Each year, the Center for Teaching and Learning sponsors and facilitates a number of faculty learning communities (FLCs), which are structured cohorts of faculty and staff that build community, engage in scholarly practice, and engage in the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL).
Acting on Data to Advance Teaching and Student Success Faculty Learning Community Adjunct Faculty Book Circle
The Acting on Data to Advance Teaching and Student Success (ADATSS) FLC will support the development of departmentally-based projects that aim to advance undergraduate student success and belonging through effective teaching practices. In the ADATSS FLC, departmental teams of 2-4 people will explore disaggregated course- and department- level data about student outcomes in your courses and plan strategies for addressing them through effective pedagogy. After considering how courses might better support success for all students, teams will develop an action plan which spans multiple courses to be implemented in AY 26-27.
Adjunct Faculty Book Circle: James Lang’s Small Teaching
Adjunct faculty will read and explore the book “Small Teaching“ by James Lang. In the book, Lang presents a strategy for improving student learning with a series of modest but powerful changes that make a big difference, many of which can be put into practice in a single class period. The group meets monthly (hybrid) to discuss key ideas from the text and share practical ways to apply the strategies in their own teaching.
This program is ideal for instructors who:
- are adjunct faculty
- would like to engage with fellow adjunct faculty in discussions around teaching best practices
- are available to meet a few times during the semester
Program Details
- Date/Time: Thursdays from 11am -12pm
- September 10, October 8, November 5, and December 10
- In person (Center for Teaching and Learning, ILC 315) or via Zoom
- Complete the registration form by August 28, 2026. Spots are limited!
Adjunct Faculty Learning Community
The Adjunct Faculty Learning Community (AFLC) provides a supportive space for adjunct instructors to engage in meaningful discussions about teaching and learning, deepen their understanding of evidence-based pedagogy, and connect with colleagues. Through guided conversations and collaborative activities, participants will be able to apply key pedagogical concepts to their own teaching practice, reflect on their strengths and areas for growth, and evaluate feedback to identify opportunities for improvement. Participants who successfully complete all requirements and activites of the AFLC will receive a $300 stipend.
AI Book Circle: John Warner’s More Than Words
Program Description
Explore and reflect on your own teaching practices in an interactive book circle this fall focused on John Warner’s More Than Words: How to Think About Writing in the Age of AI. Warner argues that AI doesn’t just change how students write; rather, AI forces instructors to reconsider why we ask them to write in the first place. Over the course of these book circle sessions, we will move beyond the “AI-proofing” mindset to explore how we can design writing experiences that are intrinsically rewarding, intellectually rigorous, and authentically human. Rather than simply discussing the text, this circle is designed as a collaborative space to workshop approaches to AI in the classroom. All faculty of any rank are eligible to apply. All participants will receive a copy of the book. Space is limited.
This program is ideal for instructors who:
- teach in any discipline where students communicate ideas in writing, from lab reports and code documentation to reflective essays and case studies
- want to bridge the gap between a student’s “final product” and the critical thinking process required to get there
- can commit to regular meetings in the fall semester
Program Details
- Dates/Times: Tuesdays from 2pm – 3:30pm
- September 22nd, October 6th, October 20th, November 10th, December 1st
- In person (Center for Teaching and Learning, ILC 315)
- Register here by September 21st
Designing for Student Success Faculty Learning Community
The Designing for Student Success Faculty Learning Community (DSS FLC) is intended for instructors who want to better support student success in their courses. Instructors in the DSS FLC will explore elements of course design, communication approaches, and teaching strategies that have been shown to increase success for first-generation college students and low-income students. As a community, participants will brainstorm ways to implement these ideas in their courses and troubleshoot potential challenges and barriers to implementation.
Evidence Based Teaching Certificate
Program Description
During this Certificate Launch program, participants will be introduced to the requirements for the CTL’s Evidence-Based Teaching Certificate. Over the course of monthly sessions, participants will reflect on their current practices and explore what evidence they can use to document their teaching. Participants will have opportunities to start collecting evidence and developing their teaching narratives, and will finish the semester with a plan for making progress toward completion of the certificate.
This program is ideal for instructors who:
- are interested in working towards the CTL’s Evidence-Based Teaching Certificate, or those who have previously signed up and are looking for more information about how to get started
- would like to engage in community around evidence-based teaching practices
- are available to meet a few times during the semester
Program Details
- Dates/Time: Wednesdays from 12-1 PM
- September 9, October 7, November 4, December 9
- In person (Center for Teaching and Learning, ILC 315) or via Zoom
- Register here by September 4
First Year Focus Community of Practice
Program Description
This program is part of the University’s commitment to supporting students in their first year — and the instructors who teach them. The First Year Focus CoP will provide participants with a space to share best practices and gain insights about the first-year experience at Boise State.
This program is ideal for instructors who
- teach 100-level classes
- are interested in sharing strategies with and learning from other instructors of first-year students
- want to explore the First Year Focus Goals
- are available to meet a few times during the semester
Program Details
- Date/Time: Wednesdays 10:00 – 11:30 AM Hybrid (Center for Teaching and Learning, ILC 205 and Zoom)
- Sept 9, 16, 23, 30, Oct.7
- Date/Time: Fridays 9:30 – 11:00 AM Zoom only
- Sept 11, 18, 25, Oct 2, 9
- Register here by September 9th
Large Language Model Faculty Learning Community (LLM-FLC)
The CTL, in collaboration with the Research Computing Department (OIT) and the Department of Computer Science, is announcing a call for applications to the “Large Language Model Faculty Learning Community (LLM-FLC)“. The LLM-FLC will provide participants with the skills and knowledge to use this new LLM, or similar AI technology, to develop best practices and gain insights about the use of AI in education; participants will also have the opportunity to fine-tune a local LLM using prompts and targeted data sets through a web interface.
Reflective Teaching Certificate
Program Description
During this Certificate Launch program, participants will be introduced to the requirements for the Reflective Teaching Practice Certificate and learn how it fits with Boise State’s commitment to effective teaching. Participants will have opportunities to reflect on their teaching practice with colleagues (via the certificate’s introductory materials) and will leave with a plan for completing four reflective teaching activities.
This program is ideal for instructors who
- are interested in working towards the Reflective Teaching Practice Certificate
- would like to engage in community around reflective teaching practices
- are available to meet a few times during the semester
Program Details
Register here by August 31
Dates/Time: Wednesdays from 12-1 PM
September 2 & 30, October 28, December 2
In person (Center for Teaching and Learning, ILC 315) or via Zoom
Service-Learning Faculty Learning Academy
The Experiential Learning & Community Engagement (EL&CE) Academy is an online academy designed for independent learners that provides a flexible, guided, asynchronous experience. Participants progress through six modules over 12 weeks, each designed to deepen their understanding of EL & CE models and essential practices. The EL&CE Academy is offered during the Fall semester.
Service-Learning Faculty Learning Community
The in-person SL Faculty Learning Community (FLC) is ideal for faculty who want to develop or refine a service-learning course in a collaborative, supportive setting. Participants explore SL models, try on best practices, design experiences with community partners, and prepare for successful SL course implementation. Faculty benefit from engaging with an interdisciplinary group of colleagues and have access to guidance throughout the process (six 90-minute sessions, with reading and course design in between). The SL FLC is offered during the Spring semester.
Writing in STEM Faculty Learning Community
The Department of Writing Studies, in collaboration with the Center for Teaching and Learning, invites applications for the Writing in STEM Faculty Learning Community (FLC). This semester-long community offers STEM faculty a space to reflect on and strengthen the role of writing in their teaching. Designed especially for instructors who may not see themselves as “writing teachers,” this community will explore how writing helps students learn disciplinary content, develop communication skills, and express their understanding in authentic ways.
All Boise State instructors in STEM disciplines are eligible to apply, including adjunct faculty, clinical faculty, teaching faculty, lecturers, tenure-track faculty, and professional staff with teaching responsibilities. If you would like to apply, please complete this application form no later than November 21st, 2025.