Faculty Learning Communities

Working Towards a More Equitable, Just, and Antiracist Future in Higher Education

Edited by:
Kristin N. Rainville, Sacred Heart University
Cynthia G. Desrochers, California State University, Northridge
David G. Title, Sacred Heart University

A volume in the series: Transforming Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. Editor(s): Kristin N. Rainville, Sacred Heart University. David G. Title, Sacred Heart University. Cynthia G. Desrochers, California State University, Northridge.

Published 2024

This edited book on Faculty Learning Communities (FLCs) provides and explores powerful examples of FLCs as a impactful form of professional learning for faculty in higher education. The chapters describe faculty learning community initiatives focused on diversity, equity, and belonging in higher education. Contributing authors provide a framework for faculty learning communities and how these communities can offer faculty a place and space to explore antiracist and social justice-oriented teaching. show the impact of faculty learning communities on teaching practices or student learning, and describe how these communities of practice can lead to institutional change. The book’s foreword, by Milton D. Cox, investigates the past and future of faculty learning communities focused on diversity and equity.

CONTENTS
Foreword, Faculty Learning Communities, Diversity, and Inclusion: Past Informs Future, Milton D. Cox. Cultural Communities of Practice: Faculty Seeking Equity for Indigenous, Black, Immigrant, and International Students in a Collaborative Nursing Program in Saskatchewan, Selinda England. A Plea for Connection: Could a Faculty of Color Learning Community be THAT Space, K. Kayon Morgan and Thomas Lee Morgan. Practicing Togetherness as Communities Embodying Social Justice: What Does it Feel Like and How Do We Know it’s Happening, Rebekah Chappell and Alexia Buono. Rippling Out: Faculty Learning Community Fellows as Critical Change Agents for Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, Kirsten Helmer, Neena Thota, Paula L.S. Rees, and Jonique Childs. Uncovering the Inequality of Equity: Narratives of Faculty Fatigue and “Consciousness” in Intergroup Dialogue, Aireale J. Rodgers. Building Faculty Capacity for Anti-oppressive Teaching: Instructional Coaching and the Inclusive Pedagogies Observation Protocol at Colorado College, Kristina M. Valtierra and Manya C. Whitaker. Exploring Language and Advocating for Linguistic Justice, Joy Janzen. Grassroots Anti-Racism Faculty Learning Community: Confronting White Supremacy Through Shared Leadership, Rachel Burk, Jina Fast, Bethany A. Ford, Mary Packard, Stephanie Savick, and Jennifer Watson Wester. Anti-Oppressive Pedagogy: Connecting Theory to Practice Within Faculty Learning Communities, Manya C. Whitaker and Peony E. Fhagen. Building Capacity to Foster Racial Equity: Faculty Learning Communities for Department Chairs and Program Directors, Brian L. McGowan, Samantha Cohen, Kiho Kim, Michael Schroeder, Amanda Taylor, Ximena Varela, and Shari E. Watkins. The Experiences of Black Men in a Faculty Learning Community Devoted to Black Male Collegians, Michael Wood, Stephen Thorne, Julius Davis, Mark Cox, Maurice Robinson, Michael Hawkins, David Reed. Equity, Social Justice and Anti-Racism: An FLC for Personal, Curricular and Institutional Transformation, Shradha Tibrewal, Betsy Eudey, and Mary Roaf. Preparing Critically Conscious Teachers for the 21st Century Hybrid/Online Classroom, James Martínez, Regina L. Suriel, Rosalyn Martínez, Nicole D. Alemanne, Meagan C. Arrastía-Chisholm, and Sean Lennon. Wade, Swim, Dive: Flexible University Support for Faculty-Initiated Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Learning Communities, Clayton Austin, Cherstin M. Lyon, Pavlina McGrady, Margaret Perrow, and Carey Jean Sojka. “You Can't Engage in Decolonizing Work Alone”: The Value, Challenges, and Tensions Around Building a Contract Teaching Faculty Community to Disrupt Colonialism, Holly Gibbs, Brent Hagerman, Erin Hodson, Sobia Iqbal, Chris Klassen, Lisa Kuron, Jennifer Marshman, Bina Mehta, and Marybeth White. The Development of a Faculty Learning Community on Inclusive Mentoring, Kate Williams. Cultivating Being and Practice: Integrating the “Why, How, and What” in Higher Education, Velma L. Cobb. Liberating Faculty Learning Community Spaces: Enacting Revolutionary Pedagogies by Invoking the Spirit of Che and Paulo, Candi Cipactli Corral, April Petillo, and Gerald Wood. Cross-Institutional FLCs That Support Equity-Based Pedagogy and Student Success, Breana Bayraktar, Kim Case, Jodi Fisler, and Heather Keith. Building Relationships and Connecting Inclusive Pedagogy Through Higher Education Faculty Learning Communities, Micah Bruce-Davis, Maria I. Bravo-Ruiz, Marietta S. Adams, Tori K. Flint, Aimee H. Barber, Shaofei Han, Melissa A. Gallagher, and Michelle Haj-Broussard. Calling for Collaborative Faculty Learning Community Initiatives to Promote Inclusive Postsecondary Education for Students With Autism, Tanyathorn Hauwadhanasuk, Laura Coleman, Diana Seach, Mustafa Karnas, Min Zhuang, and Mathieu Sze. A Social Work Department’s Efforts to Confront Racism via a Faculty Learning Community, Nicole Saint-Louis, Joy Pastan Greenberg, and Jessica M. Kahn. Building Capacity for Student Engagement: Professional Development for Dual Enrollment Instructors, Miguel Dueñas, Imelda L. Nava, Marco A. Nava, Blanca Gomez, and Rosalba Villalobos. About the Contributors.