Asynchronous courses that promote student interactions and active learning are not only academically meaningful, they offer a level of flexibility that expands access to higher education. But how do we design for rigor and teach well in this murky age of generative A.I., with so many conflicting opinions and growing body of research showing harms to learning if A.I. is not used with intention and care?
This faculty learning community will explore what successful asynchronous course design and active facilitation looks like in the face of challenges raised by generative A.I. We will draw on the research that exists to ask whether and how we can mitigate harms and continue to support critical thinking and high standards for student achievement in our asynchronous courses. As a group, we will work together to improve our course design for Fall 2027 and develop resources to support Temple instructors who want to know – what do we do about generative A.I. use that erodes rather than promote student learning?
Participants in the sessions will explore the following questions:
- What does the research say on best practices for asynchronous course design and facilitation?
- How do those practices change to accomodate the growing ubiquity of generative A.I. use among students?
- What resources can empower instructors to keep the joy in teaching asynchronously and ditch the generative A.I. anxiety?
Throughout the semester, faculty will develop activities and assignments to implement in a course in the Fall of 2027. Regular meetings will include readings, discussions, collaborative working sessions, and hands-on workshops. The faculty learning community will decide as a group how best to use the expertise they gain in order to support the Temple faculty community at large.
Facilitator: Elizabeth White Vidarte, PhD, Online Learning Specialist at CAT
What is a Faculty Learning Community?
A faculty community learning community is a cross-disciplinary group of 10-12 faculty who work together over an extended period of time to explore a specific topic related to their professional teaching practice. In this supportive environment, faculty explore best practices, engage in deep discussion about the topic, and then share their work with the faculty community at large in support of their colleagues in this area.
Faculty Commit To:
- Attend two in-person and five virtual meetings via Zoom on Thursdays from 11am-12 noon on the following dates:
- In-person: January 28 and April 22
- Virtual: February 11, 25, March 11, 25 and April 8
- Fall 2027: one meeting in September or October 2027 TBD
- If you are interested in participating by cannot attend the two in-person meetings, please note that in your application.
- Complete readings, activities, and assignments between meetings.
- Develop and implement activities and assignments for at least one course in the Fall of 2027.
- With the cohort, share the expertise gained in the faculty learning community with a larger audience. This may include giving a presentation, providing resource materials on the topic, publishing the findings of the work, or other agreed upon method.
Benefits
Enhance the accessibility and inclusivity of your teaching practices and course design in light of ubiquitous generative A.I. use and its impacts on learning.
Explore and implement best practices in asynchronous course design and active facilitation and the research behind them.
Network with an interdisciplinary group of colleagues.
Receive a $500 faculty stipend at the completion of the sessions.
To Apply:
Please respond to each of the following questions in 250 words or less per question (copy the questions into your document editor and submit that document once complete, please be sure to include your name and school in the document label).
1. Give an example of a strategy you use as an instructor and explain how it fits into your approach to teaching. How does it support student learning in your courses?
2. Describe how you currently address generative A.I. in your courses.
3. What do you hope to gain as a result of your participation in this faculty learning community?
Save your application as a Word document and then submit it online: FLC Application.
The deadline for submissions is Monday, December 1st.
Questions?
Elizabeth White Vidarte, PhD
Online Learning Specialist, [click-for-email]
