Communities of Practice
CTLT's Communities of Practice (CoP) provide connections and shared expertise for groups of individuals with common goals and similar challenges. Communities of Practice are distinguished by three characteristics. Members (1) share a domain of interest, (2) engage in activities and discussions to share information and develop relationships, and (3) develop a repertoire of resources, experiences, tools and methods to enhance their practice. Membership requires only active participation and constructive contributions to the community. Regular gatherings are informal and lightly facilitated to offer opportunities for connecting with others and learning to become a better practitioner.
Wellbeing Community of Practice
Launching Spring 2024
A phrase shared around various communities of educators is "Maslow's before Bloom's." This is, as you may well know, a reference to two rather prominent models from academic that have made their way into popular usage: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Bloom's Taxonomy. In short, the phrase recognizes that learners must have support for core wellbeing needs (e.g., safety, belonging) (reference to Maslow's) before they can meaningfully engage in learning activities (reference to Bloom's).
This Community of Practice (CoP) invites faculty who recognize through observation or personal experience (or both!) the centrality of wellbeing as a necessary precondition for the work we do as educators and that students do as learners. It is a space to connect with colleagues while gaining insights into how to restore or enhance wellbeing and how to better achieve our goals for student learning by recognizing and supporting their wellbeing needs.
CoP members who are inspired to implement wellbeing practices for self and for students will have a community for mutual mentoring, encouragement, and support. Meetings typically occur 1-2 times a quarter throughout the academic year as a complement to ongoing interactions online.
If you're interested in learning more, contact Dr. Patrick O'Sullivan, CTLT director (posulliv at calpoly.edu).
If you're interested in joining the CoP (which means you will receive meeting reminders, be abel to join exchanges among members, and access the CoP's Canvas site for resources and support), complete this form:
WELLBEING CoP SIGNUP FORM (coming soon)
Grading For Equity Community of Practice
AY 2024-25
Reconsidering and refining course grading practices powerfully complements many other equitable and inclusive teaching practices faculty implement, contributing to progress on campus goals for all students to succeed.
This Community of Practice (CoP) invites faculty who are dissatisfied with traditional grading practices to learn new ways to conceptualize and use equity-driven grading practices. Many current members have participated in one or more of the CTLT's related book circles: Grading For Equity, by Joe Feldman, Life Beyond Grades, by Covington, van Hoene and Voge, and/or Grading for Growth, by David Clark and Robert Talbert.
The CoPs primary source book is Grading for Equity, by Joe Feldman, which is available for free through Kennedy Library (Download book from the Kennedy Library website). The book examines the origins and shortcomings of traditional grading practices and provides extensive guidance for grading practices that are more accurate, more motivating and more equitable.
With that shared foundation, CoP members who are inspired to implement some of the recommended equitable grading practices have a community for mutual mentoring, encouragement, and support. Meetings typically occur 1-2 times a quarter throughout the academic year as a complement to ongoing interactions online.
If you're interested in learning more, contact Dr. Patrick O'Sullivan, CTLT director (posulliv at calpoly.edu).
If you're interested in joining the CoP (which means adding you to CoP emails and accessing the CoP's Canvas site for resources and support), complete this form:
GRADING FOR EQUITY CoP SIGNUP FORM
