A Faculty Learning Community (or FLC) is a group of interdisciplinary faculty who engage in an active, collaborative, year-long program. FLC’s are open to all full-time faculty via an application process. Up to eight (8) participants are accepted for each FLC and receive a stipend of $500 for their participation in the year-long cohort. Each FLC focuses on researching a scholarly and pedagogical topic that is important to the larger academic community. Each FLC also generates a deliverable by the end of the academic year that is aligned to the FLC’s goals. Deliverables could include a variety of outputs demonstrating the community’s work and impact, such as presentations, resource pages, blog posts, a white paper, changes to/implications for teaching practices, etc.
The Center for Teaching & Mentoring offers support for FLCs each academic year. The program includes a curriculum geared to enhancing educational development with regularly-scheduled meetings and activities that provide participants with opportunities pertaining to the FLC’s thematic focus and stated goals. Once the FLC begins, participants attend monthly meetings that include teaching and learning activities, development and training opportunities, and community building.
2026-2027 FLCs
In this FLC, faculty will explore ways to create writing assignments in courses that challenge students to use creativity, critical thinking, research skills, and communication strategies. Educational research has long confirmed that writing is a high-impact pedagogy, a learning strategy that challenges students to internalize outside information, think critically about it, and then express their own ideas. These processes result in cognitive gains as students learn how to think through problems and as they more successfully retain information. In an era when professors are assigning fewer papers, they need to be assigning more.
Throughout the academic year, participants will engage in discussions about the value of writing, develop greater confidence in assigning and designing writing assignments, and explore the evolving role of writing in the context of AI. The group will also examine a range of approaches to assessing student writing. As a culminating project, participants will collaborate to plan and host a “CompExpo” conference in April, where each member will present on writing within their own courses.
This FLC supports MTSU faculty in strengthening teaching and professional growth through the development of effective, meaningful observation practices. Facilitated by Bonnie Barksdale (Department of Teaching, Learning, and Innovation) and Angela Hooser (Department of Leadership, Development, and Educational Systems), this cross-departmental initiative aligns with Strategic Plan 2035 priorities focused on impactful academic experiences and enhanced faculty support. By bringing together colleagues from across the university, the FLC creates a collaborative space to examine and improve the tools used to support instructional development.
Participants will collaborate to evaluate and refine observation instruments, ensuring they are practical, context-sensitive, and grounded in meaningful feedback that supports faculty at all career stages. Organized around action research cycles (Dana & Yendol-Hoppey, 2020), the FLC will guide participants in examining existing tools, drawing on peer observation models (Gosling, 2002), and testing and revising instruments through real-world application. This process will result in adaptable, evidence-informed tools that can be used across disciplines to support ongoing faculty growth.
As AI continues to reshape higher education, this FLC provides a structured, collaborative space for faculty to critically examine and design meaningful AI-informed instruction. Throughout the academic year, participants will explore key questions related to AI-based assessment, student learning, disciplinary applications, and the balance between innovation and academic integrity.
Through hands-on exploration and cross-disciplinary collaboration, participants will build confidence and competency with AI tools in a supportive, low-stakes environment. The FLC also fosters ongoing connections among faculty while aligning with institutional efforts such as CTM workshops on AI in education, GradAI, and the MTSU AI Initiative, helping ensure that AI integration is thoughtful, effective, and sustainable across the curriculum.
Affordable Access for Student Success: An OER Learning Community Ginelle Baskin, Facilitator
Study Abroad for the True Blue Core Derek Frisby, Aliou Ly, and Suzanne Sutherland, Facilitators
Creating Relationship-Rich Environments: A Student-Centered Approach to Connection, Belonging, and Success Faculty Learning Community Keri Carter, Facilitator
Raising the Bar: Elevating Teaching and Learning Research at MTSU Jennifer Caputo and Samantha Johnson, Facilitators
Preservice Training: A Humanizing Pedagogy Approach Kim Evert and Natalie Griffin, Facilitators
Foundational Themes in Liberal Arts: An Interdisciplinary Perspective Janet McCormick, Facilitator
Faculty Learning Community on Assessment Layne Bryant and Jeff Gibson, Facilitators
Connecting Online Graduate Students to the University Community Chris Dye and Bethany Wrye, Facilitators
And Then There Was COVID: Exploring Inequity and Barriers to Higher Education Identified Through a Virtual Classroom Environment Claire Cook and Ida Fadzillah, Facilitators
Connecting Online Graduate Students to the University Community Chris Dye and Bethany Wrye, Facilitators
Daring Pedagogy Faculty Learning Community Shane McCoy, Facilitator
Incorporating Experiential OER Badges and Certifications to Enhance Student Learning and Workforce Preparedness Diane Edmonson and Lucy Matthews, Facilitators
Integrating Practical Data Skills into the Classroom Ken Blake and Sally Ann Cruikshank
Motivational Interviewing as Pedagogy Deborah Lee and Liz Smith, Facilitators
Successfully Engaging Students in the Virtual Learning Environment Sandy Benson, Facilitator
Using Integrative and Reflective Thinking to Promote an Inclusive Campus Culture Christina Cobb and Chandra Story, Facilitators
Wikipedia for Scholars and Students Joan McRae, Facilitator
Failing to Learn, Learning to Fail Lando Carter, Facilitator
Gaming in the Classroom: A Look at Gamification Christina M. Cobb and Meredith Anne S. Higgs, Facilitators
Inclusive Teaching Carmelita L. Dotson and V. Nikki Jones, Facilitators
Navigating the Digital Humanities Poushali Bhadury and Dr. Eric Detweiler, Facilitators
Offering a Blended Classroom at MTSU Vishwas N. Bedekar, Facilitator
Spatial Computing in Education and Learning Andrienne Friedli and John Wallin, Facilitators
The Works-in-Progress Writer’s Collaborative Kate Pantelides, Facilitator
Best Practices for Career Preparation Courses Tom Brinthaupt, Facilitator
Incorporating Global Perspectives Laura White, Facilitator
MTSU General Education Redesign Susan Myers-Shirk, Facilitator
Seeking Community, Support, and Growth for Black Faculty Members Michelle Stevens, Facilitator
Signature Thinking: A Framework for Enhancing Creativity Lando Carter and Kevin Krahenbuhl, Facilitators
Students as Knowledge Creators Ryan Korstange and Jason Vance, Facilitators
Using a Showcase ePortfolio Dianna Rust and Carol Swayze, Facilitators
Academic Rigor and Grade Inflation William Levine, Facilitator
Open Data in Academic Teaching, Learning, and Research Mary Ellen Sloane, Facilitator
Problem-Based Learning Terry Goodin, Facilitator
Teaching Students in a STEM Major Brian Slaboch, Facilitator
Teaching Trios: Sharing Our Classrooms to Promote Faculty Reflection on Teaching and Learning Sarah Bleiler-Baxter, Facilitator
Graduate Education Tom Brinthaupt, Facilitator
Interdisciplinary Learning Community Meg Brooker and Kate Pantelides, Facilitators
MT Engage Dianna Rust, Facilitator
Principles of the Mind and Student Success Kevin Krahenbuhl, Facilitator
Sustainable Study Abroad Ric Morris, Facilitator
Teaching and Mentoring International Students Yang Soo Kim, Facilitator
