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 University of Rochester instructors.

Summer 2026

Teaching Center Course Development Fellowship

(Re)design and teach a course using backward design principles, evidence-based teaching practices, and reciprocal feedback from a cohort peers. This two-semester fellowship program brings together instructors from across the university to collaborate in (re)developing their courses during the first semester and provide ongoing support while teaching those courses during the second semester.Fellows meet six times for 90 minutes during the first semester and twice for 90 minutes during the second semester. Open to all URochester instructors, but space is limited to six instructors per cohort, and instructors must be teaching the course they are (re)designing the semester after they begin the program. This cohort meets in person during Summer 2026 to plan Fall 2026 courses. Learn more about the Teaching Center Course Development Fellowship.

Generative Artificial Intelligence Teaching Group

Discuss the implications of generative AI for teaching and learning, as well as share resources and teaching ideas. In addition to considering how to revise courses in response to generative AI, the group will consider how and whether to integrate generative AI into student and/or instructor work. Appropriate for both those who have never used generative AI and those who have used it extensively, this group meets six times for 60 minutes.  Open to all URochester instructors.

Overview of program:

  • Understanding Generative AI
  • Managing risks, ethics, and other implications of GenAI
  • Analyzing Course Learning Outcomes and Component Skills
  • (Re)Writing an Assignment
  • Writing a Course Policy and Associated Communication Plan
  • Teaching with Generative AI Assistance
Register for the Summer Generative AI Teaching Group

 Fall 2026

New and Early Career Instructor Teaching Community

Define effective teaching in your instructional context at URochester and learn evidence-based teaching practices that demonstrate and document your teaching effectiveness using multiple strands of data. This community meets six times for 90 minutes during the Fall semester and six times for 90 minutes during the Spring semester. Open to instructors in their first three years at URochester on multi-year contracts.

Register for the New and Early Career Instructors Teaching Group

Teaching Center Course Development Fellowship

(Re)design and teach a course using backward design principles, evidence-based teaching practices, and reciprocal feedback from a cohort peers. This two-semester fellowship program brings together instructors from across the university to collaborate in (re)developing their courses during the first semester and provide ongoing support while teaching those courses during the second semester.Fellows meet six times for 90 minutes during the first semester and twice for 90 minutes during the second semester. Open to all URochester instructors, but space is limited to six instructors per cohort, and instructors must be teaching the course they are (re)designing the semester after they begin the program. This cohort meets in person during Fall 2026 to plan for Spring 2027 courses. Learn more about the Teaching Center Course Development Fellowship.

Generative Artificial Intelligence Teaching Group

Discuss the implications of generative AI for teaching and learning, as well as share resources and teaching ideas. In addition to considering how to revise courses in response to generative AI, the group will consider how and whether to integrate generative AI into student and/or instructor work. Appropriate for both those who have never used generative AI and those who have used it extensively, this group meets six times for 60 minutes.  Open to all URochester instructors.  

Overview of program:

  • Understanding Generative AI
  • Managing risks, ethics, and other implications of GenAI
  • Analyzing Course Learning Outcomes and Component Skills
  • (Re)Writing an Assignment
  • Writing a Course Policy and Associated Communication Plan
  • Teaching with Generative AI Assistance

Register for the Fall Generative AI Teaching Group

Active Learning Teaching Group

Explore small, easy-to-implement, evidence-based classroom activities that can be dropped into ongoing courses. Participants meet six times for 75 minutes to read James Lang’s Small Teaching (provided). They also try out one of the teaching strategies and report back to the group on how it worked out. Open to all URochester instructors teaching in the semester when the program is offered.

Register for the Active Learning Teaching Group

Other Regularly Scheduled Groups

Learner-Centered Teaching Group

Adapt and implement evidence-based teaching practices that create and sustain effective learning environment for your instructional context at URochester, particularly those that improve academic performance, sense of belonging, and self-efficacy. This community meets six times for 90 minutes. Open to all URochester instructors.

Large Courses Discussion Group

Explore evidence-based teaching practices to engage students in meaningful learning in large courses. This community meets six times for 90 minutes to discuss the challenges and opportunities of teaching large courses (including logistics and administration), and learn strategies for active learning in lecture-based instruction. Open to all URochester instructors teaching a large enrollment course (60+ students).

Peer Observation Group

Learn how to conduct peer teaching observations and use peer feedback to reflect on your own teaching practices for iterative improvement and growth. Participants will meet as a group four times for 90 minutes each, observe and be observed by a peer partner, and meet with their peer partner four times using structured pre- and post-observation conversation protocols. Open to all URochester instructors teaching in the semester when the program is offered. Learn more about the Peer Observation Teaching Group here.

Transparent Assignment Design Fellowship

(Re)design non-test assignments and assessments using the principles of transparent assignment design and universal design for learning to support student academic performance and on-target work. Fellows meet four times for 90 minutes to transition and workshop their assignments with reciprocal feedback from their peers and support from Teaching Center staff. Open to all URochester instructors. Learn more about the Transparent Assignment Design Fellowship here.

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.