The agenda of the fifth annual Faculty Career Enhancement (FaCE) conference was devoted to an exploration of inclusive communities of practice as a pedagogical tool to assist colleges in engaging 21st-century students and classrooms. Forty faculty members from 13 ACM colleges attended.
Participating faculty heard from past FaCE grant recipients about collaborations across upper-level seminars to create interdisciplinary learning communities among students. A faculty project team also shared information about ways in which faculty can understand and better leverage their students’ cultural and life experiences to inform and enhance classroom pedagogy.
Reflecting on a session at the conference intended to integrate the various concepts that had been discussed, one participant noted, “Well-structured and honest – showing how complex the theme is and patience involved in grouping ideas together or refining themes and ideas. I found this group process mirrored the work that needs to be done across disciplines and in the colleges.”
Finally, the conference agenda helped participating faculty members to think about collaborative projects that they might propose through the regranting process. The next Call for Pre-Proposals for collaborative faculty projects will be sent in mid-January 2019, with pre-proposals due Friday, February 22.
Learn more and see past FaCE projects here.
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation funds the annual FaCE conference and the FaCE grant awards for collaborative faculty innovation.