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Making an Impact: Utilising Faculty Learning Communities to Enhance Teaching and Learning

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Communities of Practice

Abstract

This chapter discusses one institution’s use of topic-based Faculty Learning Community in its journey to become a high-impact university. Through the program, a significant resource was created by and for academics to enrich teaching and learning in undergraduate curriculum through high-impact educational practices (Kuh in high-impact educational practices: what they are, who has access to them, and why they matter. American Association of Colleges and Universities, Washington, DC, 2008). A guiding emphasis of the program was to support successful, inter-disciplinary engagement in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning to directly address gaps in undergraduate learning previously identified through institutional assessment measures. As participants, academics commit to a year-long journey in which they explore scholarly literature, attend a series of phased workshops, engage in collegial discussion, and ultimately redesign curriculum to enhance student learning. Preliminary data indicates positive impacts on students and academics, as well as an increased institutional focus on the value of teaching and learning.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    A significant discussion of high-impact practices (or HIP) is beyond the scope of this chapter; however, for more information, refer to Kuh (2008).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Learning and Teaching Services, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Australia

    Tara Newman

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  1. Tara Newman
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Correspondence to Tara Newman .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Southern Queensland , Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia

    Jacquie McDonald

  2. University of Southern Queensland , Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia

    Aileen Cater-Steel

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Newman, T. (2017). Making an Impact: Utilising Faculty Learning Communities to Enhance Teaching and Learning. In: McDonald, J., Cater-Steel, A. (eds) Communities of Practice. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2879-3_20

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2879-3_20

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-10-2877-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-10-2879-3

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