of Arts & Sciences or Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences in transitioning their non-test assignments using the principles of transparent assignment design. Fellows meet in person four times for 90 minutes over the course of one semester to learn the principles of transparent assignment design and universal design for learning, transition their assignments, and workshop their assignments with their peers and enjoy ongoing support from Teaching Center staff. The fellowship carries a $500 non-salary stipend for instructors to cover expenses related to their teaching and research.
Teaching Center Discussion Forum
The Teaching Center has created a discussion forum in Microsoft Teams where instructors can connect with colleagues with similar interests to share ideas and ask questions.