A Community of Scholars
Studying and Enhancing
Western’s Learning Culture
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Administrators
Faculty
Staff
Students
Community
Members
The majority of students participate as part of
their coursework in one of several courses:
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Educ 109
Comm 322
Comm 339 (Applied Practicum in
Communication)
Other students participate on a volunteer basis.
Teaching-Learning
Academy
Conferences
and forums,
e.g. Scholars
Week
A.S.
Student
Voices Club
“Students as Co-Inquirers”
Interest Group in the
International Society for the
Scholarship of Teaching and
Learning (ISSOTL)
Center for
Education,
Equity and
Diversity
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A deeper understanding of teaching and learning
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Multiple perspectives to enhance learning
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Action projects to enhance Western’s learning culture
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Student voices in learning initiatives
Celebrating
contributions to
teaching and learning
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Meet bimonthly in dialogue groups
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Sponsor 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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Together develop a BIG question on
T&L to study for the year.
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Use question to survey ourselves.
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Invite others into the study.
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Analyze the results.
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Share findings and translate into
action.
Participants report:
 more
positive attitudes toward
students/faculty/staff
 new insights into teaching &
learning
 more informed teaching &
learning practices
 advancement of institutional
change initiatives
Be respectful.
Listen patiently with the primary goal of understanding. Give everyone
adequate air time & work to create a safe space for taking risks.
Be open.
Work to understand differences, not to erase them. Try out new ideas &
be open to disagreeing, making new connections, & challenging old
views.
Be direct.
Say clearly what you expect from others. Ask questions when you don’t
understand. Avoid presumptions; ask others what they think & why.
Be present.
Engage actively, but know that silence sometimes is ok. Try to be
prompt. Resist technological distractions. Come ready to contribute
& listen.
Be ethical.
Honor rights of others. Be honest in asking for & giving feedback; be fair
in evaluating others and their ideas.
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Facilitate: to make easy
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Use Agreements to
ensure air time for all
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Student facilitators –
Comm 322 & Comm 339 students
TLA BIG Question for 2009-2010
What do WE mean by a sustainable, reflective learning
culture?
And how might we use that shared
understanding to strengthen connections:
 between existing resources and members of the campus community
to provide individualized guidance and co-mentoring?
 between the lived experiences of teachers and learners outside of the
classroom and what is happening in the classroom to provide engaging
learning experiences?
 across borders within WWU and between WWU and external
communities to provide interdisciplinary/community-based learning
experiences?
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More time and slowed pace
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Inspiring, natural places
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Encouragement of creative & innovative ways to learn
and teach
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Exploratory activities such as writing, drawing/
painting, creative movement
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Time to work both alone and with groups
New insights and 5 reflective learning proposals:
1)
2)
3)
4)
Campus Commons
Promising Practices
Common Interest Groups
Community Welcome
Days
5) Reflective Garden
Developing a BIG question
Developing a BIG question together~
together~
Sowhat’s
what’s
So
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