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Dialogues Across Differences

Faculty Learning Community

The Dialogues Across Difference team hosts an annual faculty learning community (FLC) to train faculty on Best Practices for Facilitating Dialogues Across Differences in the Classroom. So far, two iterations of this FLC have taken place:

FLC 1 - Fall 2022:

  • 21 faculty members and administrators participated, all from diverse and different departments on campus
    • Disciplines: Africana Studies, Anthropology, Creative Writing, Economics, English, Environmental Science, French, History, International Business & Management, Middle Eastern Studies, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Russian, Sociology, Spanish
    • Departments: Center for Global Study & Engagement, Quantitative Reasoning Center 
  • 12 follow-on grants awarded to the participants to revise or create courses with dialogue as part of the course - courses range from first-year seminars, to a senior seminar in environmental science, to courses about banning books, and many more! These courses will begin to be offered in Fall 2023

FLC 2 - Summer 2023:

  • 20 faculty members and administrators participated
    • Disciplines: Biology, Economics, Educational Studies, Environmental Science, History, Middle Eastern Studies, Music, Philosophy, Psychology, Religion, Sociology, Spanish, Theater & Dance, Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies 
    • Departments: Center for Civic Learning & Action, Experiential Learning
  • Follow-on grants will be awarded to participants to revise or create courses with dialogue as part of the course

Quotes from the Faculty Learning Community participants:

"You enabled us to create strong connections with each other, speak openly, and learn from one another. Bravo!"

"I truly enjoyed this Faculty Learning Community and benefitted a great deal. Thank you! I hope to apply the many insights learned form you all in creating an inclusie, supportive environment that promotes dialogue, mutual understanding, and an independent, inquisitive mindset among the students. I am excited by the possibility! Thank you all so much!"

"I did pick up on a few new strategies that I hope to employ to open further communication about difficult topics that allow students to grow by truly engaging with people who hold different perspectives. Ideally students will also walk away from these courses with a better understanding of themselves and how they have come to their values and perspectives on the world."

"I don't think I knew exactly what the FLC would be about. I expected it would be more narrowly focused on "Civil Dialogue." I found it included that especially early on, but also expanded to many other pedagogical approaches that will improve my teaching in every course... The exposure to other faculty members who care about teaching well was inspiring."