Communities of Practice (CoP) are small groups of faculty sharing similar interests who meet periodically to collaborate, share resources, learn a new skill or gain expertise, network, hold workshops and events, and more. Communities are interdisciplinary, and members support each other in implementing a targeted change in practice, in the spirit of trying something new.

How it Works

Communities meet (at least) monthly and programming is determined by the group. All

CoPs are facilitated by a New York Tech faculty member. Programming is supported by the facilitator, with assistance from CTL staff.

Participants set individual goals as well as a goal for the group, and commit to producing a product at the end of the academic year (e.g., a revised assignment, a poster, a manuscript submission, evidence of increased effectiveness in teaching, etc.)

The Communities listed below are running during the 2022-2023 academic year:

Amplify your Teaching: Small Changes ... Big Impact

Students learn and engage in various ways. Faculty will share their lived experiences including their successes and challenges in the classroom. The collective group will support each member to rethink their current practice and experiment with new teaching methods. Each member will develop personal goals which will serve to drive the needs and interests of the group. Topics will include ‘take-away’ items that can be applied in the classroom. Ideas such as flipped classroom, utilizing podcasts, reflection, one-minute papers, and gaming will be shared. Convener: Lori Hochman

Fostering Student Community across New York Tech Campuses

For many decades, New York Tech has been known as having a very diverse student body. This holds true for the New York campuses as well as the Canadian campus. But so far, we have failed to establish and embrace connectivity and exchange between students from different campuses. The intention of this initiative is to determine reasons for this failure but even more so, finding new ways to improve this situation. Convener: Petra Dilling.

Best Classroom Ideas and Worst Teaching Challenges: Share and Improve

If you are looking for a place to discuss pedagogical practices, inspire others and be inspired by them, join the Community of Practice “Best Classroom Ideas and Worst Teaching Challenges: Share and Improve.” Instructors from various disciplines will exchange ideas and raise concerns about what works and doesn’t work in the classroom. You will be asked to share at least one innovative activity that you and your students enjoy, preferably an activity that can be modified for different disciplinary contents. You will deliver a mini presentation on this activity, share resources, explain why the activity is engaging and what learning objectives it targets. Particularly welcoming are stories with challenging content, which you have managed to overcome. Additionally, you will be asked to share at least one pedagogical hurdle or challenge you are currently facing in the classroom. The group will explore the pedagogical challenges that you raise and provide suggestions, which will help you come up with revised ideas on the topic you are seeking feedback. Convener: Lissi Athanasiou- Krikelis.

Reflective Teaching Circles

Taking time to reflect—as a person and as a teaching professional—is beneficial to your practice and also your overall wellbeing. Reflection is crucial to growth: taking time to assess where we are and how our actions align with our values helps us chart new pathways and regain some of the joy and fulfillment that brought us to this work in the first place. That said, it can be challenging to find time to build a regular reflective practice and stick with it long enough to see the benefits. Reflective Teaching Circles provide structured time for reflection within a trusted community of colleagues. Groups meet monthly, for 90 minutes, and provide you the time, accountability, and community to support your own reflective practice and gain insights from others. Convener: Fran Glazer

If you have any questions, or if you are interested in starting a new faculty-led community of practice in an area of interest, please contact Fran Glazer to discuss your ideas.