Communities of Practice
Do you want to be a part of, or organize, a Community of Practice (CoP)?
Communities of Practice bring together people who share a concern or passion for something they do, and for them to learn how to do it (or do it better) as they meet regularly. Research suggests that groups that meet together such as these can foster growth in innovative and scholarly teaching (Furco & Moely, 2012; Richlin & Cox, 2004), increase faculty confidence in teaching (Cox, 2004), and lead to increased student learning and retention, as well as higher rates of tenure (Cox, 2004).
2024-25 Communities of Practice:
This CoP focuses on enhancing anti-racist and inclusive teaching practices for online courses. Faculty will engage in a scaffolded, iterative process involving reflection, data analysis, and peer coaching. Participants will explore concepts like the Community of Inquiry and culturally responsive pedagogies, leveraging our facilitators’ expertise to reassess and improve their online teaching methods.
This CoP supports instructors in developing course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) by fostering collaboration among those who join. Open to faculty and staff from all disciplines, it aims to create both qualitative and quantitative CUREs and promote cross-discipline collaboration.
Description.
This CoP aims to enhance faculty’s skills and strategies for effective in-class advising, particularly in “gateway courses.” Participants will learn and reflect on the barriers underserved students face in navigating college systems and how this connects to student learning. They will identify in-class advising strategies to try implementing and assessing as a way to clarify some of the big challenges students face when navigating college processes, resources, and systems. By fostering a collaborative learning environment, participants will develop a deeper understanding of student needs, improve their ability to provide timely and relevant guidance, and ultimately enhance student success.
Highline has purchased 50 seats in a Teaching with AI Canvas course created by Auburn University. Full course details can be found at Teaching with Artificial Intelligence – Auburn Online
Course goals include:
- Explore AI and its implications for teaching and learning in higher education—especially those relating to academic integrity
- Critically reflect on your own theory of change as it relates to student learning and the implications of generative AI on your beliefs about course design
- Evaluate examples (good and bad) of courses and course elements redesigned for AI
- Experiment with AI tools, redesign assignments, and get feedback
- Access a (growing and evolving) repository of research on teaching with AI
- Exchange ideas on topics related to AI in the college classroom and higher ed writ large with others in the course
- Engage your own department colleagues in the conversation to ensure students in your program have a consistent, comparable learning experience no matter who is leading the class
The CoP will involve completing the Canvas course which includes a total of 10 modules, each with a short assignment (8-10hrs) and attending CoP meetings (5hrs). There are two options:
- Complete course in one quarter (commit 15hrs over one quarter), or
- Complete course across two quarters (commit 7-8hrs per quarter)
The Canvas course is highly interactive and completion of the task in each module will result in a digital badge at the end. CoP meetings will be biweekly if completing option 1 and once a month if completing option 2. CoP meetings will be a time to share ideas, questions, challenges and get peer feedback.
Past Communities of Practice:
A collaborative learning community focused on racial healing, action research, and antiracist praxis.
Incorporating climate justice curriculum into classes, addressing topics that directly impact Black and Brown students (urban flooding, gentrification, food deserts, food and housing insecurity due to climate change, etc.).
A community of practice dedicated to implementing the four connections to create a sense of belonging in the classroom. These practices have improved equitable outcomes for students.
For instructors of I-BEST courses, learning best practices for collaborative teaching and serving transitioning students.
The STEM Communities of Practice are faculty-driven learning collectives designed to support STEM educators as they create significant and equitable learning environments for students during COVID-19 that, in the spirit of the SBCTC Vision, lead with racial equity.
Explore and apply frameworks such as Mutually Adaptive Learning Paradigms (MALP), Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Reading Apprenticeship (RA), genre-based teaching, and more. This CoP will be for any instructor interested in promoting equity for all students, including multilingual learners, first-generation students, those navigating new educational landscapes, individuals with historical equity gaps, and neurodiverse learners.
Planning Your Own CoP
Interested in forming a CoP? Find helpful resources here as you begin visualizing your CoP here at Highline. Also included is a checklist to keep you on track as you move toward scheduling and launching your CoP.