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Explore Impactful Teaching

Lumen Circles Fellowships: Learning Communities for Effective Teaching

FSCJ Point of Contact: Audrey Antee, Academy for Teaching and Learning.

Email: a.antee@fscj.edu

Lumen Circles Fellowships provide opportunities to connect with fellow faculty members as you explore effective instructional practices that support student success and apply them in your own teaching. Through the fellowship you can learn, share ideas, and develop professionally in areas you want to grow.  

It's best to participate in this fellowship program during term(s) when you are actively teaching students, so that you can benefit from cycles of practice, reflection, and feedback as you teach. Lumen Circles work well for any faculty member, in any discipline, at any stage of career.

Read on to learn more and apply for a Lumen Circles Fellowship offered through your institution.  

 

What is this Fellowship about?

This fellowship helps you grow as a teacher. With a supportive community around you.

Lumen Circles Fellowships invite you to collaborate with fellow faculty members through virtual

learning circles. Together  you explore evidence-based practices, reflect on your teaching experiences, and share ideas and feedback.

Fellowships include:

  • 9-week community of practice with faculty peers
  • Weekly activities to explore, apply, and reflect on effective teaching practices (~2 hours/week) 
  • Build on your strengths and develop skills to expand your teaching repertory
  • Set goals and track progress expanding your teaching practice profile 
  • Work asynchronously in a virtual platform (website) to fit your own schedule 
  • Earn a Lumen Circles Fellowship Certificate in Effective Teaching Practice

How do Lumen Circles Support Faculty? 

Lumen Circles support faculty through several activities. 1) Skill-building to understand your pedagogical profile and set goals. 2) Teaching and applying new skills in the classroom. 3) Weekly practice, reflection and feedback activities to share and collaborate with peers. 4) Assess progress and impact on teaching and learning. Throughout the experience, faculty work with skilled facilitators, and engaged virtual learning circle or community of their peers. They can consult with faculty mentors to help answer teaching-related questions, and everything happens in a virtual professional development platform where they can stay in touch with their virtual learning circle.

Choose a ThemeWoman and man sitting at a table and collaborating on a project together

How would you like to develop as a teacher? 

Lumen Circle Fellowships connect you with faculty members interested in growing professionally in the same directions you want to grow.  Upcoming themes include: 

  • NEW! Evidence-based Teaching with Generative AI
  • Active Learning
  • Evidence-based Teaching
  • Online Teaching Foundation 
    (Note: You should be scheduled to teach a fully online class during your fellowship) 
  • Teaching with OER & OER-enabled Pedagogy 
    (Note: Prior to the fellowship, you should identify OER content you plan to use with students during term of your fellowship.)
  • Course Design for Student Success
    (Note: You do not need to be actively teaching to enroll in this fellowship. You will focus on the design/redesign of your course in preparation for the upcoming term)

Visit this page for brief descriptions of each fellowship theme.

 

Interested? Apply for a Lumen Circles Fellowship

Complete the form below if you're interested in a Lumen Circles Fellowship. If your application is approved, you will be asked to commit to participating fully during the term(s) when you are accepted to this program. A limited number of seats are available, so apply now!

 

The information you provide in this form will be shared with our point of contact at your institution. From time to time, we may also send  you information, invitations to webinars and other events to learn more about Lumen Circles.

 

What is the Lumen Circles experience like for faculty? 

How does the virtual learning circle work? 

Lumen Circles use a purpose-built platform for professional development and community connections. Members of your circle will log into a website. On that site you'll see the members of your circle and participate in activities designed to help you explore your teaching practice, share what you're learning, and provide feedback to your peers. A facilitator helps guide circle members, or fellows, through the process. 

Through weekly activities, you'll build skills, expand your understanding, apply new skills in your teaching, and reflect on how it's working for your teaching and for your students' learning. You'll also give and receive feedback from members of your virtual learning circle. 

How much time does it take? 

Lumen Circles Fellowships take place over nine weeks. When your professional development program is under way, you'll spend on average 1-2 hours per week with fellowship-related activities. Throughout the experience, you'll work asynchronously, fitting the fellowship activities into your own schedule. Participation in any synchronous activities is optional. 

Who's in my Lumen Circle and how will we interact? 

You'll join a virtual circle of 10-12 professors teaching similar disciplines, often at other institutions, along with a peer facilitator. Together you will reflect on your classroom work, connect it to evidence-based instructional practices, and provide feedback to each other. This supportive community becomes your sounding board, thought partners, and cheerleaders as you make gains in your teaching. 

What do I need to participate?

You need to be teaching a class during the fellowship. You'll also need a computer or mobile device with internet access. 

Who are the facilitators?

Lumen Circles facilitators are current and former college or university faculty members who have a strong interest and expertise in evidence-based instruction. They are trained by going through a similar process to the fellowship experience. Their purpose is to guide the circle through learning and reflection processes as you explore and apply effective teaching practices. 

When does the fellowship program start? 

Lumen Circles Fellowships offer multiple start dates each term. As faculty fellows confirm their interest, we invite them to select between the available start dates for the circle theme they prefer.