Communities of Practice

Adjunct/Contingent Faculty Community of Practice

Adjunct and/or contingent faculty play a major role in the success of colleges and universities in the United States, bringing a plethora of professional experience from business and industry into the classroom. Many adjunct/contingent faculty experience challenges with accessing professional development opportunities associated with teaching responsibilities secondary to unique schedules and/or geographical locations in relation to the university. This community of practice (CoP) is designed to provide a platform to connect with other Virginia Tech faculty members who share similar experiences. 

Attend any, or all, of the meetings based on your schedule. All meetings will be held on Fridays at Zoom. Sign up for the Adjunct/Contingent Faculty CoP by completing this form and you will receive the Zoom link used for all meetings this semester. The potential for recording of each session will be dependent upon live participants’ agreement.  

• January 24, 12:00–1:00 p.m. Canvas Tips and Tricks with Danielle Thacker, Learning Technologies Specialist, TLOS
• February 21, 12:00–1:00 p.m. Tips for Providing and Gathering Feedback from Students with Hannah Harris, Associate Director for Professional Development, CETL
• March 28, 12:00–1:00 p.m. Generative AI with Daron Williams, Director of Instructional Design, TLOS
• April 18, 1:00–2:00 p.m. End of Semester Wrap-Up Discussion with Hannah Harris, Associate Director for Professional Development, CETL

Global in the Classroom Community of Practice

Are you interested in learning more about how to integrate global learning into your students’ class experience? Are you currently incorporating global learning into your course but want to explore new ideas and strategies? Would you like to join a community of educators at Virginia Tech interested in global learning in the classroom? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, this Community of Practice (CoP) is for you! 

Co-hosted by the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) and the Global Education Office (GEO), the Global in the Classroom CoP will bring together colleagues from across the university for discussions focused on integrating global learning into courses (whether in-person or online) through a variety of teaching strategies, including virtual global collaboration (i.e., Collaborative Online International Learning and other collaborative learning experiences and activities with students and faculty members from institutions in different countries), globally focused class projects and case studies, and other teaching strategies aimed at fostering intercultural learning and advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. 

Each CoP meeting will focus on a different topic, and CoP members will have the opportunity to learn from guest speakers and/or each other as they discuss opportunities and best practices for designing and implementing courses with global learning. 

Sign up for Global in the Classroom CoP and you will receive the meeting link before the next CoP meeting. All meetings will be held on Fridays via Zoom. You are welcome to attend all meetings or as many that your schedule allows.  

• January 31, 10:00-11:00 a.m. 
• February 28, 10:00-11:00 a.m. 
• March 28, 10:00-11:00 a.m. 
• April 25, 10:00-11:00 a.m. 

GTA Instructor of Record Community of Practice

Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTA) who are in the classroom as instructors of record play an important role in the teaching mission at Virginia Tech and have a unique position in their simultaneous roles as students and instructors at the university. The GTA Instructor of Record Community of Practice (CoP) is co-hosted by the Graduate School and the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning to provide time to connect with other GTA instructors of record from across campus. If you are currently a GTA instructor of record in title, or are acting as instructor of record under a supervising faculty member, and would like to engage in discussions about effective teaching and shared experiences with your colleagues in a university-wide community, this CoP is for you!

Each CoP meeting will focus on a different topic, and CoP members will have the opportunity to learn from guest speakers and/or each other while discussing best practices, opportunities, and challenges related to effective teaching as a GTA instructor of record.

Sign up for GTA Instructor of Record CoP and you will receive the meeting link before the next CoP meeting. All meetings will be held on Fridays via Zoom. You are welcome to attend all meetings or as many as your schedule allows.  

• March 7, 1:00-2:00 p.m.
• March 21, 1:00-2:00 p.m.
  
• April 4, 1:00-2:00 p.m.
  
• April 18, 1:00-2:00 p.m.
  

Large Course Community of Practice

Virginia Tech is known for excellent teaching and learning in large classes. The large course community of practice (CoP) invites all faculty to engage in a faculty community focused on concerns and passions for student learning in large courses. The structure of the community reflects the fundamental social nature of human learning and the teaching excellence that exists in the Virginia Tech community. 

The community meets monthly and addresses a topic of concern with faculty discussion and faculty demonstrations of how they address these concerns in their courses. Community meetings are open to the Virginia Tech campus community. If you teach, you are welcome!  

Sign-up for the Large Course CoP and you will receive the meeting link before the first CoP meeting. All meetings will be held Fridays on Zoom. You are welcome to attend all meetings or as many as your schedule allows. 

• February 7, 1:00–2:00 p.m. 
• February 28, 1:00–2:00 p.m. 
• March 28, 1:00–2:00 p.m. 
• April 25, 1:00–2:00 p.m.