The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Academic Leadership offers structured learning communities that bring faculty together with the goal of providing regular opportunities to share knowledge, explore teaching practices, and engage in focused professional development within these specific areas. Faculty gain fresh perspectives, receive peer feedback, and develop supportive professional relationships with colleagues who share similar interests. Each semester, CETAL provides safe spaces for experimenting with new teaching methods while fostering expertise in AI integration, pedagogical innovation, and professional growth through peer coaching.
AI Learning Communities
Book Group: Brave New Words: How AI Will Revolutionize Education (and Why That’s a Good Thing)
Dates: Wednesdays (1/22, 2/5, 2/12, 2/19, 3/5, 3/12)
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Location: TORW 319
Facilitated by: Amy Hawkins, Mike Casey, Sunjung Thao
“Whether we like it or not, the AI revolution is coming to education. In Brave New Words, Salman Khan, the visionary behind Khan Academy, explores how artificial intelligence and GPT technology will transform learning, and offers a road map for teachers, parents, and students to navigate this exciting (and sometimes intimidating) new world….
Khan emphasizes that embracing AI in education is not about replacing human interaction but enhancing it with customized and accessible learning tools that encourage creative problem-solving skills and prepare students for an increasingly digital world….Khan also delves into the ethical and social implications of AI and large language models, offering thoughtful insights into how we can use these tools to build a more accessible education system for students around the world.” (from Amazon description)
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Teaching with AI: Online Modules Provided by Auburn University (Updated!)
Dates: Thursdays (1/30, 2/13, 2/27, 3/6, 3/20)
Time: x-period
Location: TORW 319
Facilitated by: Jen Talbot and Jon Baarsch
“There are many interactive opportunities throughout the course to share your expertise and ideas. Our primary goal is to support you in thinking through the urgent questions that the AI disruption of higher education presents and to create opportunities for you to learn from and with others so that you are confident in supporting your students as we redesign our courses and navigate this shifting landscape together.” (from Auburn University’s “Teaching with AI” online course description).
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Pedagogy Learning Communities
Community Cafe: Teaching & Learning in STEM
Dates: Wednesdays (1/15, 1/29, 2/12, 3/12, 4/9)
Time: 12:00 p.m.
Location: Christian Cafeteria Executive Dining Room
Facilitator: Kyle Hurley
STEM disciplines face unique challenges in the fields of teaching and learning. This year-long learning community will serve as a meeting place for anyone interested in improving, exploring, and growing as professionals. We will meet twice a month for lunch and discussion on a variety of topics from best practices to technology, to interdisciplinary and interdepartmental approaches for teaching and beyond!
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Global Learning Research Group
Dates: Thursdays (1/30, 2/13 & 2/27, 3/13, 4/3 & 4/17, 5/1)
Time: 3:00 p.m.
Location: TORW 319
Facilitator: Allison Freed and Evan Faidley
This group aims to connect faculty and staff members interested in studying the influence of global learning (e.g., Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), Global Shared Learning Experiences, Education Abroad, etc.) on the internationalization of academic programs, curricula, and student learning. We plan to meet twice a month to discuss and plan research efforts on global teaching and learning. We plan to seek publication of our research and continue our inquiries from the fall semester. New participants are welcome to join.
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Women’s Book Group: Life in Five Senses
Dates: Mondays (1/27, 2/3 & 2/17, 3/3 & 3/17, 4/7 & 4/21)
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Location: TORW 319 (with Zoom option)
Facilitator: Olivia Bundrick, Laura Niswonger
“For more than a decade, Gretchen Rubin had been studying happiness and human nature….In this journey of self-experimentation, Rubin explores the mysteries and joys of the five senses as a path to a happier, more mindful life. Drawing on cutting-edge science, philosophy, literature, and her own efforts to practice what she learns, she investigates the profound power of tuning into the physical world….In the rush of daily life, she finds, our five senses offer us immediate, sustainable ways to cheer up, calm down, and engage the world around us—as well as ways to glimpse the soul and touch the transcendent.
Life in Five Senses is an absorbing, layered story of discovery filled with profound insights and practical suggestions about how to heighten our senses and use our powers of perception to live fuller, richer lives—and, ultimately, how to move through the world with more vitality and love.” (from Amazon description)
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Coaching Circles
Early Career Coaching Circle (ECCC)
Dates: Tuesdays (1/21, 2/4 & 2/18, 3/4 & 3/18, 4/1)
Time: 3:00 p.m.
Location: TORW 319
Facilitators: Amy Hawkins, Rebekah Luong, Ashley Phillips, Arijit Mukherjee
Interested in setting yourself up for success in your first few years as a UCA faculty member? ECCC is a learning community with a semi-structured discussion format for faculty in their second through fifth year at UCA. This group will meet twice a month throughout the academic year to support each other in the development of individualized plans to set and achieve goals in the areas of teaching, scholarship & creative activity, and service.
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Dean’s Leadership Series
Time: x-period
Location: McCastlain Fireplace Room
Facilitator: Tom Williams
Join our Dean’s Leadership Learning Community, a four-part series focused on enhancing leadership skills. Dive into such critical topics as building culture, personnel management, avoiding burnout, and managing difficult people to empower and inspire effective leadership. Don’t miss this opportunity to elevate your leadership capabilities.
Avoiding Burnout: February 27
Learn more about navigating the unique challenges of academic leadership while maintaining your well-being and effectiveness. This interactive session explores approaches for sustainable leadership practices, boundary-setting, and workload management in higher education. Learn practical techniques for balancing administrative demands with personal wellness, and develop strategies to model healthy work practices for your team.
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Managing Difficult People: April 29
Enhance your toolkit for addressing challenging interpersonal situations in academic leadership. This session provides frameworks for having constructive conversations, maintaining professional relationships during conflicts, and fostering a positive departmental culture. Discuss real-world scenarios and develop actionable strategies for turning difficult interactions into opportunities for growth and improved collaboration.
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Faculty for Successful Students
In collaboration with Student Success Services, the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Academic Leadership (CETAL) launched an eight-week campaign to equip faculty with simple strategies to promote student success, particularly among first-year students. Beginning in August 2024, the campaign consisted of weekly brainstorm sessions and content populated with faculty strategies to support student behaviors that foster student success. For more information, visit the Faculty for Successful Students webpage.