Join a Faculty Learning Community

Originally published Sept. 4, 2026

Contribute to Peer Learning about Teaching at Laurier

A Faculty Learning Community (FLC) is a group of cross-disciplinary or department-specific instructors who engage in active, collaborative meetings (usually monthly) and activities on a specified topic. Drawing from work in the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL), FLCs promote teaching and learning development and cross-institution community building (Cox 2004).

Over the years, TEI has supported and facilitated several FLCs that successfully supported instructors in building their capacity and growing their teaching toolbox on many different teaching themes such as decolonization, gen AI and academic integrity, environmental sustainability, inclusive teaching, challenging classroom climates, ungrading, pedagogies of care and universal design for learning. Through these FLCs, instructors at Laurier have:

• published a research article and a chapter in an edited volume;
• successfully ran a yearly multi-university conference;
• produced a first-year survey to capture incoming student knowledge from high school experiences;
• developed resources on and for teaching and learning;
• created lasting partnerships across the institution.

FLCs bring instructors from across the institution together to explore an area of interest, create a solution to a teaching and learning issue, or to find supports with any teaching and learning concerns that arise with changing contexts in higher education. FLCs are helpful for instructors to learn new pedagogical practices, co-create partnerships across the institution and provide you with a group of colleagues to share teaching successes, offer ideas to others, as well as a place to find community. FLCs are an effective way to evolve your practice and support student success through integrating new and exciting ways of teaching. 

The benefits of FLCs go beyond the instructor’s expanded toolbox. Studies measure improved student learning, attitudes, and retention. When faculty have the peer-supports to try something new in their classroom, or update a pedagogical practice, or learn new pedagogical tools, students are provided with new ways to learn and engage at university (Tinnell, Ralston, Tretter & Mills 2019; Schlitz et. al 2009; Elliot et. al 2017; Maurer, et al. 2010).

TEI is excited to invite you to this year’s faculty learning communities:

• Art as a Pedagogical Tool Community of Practice  |  This community of practice focuses on discussing how best to bring art into our courses and teaching. Join Laurier’s newest Teaching Fellow Tristan Long to brainstorm ideas that complement or replace existing coursework, and to talk about ways to engage and develop the artistic skills of our students (and ourselves!).

• Teaching at Scale: A Community for Large First-Year Course Instructors | Large classes bring unique teaching opportunities and challenges, from strategies for building student engagement on the first day and beyond to knowing how to manage a room of several hundred students during midterms and final exams. This community provides a space to connect with colleagues, exchange ideas and explore topics such as understanding today's students, encouraging attendance and engagement, making the most of large teaching spaces, and supporting effective classroom management in large-enrolment courses. Please contact Rammy Saini, educational developer to join this community. 

• Brantford Teaching and Learning Faculty Community  |  Join Brantford colleagues for a faculty learning community focused on teaching and learning at the Brantford campus. These monthly gatherings will provide a space for Brantford faculty to connect, share teaching practices, ideas, and engage in meaningful conversations about the opportunities and challenges we encounter in our teaching. Hear from colleagues about their experiences and approaches, exchange practical strategies and advice, and explore ways to support student learning. Come to build connections, discover common interests, and identify opportunities for future collaboration and peer learning. Please contact Nasreen Sultana, educational developer to join this faculty learning community. 

Laurier instructors can find contact details to join these faculty communities on Connect >>

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