Explore Impactful Teaching
Lumen Circles Fellowships: Effective Teaching using OER
Contact/Questions: most@usmd.edu
Lumen Circles Fellowships provide opportunities to connect with other faculty members as you explore effective instructional practices and apply them in your own teaching. Through the Fellowship you can learn, share ideas, and develop professionally in the areas you want to grow. Lumen Circles work well for any faculty member, in any discipline, at any stage of career.
Read on to learn more contact most@usmd.edu
What is this Fellowship About?
This Fellowship helps you grow as an instructor, with a supportive community around you.
Lumen Circles Fellowships invite you to collaborate with fellow faculty members through virtual learning circles. Together, you will explore and apply evidence-based practices, reflect on your teaching experiences, and share ideas and feedback.
The Fellowship experience includes:
- An engaging virtual community of practice with faculty from multiple institutions over multiple weeks,
- Weekly activities to explore, apply, and reflect on effective teaching practices (~2 hours/week),
- Opportunities to build on your strengths and develop skills to expand your teaching repertory,
- The space to set goals and track progress toward expanding and enhancing your teaching practice,
- A flexible program where you'll work asynchronously in a virtual platform (website) that fits your own schedule, and
- The chance to earn a Lumen Circles Fellowship Certificate in Effective Teaching Practice upon successful completion of Fellowship activities.
Fellowship Focus: Effective Teaching Using OER
Circle themes offered to Maryland faculty through the M.O.S.T. Initiative include:
- Teaching with OER & OER-enabled Pedagogy (9-week program): Explore evidence-based teaching strategies in the context of using OER and OER-enabled pedagogy. Develop your teaching capabilities with techniques that apply the principles of open education to engage students and strengthen their success using openly-licensed content. (NOTE: Prior to the Fellowship, you should identify OER content you plan to use with students during the term of your Fellowship.)
For faculty who have already completed an OER circle, additional circle themes may be available: Belonging & Inclusive Teaching Fundamentals; Active Learning; Evidence-based Teaching, and more! Visit this page for brief descriptions of Fellowship areas of focus. For questions, please contact most@usmd.edu
What Maryland Faculty Say about Lumen Circles
Watch this video to hear recent Lumen Circles Fellows from the Maryland system discuss how the Lumen Circles Success Accelerator program impacted their teaching.
M.O.S.T. AY 2024-2025 Registration Form: Lumen Circles Fellowships: Effective Teaching using OER
Complete the form below to register for a Lumen Circles Fellowship, Teaching with OER & OER-enabled Pedagogy (9-week program).
Once we receive your registration, you will be asked to commit to participating fully during the term(s) when you are accepted to this program.
Other questions? Send an email to most@usmd.edu.
Common Questions & FAQ
How does the virtual learning circle work?
Lumen Circles use a purpose-built platform for faculty professional development. To participate in your virtual learning circle, you'll log into the Lumen Circles website. There you will engage with the members of your circle and do activities designed to help you explore your circle theme and teaching choices. You'll practice new skills, share your experiences, and give feedback to your peers. A facilitator helps guide circle members, or fellows, through the process.
How much time does it take?
Lumen Circles Fellowships take place over nine weeks. Success Accelerator sessions extend for six weeks. When your professional development program is under way, you'll spend ~2 hours per week with Fellowship-related activities. Most of the time you'll work asynchronously, fitting the Fellowship activities into your own schedule.
Who's in my Lumen Circle and how will we interact?
You'll join a virtual circle of 10-12 professors from 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.