Faculty Learning Communities at CMU

An opportunity to explore, connect, and grow—together.

Great ideas for teaching and learning often begin with a question or a conversation with colleagues. Faculty Learning Communities (FLCs) bring CMU faculty together to explore shared interests, exchange perspectives, and put new ideas into practice. Supported by the Office of Curriculum and Instructional Support (CIS), these groups engage in sustained conversation and collaborative inquiry, allowing faculty to consider new approaches, learn from peers, and explore what those ideas might look like in their own courses.

Whether you have a question you would like to investigate or simply want to learn alongside colleagues, there is a place for you in this work.

What is a Faculty Learning Community?

A Faculty Learning Community (FLC) is a small group of faculty who engage in sustained, collaborative exploration of a topic, challenge, or opportunity connected to teaching and learning. Rather than a one-time workshop or a committee with a prescribed charge, an FLC creates space for curiosity, scholarly inquiry, experimentation, discussion, and shared learning over time. The goal is not simply to exchange ideas, but to explore them together and translate that learning into meaningful educational practice.

FLC topics are proposed and facilitated by CMU faculty, allowing communities to grow from questions and interests that matter to colleagues. Participants bring diverse experiences and areas of expertise, helping shape the community’s work as it develops. Each community works toward a tangible outcome or artifact that reflects its collective learning and has the potential to benefit teaching and learning beyond the individual FLC.

How do FLCs work?

Faculty Learning Communities are designed to be flexible, collaborative, and responsive to the interests of their members. Each FLC generally brings together 6–12 faculty members, including a facilitator, who share an interest in exploring a particular question or opportunity related to teaching and learning.

Facilitators and participants work together to establish the community’s goals, expectations, and approach to learning. All members contribute their experiences, perspectives, and expertise, helping shape the direction of the community as its work evolves. Depending on the group’s interests and goals, activities may include shared readings, discussions, experimentation, peer feedback, or collaborative resource development.

Each community establishes its own meeting schedule and anticipated time commitment, allowing the structure to reflect its goals and participants’ needs. Together, members engage in sustained inquiry and work toward a shared outcome or artifact.

Professional development funding is available to support each FLC's work, with a maximum of $5,000 per community. Funding amounts and allowable uses are determined in collaboration with CIS based on available resources.

FLC outcomes and artifacts

The specific outcome will depend on the community’s focus and may include:

• Revised assignments, assessments, or instructional strategies
• Teaching or learning resources that colleagues can adopt or adapt
• Documented teaching innovations or pilot implementations
• Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) projects or presentations
• Evidence-informed recommendations, toolkits, or practical guides

Communities are not expected to demonstrate immediate measurable improvements in student outcomes. Instead, they document how their inquiry has informed educational thinking or practice. Completed artifacts and outcomes may be shared with the broader CMU community, extending the impact of their work.

What does an FLC facilitator do?

Facilitators help create an inclusive, collaborative environment where faculty can share ideas, explore questions, and learn from one another. They are not expected to be the sole experts on their community’s topic. Instead, they serve as guides who encourage participation, foster meaningful conversations, and help members work toward shared goals.

Facilitator responsibilities include:

• Working with participants to establish community goals, expectations, and a plan for collaborative learning
• Coordinating meetings, communications, and activities that support the community’s work
• Encouraging inclusive discussions, shared responsibility, and contributions from all members
• Helping the community maintain momentum and work toward its anticipated outcome or artifact
• Participating in facilitator orientation and providing a midpoint update and final submission documenting the community’s learning and outcomes

How does CIS support FLCs?

The Office of Curriculum and Instructional Support (CIS) partners with faculty facilitators throughout the FLC experience, offering guidance, resources, and administrative support so communities can focus on meaningful collaboration and exploration.

CIS support includes:

• Providing facilitator orientation and guidance for establishing a successful learning community
• Offering ongoing consultation, resources, and assistance with facilitation questions or challenges
• Coordinating the proposal and participant application processes and working with facilitators to select participants
• Administering professional development funding to support community activities
• Helping share completed FLC artifacts, resources, and outcomes with the broader CMU community

Propose and facilitate an FLC

Have a question, idea, or teaching challenge you would like to explore with colleagues? CIS invites proposals from all CMU faculty, including tenured, tenure-track, and fixed-term faculty, to facilitate a Faculty Learning Community in 2027.

Facilitators do not need to be subject-matter experts. Instead, they bring curiosity, a willingness to collaborate, and an interest in helping colleagues learn together. CIS provides orientation, guidance, and administrative support throughout the experience.

Proposals should identify the community’s topic, intended audience, proposed structure and timeline, approach to collaborative learning, and anticipated outcome or artifact. Communities must complete their work by December 31, 2027.

Each approved FLC may receive up to $5,000 in professional development funding for facilitators and participants. Final allocations and allowable uses will be determined with CIS based on available resources.

Facilitator proposals are due November 30, 2026.

Join a Faculty Learning Community

Interested in learning with colleagues but not ready to facilitate? Faculty will also be invited to apply to participate in approved communities after facilitators and topics are announced. All CMU faculty, including tenured, tenure-track, and fixed-term faculty, may apply to communities relevant to their interests. Participants do not need to arrive with answers; curiosity, willingness to contribute, and openness to learning from colleagues are central to the experience.

Participant applications will provide an opportunity to share your interest in the topic, the perspectives or experiences you would bring, and your availability for the community’s work. CIS and FLC facilitators will select participants with consideration for availability, potential contributions, and a range of disciplinary perspectives. Because each community establishes its own schedule and activities, specific participation expectations will be shared when applications open.

Important dates

Facilitator proposals due: November 30, 2026

Facilitator notifications: Week of December 7, 2026

FLCs launch: Beginning in Spring 2027

Community work completed: By December 31, 2027

Bring Your Curiosity. Build Something Together.

Whether you want to explore a persistent teaching challenge, try a new approach, or learn with colleagues across disciplines, Faculty Learning Communities offer a place to begin. Propose a community or watch for opportunities to join one in 2027.