Building Faculty Learning Communities: Lessons Learned from a Fast-Track Implementation Project

1. Building Faculty Learning Communities: Lessons Learned from a Fast-Track Implementation Project Andrea L. Beach, Ph.D. Western Michigan University Milton D. Cox, Ph.D Miami University Lilly North, September 25, 2004

2. Slides can by downloaded from http://homepages.wmich.edu/~abeach/

3. Purpose of this Session • Overview of Miami University’s 3-year FIPSE funded FLC dissemination project, “Developing Faculty Learning Communities to Transform Campus Culture for Learning” • Lessons learned from that Project • Discussion of applying lessons to FLC implementation at your institution

4. About the FIPSE Project . . . • Miami University and six adapting institutions: • Claremont Graduate University, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Kent State University, Notre Dame University, Ohio University, and The Ohio State University • Project sought to test the “Miami Model” and the success of mentored, accelerated adaptation – 12 FLCs at each institution in 3 years.

5. What We Wanted to Learn • 4 overarching evaluation areas: • effectiveness and success of the project dissemination process in establishing a FLC Program at each Adapting Institution • the effectiveness of the program components of each FLC • faculty development outcomes for participants • the impact of FLCs on student learning • Data includes pre-implementation surveys, participant surveys, case reports, year-end reports, interviews, site visits, and discussions

6. Authentic Assessment within the Miami FIPSE project • FLC programs chose topics that best fit institution needs. Individual FLCs collaboratively planned their goals, activities, and assessment to a large extent. • Individual projects & products, participant surveys with questions specific to FLC • Collective reflection for case reports, input on final year-end report • Program directors individually and collectively reflected on results of FLC implementation for FLC program assessment.

7. Learning Within FIPSE FLCs • From FLC participant assessments, keys to success include: • Multidisciplinary make-up of LCs • Bonding experiences (retreats, conferences, pottery painting) • Projects to focus efforts (individual or collective) • Trained/experienced facilitators • Visible support (money, release time, recognition) • Opportunities to gather and disseminate

8. Lessons Across FIPSE FLC Programs • Know where the right people and the money are to help get things rolling • Partner with other departments (e.g., library, IT, Student Affairs) • Plan recruitment that aligns with FLC program goals • Build a cadre of TRAINED facilitators • Support can be offered in many forms – not just $$ -- be creative to work within your means

9. FLC Institutional Considerations • Understand and work with unique institutional culture & current climate • Address issues of institutional concern with FLCs • Foster and maintain leadership buy-in through constant communication • Show off your FLCs around campus (workshops, conferences, newsletters, etc.) • Share your assessment and evaluation results

10. Other Observations • Perfection is not the point – building an effective FLC program takes time and adjustment • Success breeds imitation – expect and respect this • many FLC “like” groups may spring up in response to your success. This is positive, but keep them distinct from your FLC program. Not every group is an FLC. • Know your limits – how many FLCs you can sustain depends on all of the factors discussed here. Don’t burn yourself out or risk “FLC fatigue” in the institution.

11. Next Steps for Us. . . • Long term outcomes for faculty development, changes in practice, and student learning outcomes • Long term culture change – the “ripple effect” at institutions, new language about teaching and learning, and support for FLCs

12. Next Steps for You . . . • Think, pair, share: • what lessons outlined are most helpful to you as you think about building FLCs? • What questions about implementation do you still have? • What else can we share with you that will help you with your plans?