Development of a Faculty Learning Community

1. Development of a Faculty Learning Community Emma Bailey; Ashley Le Vin; Louise Miller; Katherine Price; Sharon Sneddon; Genevieve Stapleton; Lissann Wolfe

2. What is a Faculty Learning Community? • A group of peers who come together to share their judgements and uncertainties about an area of practice and share ideas or experiences to collectively support and improve each others progression. • A learning community has the potential to bring together motivated staff with a range of experiences and skills to work together for a common goal. Cox, M.D. 2004. Introduction to faculty learning communities. New Directions for Teaching and Learning 97: 5,23 Jane MacKenzie, Sheena Bell, Jason Bohan, Andrea Brown, Joanne Burke, Barbara Cogdell, Susan Jamieson, Julie McAdam, Robert McKerlie, Lorna Morrow, Beth Paschke, Paul Rea & Anne Tierney (2010). From anxiety to empowerment: a Learning Community of University Teachers, Teaching in Higher Education, 15:3, 273-284

3. Glasgow’s First FLC 2005-6 • Support University Teachers’ engagement with SoTL • 12 members from 6 faculties • Monthly meetings • Development of individual Teaching Development Projects (TDPs) • Group feedback on TDPs Jane MacKenzie, Sheena Bell, Jason Bohan, Andrea Brown, Joanne Burke, Barbara Cogdell, Susan Jamieson, Julie McAdam, Robert McKerlie, Lorna Morrow, Beth Paschke, Paul Rea & Anne Tierney (2010). From anxiety to empowerment: a Learning Community of University Teachers, Teaching in Higher Education, 15:3, 273-284

4. FLC Outcomes 2005-6 • Anxiety surrounding role as a teacher and scholarship - under - valued - lack of understanding of SoTL • Desire for community - safe space - support and advice from LC members • Empowerment - understanding of what SoTL is and how to engage in it - successful projects

5. The 2018 Glasgow FLC How did it begin & who is involved? Recruitment: • MVLS • LT&S Track • Early Career Development Programme (ECDP) Final FLC • 3 x Life Sciences • 3 x Medicine • 1 x Veterinary Medicine

6. Aims of the FLC • To create and design a Faculty Learning Community to support scholarship and progression for MVLS lecturers (learning & teaching track) enrolled on the Early Career Development Programme (ECDP) • To understand how a Faculty Learning Community can be used to support staff on career development pathways as part of MVLS support for ECDP participants • To empower ECDP participants to engage in the ECDP through peer support and mentorship within the Faculty Learning Community • To provide practical support for scholarship projects (it is hoped that all members will be supported to drive their scholarship ‘from idea to manuscript’) • To provide co-authorship on the scholarship of Faculty Learning Communities to support ECDP progression and scholarship

7. Retreat Days • First and last meetings are day long retreats • Intended to encourage the development of relationships and a ‘sense of belonging’, described by MacKenzie et al (2010) as an important determinant of a successful FLC. • Both days will include a focus group which will explore the usefulness of the LC to support ECDP participants and whether a LC represents a credible sustainable model for scholarship and progression support

8. Meetings to date & future plans 2018 • Feb - Initial Retreat Day • Mar - What is ECDP / issues with ECDP • Apr/May - Identification of individual SoTL projects • June - Feedback on individual SoTL projects • Aug - Joint away day with Edinburgh Napier University Faculty Learning Community • Sept - December – Topics to be decided 2019 • Jan – Second retreat day

9. Intended Outcomes • To publish and disseminate scholarship describing the use of a Faculty Learning Community to support progression • To provide recommendations regarding scholarship support for ECDP which may inform ECDP and Promotion and Progression Committees and impact on promotion criteria • Provide support for staff development to deliver excellence in learning and teaching & improve student satisfaction rates

10. Evaluation of the FLC Can a Faculty Learning Community approach be used to support progression and scholarship? • Reflective diaries throughout process • Qualitative analysis of the reflections of ECDP participants pre and post participation in a FLC • Pre and post focus groups • Record proceedings of meetings • Collect evidence of scholarship outputs

11. Outputs – so far So far: • 7 individual scholarship project proposals: - Using tv and radio to enhance learning and engagement - Encouraging professional attributes in medical students by assessing problem-based learning - Students’ Stress Levels in OSCEs - Defining the borderline candidate in standard setting for professional examinations - Evaluation of an Interactive 3D Contextual Representation of Spinal Cord Pathways and Cranial Nerve Nuclei to Aid Student Comprehension - Using artefacts to increase student confidence and address fears over residential field courses and beginning their junior honours year in the Animal Biology degrees - Facilitating assessment literacy development to aid student transition. • 3 collaborative scholarship projects beyond the learning community • 4 poster presentations accepted • 6 oral presentations accepted

12. Future • FLC manuscript • Conference abstracts/poster /presentations • Report of findings to the ECDP • Influence policy

13. Questions?