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 Spring 2025, we are sponsoring a New and Early Career Instructor Teaching Group, a Peer Observation Fellowship, a Large Courses Discussion Group, and an Active Learning Group.
These groups will meet in person.
Spring 2025
New and Early Career Instructor Teaching Community—The Teaching Center invites instructors to join this ongoing community focused on developing your teaching identity, learning evidence-based practices, and documenting and reflecting on your teaching for iterative growth. Eligible instructors will teach courses that primarily enroll students in the School of Arts & Sciences or Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, are in their first three years of teaching at Rochester, and are on a multi-year contract (e.g., tenure track, instructional track, lecturer, two-year visiting assistant professor, etc.). This group will meet Fridays from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. on February 7, February 14, February 21, March 7, March 28, and April 11, 2025.
Peer Observation Fellowship—Join a teaching group to learn observation skills and evidence-based teaching practices through peer teaching observation. With your peer partner, conduct mutual observations to spark reflection and teaching improvement. In the broader group, connect with colleagues to discuss how to make observations productive and how to improve teaching. The community meets as a group in person on the River Campus four times during the semester. In addition, peer partners visit each other’s classes once during the semester, with structured and confidential pre- and post-conversations built in as part of the process. This community is open to instructors who are teaching a spring 2025 class that primarily enrolls students in the School of Arts & Sciences or the Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences. The fellowship carries a $500 non-salary stipend for instructors to cover expenses related to their teaching and research. This group will meet Tuesdays from 1-2:30 p.m. on 1/28, 2/4, 3/18, and 4/22/2025.
Large Courses Discussion Group—Explore evidence-based teaching practices to engage students in meaningful learning in large courses (enrolling 60+) as part of this in-person Teaching Center program. The group will meet five times for 90 minutes over the course of one semester, to discuss the challenges and opportunities of teaching large courses (including logistics and administration) share ideas and resources, and explore strategies for active learning in lecture-based instruction. This teaching group is open to instructors teaching a large course (60+ students) enrolling students in School of Arts & Sciences or Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences.
This group will meet Thursdays from 2:00 - 3:30 pm on January 30, February 13 and 27, March 20, April 10 and 24, 2025.
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 teaching a Spring 2025 course that primarily enrolls students in the School of Arts & Sciences or Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
Other Regularly Scheduled Groups
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 is offered twice annually. One group meets in the summer to plan for fall courses, and the other meets in the fall to plan for spring 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.
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.
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.
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.