By Ryan Clark
CHS Communications Director

“This is where you engage with each other, and learn from and with each other,” said Janine Bartley, PhD, CCC-SLP, and assistant professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

It was just a few weeks ago in late August, and Bartley, along with 10 faculty from the College of Health Sciences, gathered for the kick-off of the CHS Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Faculty Learning Community 2.0.

Last year, two CHS professors — Bartley, and Leslie Woltenberg, PhD, MSEd — collaborated with the Center for Enhancement of Learning and Teaching (CELT)  to present the College’s first SoTL FLC group.

“The goals are to help establish a core knowledge in SoTL and facilitate collaboration whereby SoTL research can be pursued within the College,” Woltenberg said. “And of course — all this, with the ultimate goal of continuous improvement of teaching and learning.”

“At the center of all we do, the primary reason we are here is to teach students,” said Scott Lephart, Dean of the College, said at this year's kickoff. “And we cannot keep doing the same things we’ve always done. In this program, we can study the science of pedagogy. Are we effective as teachers? Can we do it better?” 

Those in the second cohort include: Dr. Karen Clancy, Dr. Sharlee Burch, Ashley Vowels, Dr. Katie Goldey, Aimee Sayre, Dr. Christen Page, Dr. Carrie Baker, Dr. Heather Witt, Dr. Denise O’Dell, Dr. Kara Lee.  

The second cohort begins Wednesday, Sept. 20. 

Last year, the group explored the possibilities and procedures of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, particularly for faculty participants who have been trained in and practice health sciences research methods. Envisioned as a two-part, two-year program, the FLC will meet once a month for 60-90 minutes.

The first semester focuses on learning about SoTL from both interdisciplinary and health sciences perspectives (e.g., design considerations, methods, examples), after which participants may choose to continue for the remaining three semesters in designing, implementing, analyzing and writing up an SoTL project either as individuals or in teams.

Brian Noehren, PhD, PT, FACSM, and director of the Human Performance and Biomotion Laboratories said there will also be assistance for training, including support for writing, as well as resources to help obtain grants, etc.

“You have all the tools lined up,” he said.

“I am convinced this will continue to pay dividends as we build future lesson plans,” Lephart said at the kickoff. “You can start learning the tools to move forward so you can be more productive, and your students can get cutting-edge instrumentation in the classroom.”