In addition to workshops and conferences, the CAT coordinates and facilitates Faculty Learning Communities on a number of teaching topics. Each learning community consists of a selective interdisciplinary cohort of full-time faculty who will engage in an active, collaborative program to enhance teaching and learning at Temple University.
The Center for the Advancement of Teaching (CAT) invites faculty to apply for the:
Faculty Learning Community on Teaching Sustainability and Climate Change in Any Classroom
The scientific and public consensus has coalesced around the facts 1) that climate change is real and 2) that it is the result of human industrial activity. However, despite numerous warning signs that we are sliding into global environmental, economic, and political catastrophe, our society continues largely as if we were not on the precipice. George Marshall’s 2014 book Don't Even Think About It: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Ignore Climate Change documents the psychological and social forces that impede mustering a response commensurate to the problem. Ten years on, many of us still struggle with how to think and teach effectively about climate change.
In this faculty learning community, you will develop strategies for helping our students to overcome this mental inertia and better prepare them for the world that is coming, the world that is here.
Note that this faculty learning community is specifically for faculty who do not teach courses directly related to climate science. Climate change is an “all hands on deck” crisis; we dare not sit idly by while our climate science colleagues grow hoarse raising the alarm.
Participants in this learning community will explore the following questions:
- How can I connect my course and my field to climate change in a way that feels authentic to both my students and myself as a non-expert in the relevant science?
- How can I create activities and assignments that align with my learning goals and help students develop civic and environmental literacy at the same time?
- How can I implement activities and assignments that help students engage with climate change and other environmental issues?
- What are the best methods for helping learners engage with climate change and other environmental issues as citizens and as students?
Throughout the semester, faculty will develop learning activities and assignments to implement in a course in Spring of 2025. 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.
What is a Faculty Learning Community?
A faculty learning community is a cross-disciplinary group of 8-10 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 so as to support their colleagues in this area.
Facilitators:
Jeff Rients, Associate Director of Teaching and Learning Innovation, CAT
Jonah Chambers, Senior Educational Technology Specialist, CAT
Faculty commit to:
Attend meetings online via Zoom Tuesdays from 9:00 - 10:30 am on the following dates: September 10, September 24, October 8, October 22, November 5, November 19, December 3, and one meeting in Spring ‘25 TBD.
- Complete readings, activities and assignments between meetings.
- Develop and implement learning activities and assignments for at least one course in the Spring of 2025.
- Share the expertise gained in the faculty learning community with a larger faculty audience. This may include giving a presentation, providing resource materials on the topic, publishing the findings of the work, or other methods agreed upon.
Benefits:
- Enhance understanding of how to design environmental literacy projects and assignments that support and assess student learning.
- Help students develop critical thinking and environmental literacy skills to support their professional growth and future careers.
- Network with an interdisciplinary group of colleagues.
- Receive a $500 stipend paid at the completion of the program.
To Apply:
Please respond to each of the following questions in no more than 300 words per question.
- Give an example of a strategy you use as a teacher and explain how it supports student learning in your course.
- Describe your current thoughts about the challenges of teaching about sustainability and climate change in your courses. What obstacles or hesitations have discouraged you from more fully engaging with these topics?
- Do the issues of sustainability and climate change currently manifest in your classroom? If so, describe how and what you would like to improve.
- Overall, what do you hope to gain as a result of your participation in this faculty learning community?
Save your application as a Word document or PDF file, and then click here to submit your application online. The deadline for submissions is Friday, May 17, 2024.
Questions? Email Jeff Rients at [click-for-email].
2023 Faculty Learning Communities and Teaching Circles
2023 Faculty Learning Communities
Integrating Advanced Digital Methods and Tools into Your Teaching
- Lynn Carroll, Center for Student Professional Development, Fox School of Business
- Graciela Jaschek, Epidemiology & Biostatistics, College of Public Health
- Kristine Weatherston, Media Studies & Production, Klein College of Media and Communication
- Douglas Schaller, Art History, Tyler School of Art and Architecture
- Matt Wray, Sociology, College of Liberal Arts
- May May Ho, Finance & Accounting, Temple University Japan
- Vyas Sreenivas, Business Administration, Fox School of Business
- Gabriella Kecskes Mazal, English & First Year Writing Program, College of Liberal Arts
- Müge Durusu-Tanriover, Art History, Tyler School of Art and Architecture
- Michael Mcglin, Classics, College of Liberal Arts
Improving Student Persistence & Retention
- Natalie Flynn, Earth & Environmental Sciences, College of Science and Technology
- Shohreh Amini, Biology, College of Science and Technology
- Norma Corrales-Martin, Spanish & Portuguese, College of Liberal Arts
- Evelyn Walters, Civil & Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering
- Tamer Aldwairi, Computer & Information Sciences, College of Science and Technology
- Laura Rauth, Nursing, College of Public Health
- Jay Lunden, Biology, College of Science and Technology
2023 Teaching Circles
The Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (SoTL)
- Amelia Duffy-Tumasz, Geography & Urban Studies, College of Liberal Arts
- Shreyasee Das, Economics, College of Liberal Arts
- Sheryl Love, Biology, College of Science and Technology
- Lin Zhu, Center for Asian Health, Lewis Katz School of Medicine
- Melody Slashinski, Social & Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health
- Bill Egan, Physical Therapy, College of Public Health
2022 Faculty Learning Community Members
Faculty Learning Community on Supporting Under-Prepared Students
- Andrew Mossin, Intellectual Heritage, College of Liberal ArtsMelissa Toomey, English, College of Liberal Arts
- Laura Biesiadecki, English, College of Liberal Arts
- Jing Shen, Communication Sciences and Disorders, College of Public Health
- Liz Heller Murray, Communication Sciences and Disorders, College of Public Health
- Angela Bricker, Biology, College of Science and Technology
- Jay Lunden, Biology, College of Science and Technology
- Jessica Babock, Mathematics, College of Science and Technology
- Marcella Macaluso, Biology, College of Science and Technology
- Chris Smith, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Kornberg School of Dentistry
- Misty Blessley, Statistics Operations & Data Science, Fox School of Business and Management
- Aarti Patel, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Lewis Katz School of Medicinie
- Gareth Jones, Sport and Recreation Management, School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management
The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)
- Shohreh Amini, Biology, College of Science and Technology
- Abha Belorkar, Computer & Information Sciences, College of Science and Technology
- Jennifer Kowalski, Graphic Arts, Tyler School of Art and Architecture
- Ruch Ochia, Bioengineering, College of Engineering
- Steve Ryan, Advertising & PR, Klein College of Media and Communication
- Kolson Schlosser, Geography & Urban Studies, College of Liberal Arts
- Evelyn Walters, Civil & Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering
- Jun Han, Chemistry, College of Science and Technology
2021 Faculty Learning Community Members
Oral Communication in GenEd Courses
- Cate Almon, English/First Year Writing, College of Liberal Arts
- Patricia Moore-Martinez, Spanish and Portugese, College of Liberal Arts
- Andrew Mossin, Intellectual Heritage, College of Liberal Arts
- Shianling Wu, Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering
- Evelyn Walters, Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering
- Robert Huber, Art History, Temple Rome
- Emilio M Salgueiro, Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering
- Mike Szekely, Intellectual Heritage/Liberal Studies, College of Liberal Arts
2020 Teaching Circle Members
Online Teaching
- Jill Swirsky, Psychology, College of Liberal Arts
- Joseph Paris, Policy, Organizational, and Leadership Studies,
- Frank Nelson, Biology, College of Science and Technology
- Melissa Toomey, English, College of Liberal Arts
- Joshua Pongan, Spanish and Portuguese, College of Liberal Arts
- Ruth Ochia, Bioengineering, College of Engineering
- Rob Brosh, Music, Boyer College of Music and Dance
- Cheryl Hyde, Social Work, College of Public Health
- Jodi Reich, Communication Sciences and Disorders, College of Public Health
- Ahmed Sarhan, Endodontology, Kornberg School of Dentistry
- Pamela Weisberg-Shapiro, Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Cathy Flite, Health Services Administration and Policy, College of Public Health
- Ben Baker, French, German Italian, Slavic, College of Liberal Arts
- Nicole Nathan, Spanish and Portuguese, College of Liberal Arts
- Shuchen Huang, Asian and Middle Eastern Languages and Studies, College of Liberal Arts
Green Pedagogy
- Deborah Lemieur, Intellectual Heritage Program, College of Liberal Arts
- Laurie Friedman, Social Work, College of Public Health
- Marissa Cloutier, Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health
- Jesse Thornburg, Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Science and Technology
- Daniel Caldwell, Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering
2019 Faculty Learning Community Members
Inclusive Teaching
- Brighid Scanlon, Center for Student Professional Development, Fox School of Business and Management
- Angela Bricker, Biology, College of Science and Technology
- Melody Slashinski, Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health
- James Getz, Intellectual Heritage Program, College of Liberal Arts
- Anne Russ, Educational Central, Lewis Katz School of Medicine
- Schaller Doug, Art History Program, Tyler School of Art and Architecture
- Jennifer Ibrahim, Office of the Dean, College of Public Health
- Jessica Babcock, Mathematics, College of Science and Technology
Digital Literacy
- Rob Faunce, First Year Writing Program, College of Liberal Arts
- Diana Wildermuth, Psychological Studies in Education, College of Education
- Marcella Macaluso, Biology, College of Science and Technology
- Amy Friedman, First Year Writing Program, College of Liberal Arts
- Amelia Duffy-Tumasz, Geography and Urban Studies, College of Liberal Arts
- Donald Wargo, Economics, College of Liberal Arts
- Carol Brandt, Teaching and Learning, College of Education
- Lorraine Porcellini, Psychological Studies in Education, College of Education
- Melissa Toomey, First Year Writing Program, College of Liberal Arts
- Silvia Boffo, Biology, College of Science and Technology
2018 Faculty Learning Community Members
Creating an LGBTW-Inclusive Learning Environment
- Heather Clauss, Internal Medicine, Lewis Katz School of Medicine
- Jacqueline Dingman, Biology, College of Science and Technology
- Deirdre Dingman, Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health
- Michelle Histand, Strategic Management, Fox School of Business
- Rob Jennings, Biology, College of Science and Technology
- Deborah Lemieur, Intellectual Heritage, College of Liberal Arts
- Wendy Magee, Music Therapy, Boyer College of Music and Dance
- Alexandra Miller, Global Opportunities, Klein College of Media and Communications
- Nicolle Strand, Center for Bioethics, Urban Health, and Politics, Lewis Katz School of Medicine
Teaching Writing-Intensive Courses
- Edgar Bering, Mathematics, College of Science and Technology
- Whitley Cooke, English, College of Liberal Arts
- Deirdre Dingman, Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health
- Melissa Glenn-Flemming, Marketing and Supply Chain, Fox School of Business
- Peter Jones, Criminal Justice, College of Liberal Arts
- Dominic Letarte, Computer and Information Sciences, College of Science and Technology
- Rebecca Michaels, Graphic Arts and Design: Photography, Tyler School of Art
- Carolyn P. Parks, Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health
- Joshua Pongan, Spanish and Portuguese, College of Liberal Arts
- Ajima Olaghere, Criminal Justice, College of Liberal Arts
2016 Faculty Learning Community Members
Faculty Learning Community on Teaching International Students
- Mary Conran, Marketing and Supply Chain Management, Fox School of Business
- Seher Erdogan Ford, Architecture, Tyler School of Art
- Laurie Fitzpatrick, Marketing and Supply Chain Management, Fox School of Business
- Tish Gill, Nursing, College of Public Health
- Erica McKenzie, Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering
- Srimati Mukherjee, English/First-Year Writing, College of Liberal Arts
- Norman Roessler, Intellectual Heritage, College of Liberal Arts
- Laura Zaylea, Media Studies and Production, School of Media and Communication
Faculty Learning Community on Digital Pedagogies
- Robert Clark, Teaching & Learning, College of Education
- Anne Frankel, Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health
- Gabriella Kecskes, English, College of Liberal Arts
- Nancy Murphy, Nursing, College of Public Health
- Joshua Pongan, Spanish & Portuguese, College of Liberal Arts
- Spencer Rand, Law, Beasley School of Law
- Elizabeth Richard, Teaching & Learning, College of Education
- Kolson Schlosser, Geography and Urban Studies, College of Liberal Arts
Faculty Learning Community on Applying Cognitive Science to the College Classroom
- Gregg Feistman, Strategic Communication, School of Media and Communication
- Jose Gimenez, Mathematics, Science and Technology
- Geoff Keston, Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering
- Carol Harris-Shapiro, Intellectual Heritage Program, College of Liberal Arts
- Matthew Hiller, Criminal Justice, College of Liberal Arts
- Jessica Miller, Geography and Urban Studies, College of Liberal Arts
- Patricia Moore-Martinez, Spanish, College of Liberal Arts
- Ruth Ochia, Bioengineering, College of Engineering
- Colleen Shanahan, Law, Beasley School of Law
2015 Teaching Circle Members
Integrative Learning Teaching Circle
- James Getz, Intellectual Heritage, College of Liberal Arts
- Jose Gimenez, Mathematics, College of Science and Technology
- Rachael Groner, English, College of Liberal Arts
- Andrew Laine, Theater, Division of Theater, Film, and Media Arts
- Pamela Monaco, Intellectual Heritage, College of Liberal Arts
- Sharon Ostrow, Criminal Justice, College of Liberal Arts
- Sheryl Sawin, Intellectual Heritage, College of Liberal Arts
- Heather Thakar, Anthropology, College of Liberal Arts
- Kristine Weatherston, Media Studies and Production, School of Media and Communication
- Thomas Wright, Strategic Communication, School of Media and Communication
Digital Storytelling Teaching Circle
- Jorge Ballinas, Sociology, College of Liberal Arts
- Kate Benisek, Landscape Architecture and Horticulture, School of Environmental Design
- Cheri Carter, Social Work, College of Public Health
- Gretchen Conran, Reference & Instructional Services, Paley Library
- Alesha Gayle, English, College of Liberal Arts
- Shuchen Huang, Asian and Middle Eastern Languages and Studies, College of Liberal Arts
- Heather Levi, Anthropology, College of Liberal Arts
- Gary Pratt, Intellectual Heritage, College of Liberal Arts
- Cathryn Rosen, Criminal Justice, College of Liberal Arts
- Fred Rowland, Reference & Instructional Services, Paley Library
- Kolson Schlosser, Geography and Urban Studies, College of Liberal Arts
2014 Teaching Circle Members
Online Learning Teaching Circle
- Rujuta Chincholkar-Mendelia, Women's Studies, College of Liberal Arts
- Alicia Cunningham-Bryant, Intellectual Heritage, College of Liberal Arts
- Jennifer Fitzgerald, Marketing & Supply Chain Management, Fox School of Business
- Cathy Flite, Health Records, College of Public Health
- Laurie Friedman, Social Work, College of Public Health
- Ann Kriebel-Gasparro, Nursing, College of Public Health
- Joseph Mahan, School of Tourism and Hospitality, Fox School of Business
- Juris Milestone, Anthropology, College of Liberal Arts
- Gary Pratt, Intellectual Heritage, College of Liberal Arts
- Kolson Schlosser, Geography and Urban Studies, College of Liberal Arts
- Dennis Silage, Electrical & Computer Engineering, College of Engineering
STEM Education Teaching Circle
- James Bloxton, Chemistry, College of Science and Technology
- Boris Datskovsky, Mathematics, College of Science and Technology
- Steve Fleming, Chemistry, College of Science and Technology
- Natalie Flynn, Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Science and Technology
- Jayakumar Gilbert, Chemistry, College of Science and Technology
- Nahed Hamid, Mathematics, College of Science and Technology
- Roy Keyer, Chemistry, College of Science and Technology
- Maria Lorenz, Mathematics, College of Science and Technology
- Ruth Ochia, Bioengineering, College of Engineering
- Ellen Panofsky, Mathematics, College of Science and Technology
- Andrew Price, Chemistry, College of Science and Technology
- Kimberly Williams, Anthropology, College of Liberal Arts
Inclusive Teaching with Technology Teaching Circle
- Marcia Bailey, Intellectual Heritage, College of Liberal Arts
- Keesha Benson, Social Work, College of Public Health
- Jean Boyer, School Psychology, College of Education
- Kathryn Brzozowski, Social Work, College of Public Health
- Marilena Downing, Mathematics, College of Science and Technology
- Cynthia Folio, Music Studies/ Music Theory, Boyer College of Music and Dance
- Jeffrey Gehris, Kinesiology, College of Public Health
- Joseph Giuffre, Intellectual Heritage, College of Liberal Arts
- Steven Kreinberg, Deans Office, Boyer College of Music and Dance
- John Noel, Physics, College of Science and Technology
- David Pasbrig, Music Studies, Boyer College of Music and Dance
- Elizabeth Richard, Teaching and Learning, College of Education
- Sheryl Sawin, Intellectual Heritage, College of Liberal Arts
- Meredith Weber, School Psychology, College of Education
Community-Based Digital Storytelling Teaching Circle
- Sharon Ostrow, Criminal Justice, College of Liberal Arts
- Kimmika Williams-Witherspoon, Theatre, Theater Film & Media Arts
- Elizabeth Groff, Criminal Justice, College of Liberal Arts
- Cheryl Hyde, Social Work, College of Health Professions
- Carole Tucker, Physical Therapy, College of Health Professions
- Jonathan Singer, Social Work, College of Health Professions
- Peshe Kuriloff, Teaching & Learning, College of Education
- Mary Myers, Horticulture and Landscape, College of Liberal Arts
- Elizabeth Wellborn Yates, Horticulture and Landscape, College of Liberal Arts
- Aunshul Rege, Criminal Justice, College of Liberal Arts
- Lisa Grunberger, Writing Program, College of Liberal Arts
- Cheryl Irons-Guynn, Criminal Justice, College of Liberal Arts