Faculty Learning Community

The 2024 application period has ended. Please check back for future opportunities.

Creating Community and Belonging

The Faculty Learning Community (FLC) invites in-person and online instructors from all levels and fields to discuss evidence-based approaches, practices and resources that contribute to students’ sense of community and belonging in a course, program and the university as a whole.

Our learners crave community and a sense of belonging. Research has shown that college students who feel connected to their peers and instructors are more likely to succeed academically and personally. A sense of belonging can significantly impact learners’ retention rates, motivation and overall satisfaction with their educational experience. Universities that foster inclusive environments and encourage student engagement through various activities and support services see higher levels of student achievement and well-being. Yet, creating a sense of community can be challenging for instructors due to large class sizes, diverse student populations and increasing reliance on online and hybrid learning environments, among other factors.

By the end of the FLC, participants will be able to:

• Define what creating a sense of community and belonging means in an educational context and list the benefits
• Identify assessments to measure a sense of community and belonging in their courses and programs
• Describe how their classrooms may be connected to local and global communities
• Acquire and apply various strategies and resources to foster a sense of community within their courses and programs, enhancing student engagement and connection

Upon completion of the FLC, participants will receive a letter from the Delphi Center to confirm their participation, time commitment and learning outcomes.

What should we expect?

We will meet virtually via Microsoft Teams for 90 minutes four times in Fall 2024, with our fourth meeting functioning as a workshop where participants will complete and receive feedback on their action plan.

What are the expectations for participants?

Participants are expected to join all four 90-minute FLC online sessions and participate in small group and class discussions. Furthermore, participants are asked to:

• Keep a journal to document and reflect on takeaways from each session
• Complete short homework assignments for each session (about 15 minutes), e.g., finding a research article from your field that speaks to the respective topic or preparing questions for guest speakers
• Create an action plan that translates key aspects from the FLC to instructors’ own teaching contexts
• Complete a short evaluation form at the conclusion of the FLC
• Optional: If you wish to do so, you may administer the formative Ascend survey to measure social belonging, belonging certainty, and social connectedness in the context of your Spring 2025 course (at the beginning, mid-point, and end of the semester); the Delphi Center will help you with accessing the materials and interpretation.

Who is the facilitator?

Lucian Rothe, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of German at UofL, specializing in applied linguistics and education. Recognized for his innovative instruction, Dr. Rothe received the 2023 TILL Teaching Innovation Award and the 2024 Diversity Champion Award from the College of Arts and Sciences. As a Delphi Center Faculty Affiliate, he looks forward to sharing his experiences and facilitating conversations among educators from all fields and other university stakeholders to enhance the educational experience on campus.

Questions? Contact Caroline Boswell at caroline.boswell@louisville.edu or 502-852-5104.