A community of scholars
In dialogue on teaching and learning
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Civil discourse including disagreement
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A deeper understanding of teacher-learner relationships
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Best individual & institutional teaching and learning practices
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Optimal learning for everyone
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Celebrating contributions to teaching and learning
Teaching-Learning
Academy
Teaching &
Learning
Leadership
Cooperative
A.S.
Student
Voices Club
“Students as Co-Inquirers”
Interest Group in the
International Society for the
Scholarship of Teaching and
Learning (ISSOTL)
WWU &
Bellingham
community
partners
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Administrators
Faculty
Staff
Students
Community
Members
Pathways:
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Comm 322 (civil discourse class)
Comm 339 (Applied communication practicum)
Other courses (e.g. in education and psychol)
Volunteer
Why?
 gain leadership experience
 share views on teaching and learning
 hear and understand better what others think
 make learning better for them and others
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Faculty and staff from across campus
Members of the Bellingham community
All volunteer
Why?
 share their views
 hear what others, especially students, think
 make learning, the community, & the world
better
 make connections, partnerships, network
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Meet bimonthly in dialogue groups
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Promote all-campus forums on teaching
and learning
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Create campus partnerships
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Share findings locally, nationally and
internationally
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Lead special interest group on “Students as
Co-Inquirers” within the International
Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and
Learning (ISSOTL)
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Develop a BIG question on T&L to
study for the year.
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Use question(s) to study ourselves.
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Invite others into the study.
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Analyze and share the results.
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Translate into action.
Whole Group Opening
name badges, treats, review agenda & dialogue
prompt, form small groups
Small Group Dialogue
Responding to common prompt, recording
group highlights
Whole Group Closing
Sharing & responding to small group highlights
– recording for TLA Highlights
Be respectful.
Listen to understand & to create a safe space for taking risks.
Be open.
Work to understand differences, not to erase them.
Be direct.
Try to understand. Ask questions. Disagree & explain why.
Be present.
Engage actively, but know that silence sometimes is ok.
Be ethical.
Be honest and honor confidentiality of others.
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Facilitate: to make easy
Student facilitators –
Comm 322 & Comm 339
students
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Use Agreements to
ensure air time for all
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Help promote civil discourse!
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Treats and $ contributions welcome
Participants report:
 more positive attitudes toward
each other
 new insights into each others’
lived experiences
 informed teaching & learning
practices
 advancement of institutional
change initiatives
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2002-03: White paper on GURs
2003-04: Fac. seminar on ethics
2004-05: Learning Stories of Hope
2005-06: Sustaining practices, Sustain. Literacy
2006-07: Online dialogue forum (VV)
2007-08: Evaluating teaching recommendations
2008-09: Expanding Info Fair, Mentoring, Interactive
spaces, Rejuvenation practices
2009-10: Reflective Garden, Common Interest Groups
(VV), Campus Commons, Reflective teaching practices
Developing
a BIG question
What
if we envisioned
the most creative WWU we
cantogether~
imagine - one that fosters intellectual risk taking,
life-long learning, and preparing graduates for a
changing world?
Sowould
what’s
What
this creative university look like if we took
your mind?
advantage on
of existing
structures that already work this
way and (re)invented new ones?
Based on what you know about TLA:
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What question/concern/comment do you
want to share with us that you think would
help us enter into this dialogue with you?
What existing WWU courses/programs/
activities do you know about that already
demonstrate a creative approach to
learning? How do they work?
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Please record your findings and save on
flash drives!