Lean on me:A faculty large-lecture learning

communityJean DeSaix

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

● What is a Large-lecture Learning Community? (LLLC) ● How does it work? ● Why is it wonderful? ● How can I start one?

What is a Large-lecture Learning Community?

(LLLC)

What is a Large-lecture Learning Community?

(LLLC)• “There is isolation and emotional sterility in

faculty life that seems dangerous – perhaps toxic.” Robert Kraft, 2000, Change 32:3

• The University expressed a need to provide greater professional development and support for instructors of large enrollment classes. The Center for Faculty Excellence (CFE) requested applications for a community of faculty with common challenges.

What is a Large-lecture Learning Community?

(LLLC)• Expectations explicit in

announcemento Regular attendanceo Sharing within the communityo Sharing outside the community

• Monthly 2 hour meetings at a nice conference center on campus with lunch

How does it work?

How does it work?• With a small group of people around you,

name your greatest teaching challenge and ask how others have dealt with that challenge.

How does it work?• 9 faculty from various disciplines:

o Psychology (2)o History (1)o Chemistry (2) o Economics (1)o Biology (3)

• 2 CFE facilitators• At monthly meetings, lunch became less

important than round-table discussions.o Challenges with Sakai o Laptop policyo Spreading reformo Peer Coaching

How does it work?• One meeting’s topics

o My daughter got into Carolinao MOOCs – working on? summer bought out?o Peerwise software o Flippingo Class Facebook?o Student privacy: required blogs, etco Sequester exams?o SWORD softwareo Student mentors

How does it work?• More than half of the faculty are

working collaboratively with another member on a technique or project

o “Gidi helped me decide how to use Peerwise”

o “Jeremy showed me how to edit videos”

Why is it wonderful?

Why is it wonderful?

• With others around you, describe the best thing you have discovered to make teaching tasks easier.

Why is it wonderful?• Group problem solving• Sharing of triumphs as well as tribulations• Peer coaching• Getting to know others across campus• Always FOOD

• SOME EXAMPLES OF WAYS OUR TEACHNG HAS BEEN MADE EASIER

Why is it wonderful?• “Quick parts” for frequent replies

Why is it wonderful?• “Quick parts” for frequent replies• Post-test analysis/diagnostic tool

(unsolicited testimonial from a group member)Ladies,I've been meaning to thank you for the excellent ideas you suggested to me during our last CFE 100+ meeting. Specifically, your suggestion for a worksheet that students complete before they meet with me about their study habits in chemistry. After talking with you, I quickly put together the awkwardly-titled "pre-strategy meeting inventory" and required that the 28 students I met with the following day complete it before arriving at my office. The inventory asked about the number of times visiting office hours, help center, printing out slides (before class), and so on.

I was shocked (shocked, I tell you!) to find so many students arrive at our meeting, form in hand, stating that they knew what they could be doing differently in their study of chemistry. The evidence (or proof) was in the inventory.

So thank you! I think it helped at least one student take a different approach. Yay!

Why is it wonderful?• “Quick parts” for frequent replies• Post-test analysis/diagnostic tool• Software to “read” grades• Insensitive description pointed out by peer coach• Cell phone picture of in-class work on doc camera• Power of numbers: campus support people respond

to requests and come to meetings to “hear us out.”• Mutual encouragement/support for participation in

faculty governance.

How can I start one?

How can I start one?

• Seek out your teaching excellence center• Get a list from your registrar of those who

share a targeted attribute with yours and send an RFP for a “special” opportunity

• Plan a really nice meeting place with food provided (sound like the BLC?)

Ideas?

Questions?

• I found both observing and being observed to be useful exercises. • In being observed, I was nervous. In hearing my observers’

comments, I was reminded again how important it is to intersperse “critical” comments with “affirming” comments. Suggestions from my observers fell into three categories

• A. Things I will implement immediately such as not mentioning “mobile home” as part of a poor family.

• B. Things I will think about such as how to handle Facebook on laptops.

• C. Things that are suggested that I probably won’t do such as ban laptops or stop wearing black. This is not to say that those are bad ideas, just that they don’t work with my style, etc.

• In observing it was great to see that others have the same struggles I have. Running into things on the stage, students talking so loudly that other students can’t hear, making mistakes in front of the class. I found others tolerant of things I am not (people walking around during class) and intolerant of things I am tolerant of (laptops).

• I saw two vastly different styles being exceptionally successful, reaffirming there’s no “one right” way to do it. I got good ideas for how to keep the class engaged (working problems) and on-task (bouncers).

• Overall, I felt we did a lot of talking about class behavior management, and that would be a good topic for our group.

• I also think it would be helpful if we had a rubric both for what to look at and for how to frame our comments.

• People are always welcome to come to my class. Like everyone else, some days are better than others.