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2023 Design for Student Success Faculty Learning Community

Overview

The information below is for the 2023 cohort*. 

This faculty learning community is intended for faculty who teach courses critical for student success and who want to design courses that support student success. Courses critical for student success include those that have a high impact on retention (e.g. lower division courses, courses that are prerequisites for majors, or those that serve as critical junctures in undergraduate degree completion), though faculty teaching any courses are welcome to apply.

Faculty are invited to apply to participate during spring semester and fall semester 2023 in the Designing for Student Success Faculty Learning Community (FLC). Participants will explore how intentional course design focused on student success can be used to support students who may otherwise drop a course or leave the university without achieving their educational objectives. An additional goal is to develop processes and workflows to create a full system of support for struggling students (for example, handoffs from faculty to the Advising and Academic Support Center or other relevant campus unit).

Faculty in the FLC will explore how course design, timely communication, and early intervention can help students to develop a sense of belonging and can contribute to both student success and student retention. In particular, the project will focus on students with the following characteristics:

  • Idaho residents
  • living off campus
  • eligible for Pell grants

Design choices that research suggests will best support these students are also likely to benefit other students.

*The application process will be closed on Friday, 5 PM, December 9th, 2022.

Activities of the Faculty Learning Community

In pursuit of the goals described above, faculty will participate in the Faculty Learning Community as a cohort, completing the following activities:

  • Attend seven mandatory online cohort meetings during spring semester 2023.  Meetings will introduce a variety of tools and strategies for design and intervention related to student learning and success. All meetings are scheduled for Wednesdays at 1:30-3:30 PM Online (via Zoom), on the following dates: January 18, February 1, February 15, March 1, March 15, March 29, and April 12, 2023.
  • Develop a plan for incorporating student success strategies in one or more Fall 2023 classes. Submit a post-implementation reflection at the end of Fall 2023.

Outcomes of the Faculty Learning Community

After participating in this Learning Community, faculty will be able to do the following:

  • Identify ways to proactively intervene to increase student retention in their courses.
  • Describe the importance of course design that supports intervention, retention, and equitable learning.
  • Explore and reflect on methods for incorporating transparency into course design.
  • Demonstrate course design elements and strategies that meet the unique needs of most students, including those in the target population.
  • Use technological tools for retention effectively and efficiently.
  • Identify resources around campus that can be of assistance in retaining students and with intervention.
  • Describe how principles of Universal Design for Learning can support efforts to engage and retain students.
  • Develop such tools as workflows and boilerplate language that can be used to improve student success and retention rates in the target student population.
  • Share ideas about course design and implementation with peers.

What do past faculty participants say?

  • I appreciated the structure of each meeting that gave us a specific idea to focus on, and also allowed us to talk to each other . . . [and] hear from other amazing teachers.
  • Viewing and discussing the disaggregated data early in the FLC was transformative for me. Looking at not only my own data, but the data of instructors that I view as exceptional and then realizing we still had gaps in success made me realize just how much more work there is to be done.
  • The group was very thoughtful and aware that this was not going to be a one-size-fits-all approach. It gave us space to ideate.
  • This FLC increased my awareness on issues of equity in the classroom and has changed the way that I think of teaching and my role as an educator. 

Eligibility

All Boise State instructors are eligible to apply to participate, including adjunct faculty, lecturers, and tenure-track faculty.

Financial Support

Each participant in the Faculty Learning Community will receive a stipend of $500, paid as a supplemental salary ($250 for one semester of planning and $250 for one semester of implementation).

Application Process and Deadline

*The application process will be closed on Friday, 5 PM, December 9th, 2022. This is a one year FLC (same cohort does both Spring and Fall) and recruits in the fall for a spring cohort. Those that are interested are encouraged to check in the fall semester and apply to be in a new cohort at that time.

Selection Criteria

Applicants will be selected, in part, on the strength and thoroughness of answers to the questions on the application form. However, our selection of faculty will also be guided by our desire to assemble a Faculty Learning Community with members from a variety of disciplines and colleges, as well as members of various faculty rank (professor, assistant professor, associate professor, adjunct, etc.).

Sponsorship

This program grew out of conversations in the campus-wide Student Success and Retention Committee. This program is currently being supported by staff from the Center for Teaching and Learning. Funding for the program is provided by the Center for Teaching and Learning.

Questions?

Please direct any questions to Devshikha Bose, Senior Educational Development Consultant, Center for Teaching and Learning (devshikhabose@boisestate.edu).