What Makes Good Teaching? Learning Communities What Makes Good Teaching?

Why I Should Not be Giving This Talk I came to the LC orientation for the wrong reason. It took me awhile to get it. Initially I stayed for only some of the right reasons. Moral: Stick around long enough and you’ll be doing the talk!!

What Makes LC’s Good for Universities? Increased retention Increased “persistence to graduation” Generally, higher GPA’s Foster early identification with the academy Positive peer networks build early competency Models the academy at its best

What makes LC’s Good for Students? Scheduling and registration concerns are minimized Smaller classes lead to more individualized attention Continuity and reinforcement of learning across domains Increased exposure to diversity at all levels Problems are caught earlier and dealt with multi-modally Faculty cross-talk models appropriate intellectual discourse

What makes LC’s Good for Faculty “What is overwhelming to one faculty member is doable within a community of faculty” Increased expertise Structuring process Collegiality vs. isolationism Holistic approach to students Problems are addressable and fixable It’s a lot of fun

Why I Would Do it Again in a Minute teaching in an LC reminds me of why I became a teacher communication between professors and across LC’s LC’s teach meta-skills as part of the process Rare opportunity to kick students out of bed!!

Why Does CTE Take a Keen Interest in LC’s? LC’s by their nature foster improvement in pedagogy LC’s allow faculty easy access to other perspective in teaching. LC’s foster a culture of collegiality and support LC’s encourage diversity