Communities of Practice

Explore effective practices in AI-enhanced teaching. This CoP serves as an AI “sandbox” where we will play and learn about AI's applications in education. Our focus will be on encouraging faculty and student success, considering new AI strategies, and rethinking what we expect our students to be able to do. We will use the book Teaching with AI: A Practical Guide to a New Era of Human Learning by José Antonio Bowen and C. Edward Watson as a resource. Convener: Colleen Kirk

Join our book club as we read Inclusive Teaching: Strategies for Promoting Equity in the College Classroom. Together, we'll explore practical strategies to create equitable learning environments, discuss key insights, and share experiences to enhance inclusivity. Convener: Fikayo Odugbemi

When students are engaged, their motivation increases, their learning deepens, and their academic success improves. In this community of practice, faculty will explore strategies for creating inclusive classrooms where students meaningfully engage with course material and each other. Join us to discover and implement innovative approaches that foster active participation, collaboration, and a sense of belonging for all students. Convener: Fikayo Odugbemi

We will explore the Critical Teaching Behaviors framework, a research-based tool that categorizes effective teaching strategies into six domains: (1) Align, (2) Include, (3) Engage, (4) Assess, (5) Integrate Technology, and (6) Reflect. The framework provides a shared vocabulary for sharing teaching experiences and strategies with colleagues from different disciplines. Convener: Mena Youssef

Hurricanes. Rising waters. Forest fires. Adverse climate events are becoming more frequent and severe in our changing world. Social injustices and environmental inequities make communities especially vulnerable to natural and man-made disasters. How can educational institutions work with government agencies, NGOs, and professionals to better prevent, anticipate, and respond to the negative impacts of climate change? Participants may choose to collaborate on grant proposals, incorporate UN Sustainable Development Goals into their teaching, and/or develop strategies for collaboration and a framework for analyzing case studies and best practices across and between disciplines. Conveners: Farzana Gandhi and Jim Martinez

Taking time to reflect—as a person and as a professional—is beneficial to your practice and your overall wellbeing. Reflection is crucial to growth: taking time to assess where we are and how our actions align with our values helps us chart new pathways and regain some of the joy and fulfillment that brought us to this work in the first place. That said, it can be challenging to find time to build a regular reflective practice and stick with it long enough to see the benefits. Reflective Teaching Circles provide structured time for reflection within a trusted community of colleagues. Groups meet monthly, for 90 minutes, and provide you the time, accountability, and community to support your own reflective practice and gain insights from others.
Convener: Fran Glazer

Are you looking for a dedicated time each week to focus on your scholarly writing? This CoP meets twice-monthly on the Long Island campus for 60-90 minute sessions. Meetings include dedicated writing time and opportunities for networking, offering feedback on each other’s work, and shared accountability. Open to faculty of all disciplines. Convener: Beth Elenko

Achieving tenure is a significant milestone. It also presents an opportunity to consider different career paths: a role in institutional leadership, expanding one’s research, pedagogical innovation, public engagement and/or consulting, community service, interdisciplinary collaborations, and more. Participants will examine different options, re-connect with the work that energizes them, and develop a plan for moving forward. Convener: Melissa Huey