Faculty interest groups and reading circles
Facilitated spaces for faculty and teaching staff to learn with colleagues on topics or readings related to teaching and learning.
About faculty interest groups
Faculty interest groups are faculty groups that meet regularly, usually once a month, to learn together. In contrast to a working group, these are spaces primarily focused on professional development, mobilizing expertise, multi-disciplinary knowledge sharing or creation, mutual support, and peer validation (Mihai, 2022; Wenger et al., 2002).
Our faculty interest groups attempt to follow the good design practices from Wenger, McDermott, and Snyder (2002) and Wright & Lambert (n.d.):
- Bring participants together regularly.
- Ensure that the group can evolve and shift in focus.
- Encourage the introduction and discussion of new perspectives that come or are brought in from outside.
- Accept different levels of participation: core members, observers, occasionally active members, and so on.
- Encourage individual or group activities, public or private.
- Explicitly identify and value contributions.
The Centre for Teaching and Learning is available to support the initiation and facilitation of faculty interest groups on topics related to teaching and learning. Unless the group is in a team-forming stage, you can join any time—kindly contact us.
About the reading circles
The reading circles invite faculty and teaching staff to explore readings that deepen our understanding of a theme, foster discussion, and explore related teaching and learning practices.
The objectives are to:
- Support instructors in their exploration of a topic
- Provide an opportunity to reflect upon existing practices from a new perspective or to learn about new teaching and learning practices
Active faculty interest groups
Meets monthly to discuss the role of generative AI in the university classroom. New members are welcome.
Co-facilitated by Mike Barcomb and Ariel Harlap.
The purpose of this interest group is to support faculty in applying or improving their application of contemplative practices in their classroom to promote well-being and a compassionate classroom, to further course goals, and to support learning. Meets regularly for discussion, exploration and guided practice to get first-hand experience with different practices; experimenting to receive peer feedback; inviting members to lead thematic sessions; and potentially co-creating resources to support our practices. New members are welcome.
Co-facilitated by Cristina Galofre Gomez, Prof. Rosemary C. Reilly, Dr, and Ariel Harlap.
We are a dynamic collective of 11 dedicated faculty members who have come together to champion education for sustainability at Concordia University. We are actively engaged in shaping a roadmap for the integration of sustainability principles across our institution's curriculum. We prioritize interdisciplinary exchanges that instill hope, facilitating learning mechanisms for sustainability. Our aspiration is nothing less than fundamental sustainability courses woven into every department, shaping a resilient and conscious society! Much like CTL’s typical Faculty Interest Groups, we ignite innovative discussions and cultivate shared knowledge and expertise, but we also channel focused efforts into tangible outcomes, bridging ideas to impactful change.
At present, we warmly welcome a select group of invited members representing each of the 4 Faculties, fostering an intimate and dynamic exchange. Stay tuned for potential broader invitations as our group evolves.
Co-facilitated by Florence Gruter and Ariel Harlap.
In this monthly group, faculty are invited to bring new inclusive teaching ideas for their courses to try out with their peers. Through discussion, roleplay, and live feedback, faculty can develop their ideas into new strategies to use in their classroom.
Co-facilitated by Naj Sumar and Ariel Harlap.
Upcoming faculty interest groups and reading circles
How it works
What might happen during faculty interest group meetings?
There is no single, correct approach to faculty interest group meetings and it will depend upon the interests and needs of the members. Some possibilities include:
- Structured storytelling around specific challenges / topics
- Member spotlight: a member presents their practice or challenge to gather feedback and learn together.
- Guided discussion around members-selected materials (video/readings)
- Inviting a guest speaker
- Sharing resources and developing a collective/curated knowledge bank
Starting a new faculty interest group
If you would like to start a faculty interest group on a topic related to teaching and learning, kindly contact us to set up a meeting. The CTL will be pleased to help find interested members and facilitate the group’s success.
What to expect during reading circles?
Participants register for a reading circle session to receive the reading materials and, if online, a link to the Zoom event. Depending on the format, participants may receive a list of reflection questions before each session.
During each session, a facilitator leads a discussion based on the selected article or book chapter. The facilitator might guide participants through reflection or even practicing an method discussed in the article to provide them with a first-hand experience.
Past reading circles
Following are a selection of past reading circle sessions hosted by the CTL.
- Contemplative pedagogy on March 8 and April 13, 2023
- Decolonizing and Indigenizing the academy on March 22, October 25 and December 6, 2023
- On the book Teach Students How to Learn on September 11, October 16, November 13 and December 11, 2023.
- Student (dis)engagement on September 18 and November 20, 2023.
References
Mihai, A. (2022). Growing together: What's the key to a successful learning community? The Educationalist. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
Wenger, E., McDermott, R. A., & Snyder, W. (2002). Cultivating communities of practice: A guide to managing knowledge. Harvard business press.
Wright, L., & Lambert, K. (n.d.). Working Group Guide. BCcampus. Retrieved December 22, 2022.