Welcome to the Teaching-Learning Academy

Overview

A community of scholars In dialogue on teaching and learning

Objectives Civil discourse including disagreement A deeper understanding of teacher-learner

relationships Best individual & institutional teaching and learning

practices Optimal learning for everyone Celebrating contributions to teaching and learning

TLA and Beyond

Teaching-Learning Academy

“Students as Co-Inquirers” Interest

Group in the International Society for

the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

(ISSOTL)

A.S. Student Voices Club

Teaching &Learning

Leadership Cooperativ

eWWU &

Bellingham

community partners

Participants

Administrators Faculty Staff Students Community

Members

2011: Celebrating 12 Years of STUDENT VOICES at Western Washington

University

Student Participation

Pathways:

Comm 322 (civil discourse class) Comm 339 (Applied communication practicum) Other courses (e.g. in education and psychol) Volunteer

Why? gain leadership experience share views on teaching and learning hear and understand better what others think make learning better for them and others

Non-Student Participation Faculty and staff from across campus Members of the Bellingham community All volunteer

Why? share their views hear what others, especially students, think make learning, the community, & the world

better make connections, partnerships, network

Activities Meet bimonthly in dialogue groups Promote all-campus forums on

teaching and learning Create campus partnerships Share findings locally, nationally and

internationally Lead special interest group on

“Students as Co-Inquirers” within the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISSOTL)

Dialogue-Study Process Develop a BIG question on T&L

to study for the year.

Use question(s) to study ourselves.

Invite others into the study.

Analyze and share the results.

Translate into action.

Dialogue Format: Structured Informality

Whole Group Openingname badges, treats, review agenda &

dialogue prompt, form small groupsSmall Group DialogueResponding to common prompt, recording

group highlightsWhole Group ClosingSharing & responding to small group

highlights – recording for TLA Highlights

Dialogue Agreements Be respectful.Listen to understand & to create a safe space for taking

risks.

Be open.Work to understand differences, not to erase them.

Be direct.Try to understand. Ask questions. Disagree & explain why.

Be present.Engage actively, but know that silence sometimes is ok.

 Be ethical.Be honest and honor confidentiality of others.

Dialogue Facilitation

Facilitate: to make easy

Student facilitators – Comm 322 & Comm 339 students

Use Agreements to ensure air time for all

Refreshments

Help promote civil discourse!

Treats and $ contributions welcome

Overall Results

Participants report:

more positive attitudes toward each other

new insights into each others’ lived experiences

informed teaching & learning practices

advancement of institutional change initiatives

Sample Change Initiatives

2002-03: White paper on GURs 2003-04: Fac. seminar on ethics 2004-05: Learning Stories of Hope 2005-06: Sustaining practices, Sustain. Literacy 2006-07: Online dialogue forum (VV) 2007-08: Evaluating teaching recommendations 2008-09: Expanding Info Fair, Mentoring,

Interactive spaces, Rejuvenation practices 2009-10: Reflective Garden, Common Interest

Groups (VV), Campus Commons, Reflective teaching practices

2010-2011 BIG Question

Developing a BIG question together~

So what’s on your mind?

What if we envisioned the most creative WWU we can imagine - one that fosters intellectual risk taking, life-long learning, and preparing graduates for a changing world?

What would this creative university look like if we took advantage of existing structures that already work this way and (re)invented new ones?

Introductions

Based on what you know about TLA:

What question/concern/comment do you want to share with us that you think would help us enter into this dialogue with you?

Today’s Dialogue

What existing WWU courses/programs/ activities do you know about that already demonstrate a creative approach to learning? How do they work?

Please record your findings and save on flash drives!