Call for Applications – Faculty Learning Community: Difficult Conversations

Difficult Conversations: What happens when a challenging topic comes up in the classroom? How can we work together to develop possible strategies for navigating these conversations?

When a topic comes up during class discussions that polarizes the classroom community, pushes back against established beliefs, addresses real-life issues that impact some students more than others, or otherwise challenges the classroom environment, how can we, as educators, continue maintaining the classroom community while encouraging the investigation of difficult conversations?

Click here to apply by April 17!

We present our upcoming Faculty Learning Community: Difficult Conversations (FLC.DC) as an opportunity to reflect on times when difficult topics have come up, within larger class topics or as part of the unplanned generative discussions in the classroom. We hope that you’ll join this community with openness, as we work together to research possible modes of engaging with challenging topics ourselves and in the classroom while maintaining empathetic and inclusive environments for all students. 

This FLC aims to collaboratively develop a resource that examines possible modes of engaging with challenging topics in the higher ed classroom and studio space. As a requirement of completion, each participant will contribute to this collective resource. 

Relevant dates:

  • Deadline to apply by: April 17 
  • Kick-off on:  May 1, 2023 from 12-2pm
  • Meet once before summer: May 23 1-2:30pm
  • Meet once before semester begins (late Aug): August 25 12-1:30pm
  • Monthly meetings Fridays from noon – 2 pm.
  • Mid year institute (during Winter break just before the Spring semester): date to be decided by the group

A one year commitment to this SoTL research community will begin with a kickoff on May 1st, 12:00-2:00pm where we’ll get to know one another and the project we’ll collectively embark on, and then continue throughout the Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 semesters with monthly meetings and workshops.

The deadline to apply is April 10. Please find the application linked here.

Members of the FLC will gain many benefits of cross-disciplinary collaboration and scholarship. Part-time faculty will receive a compensation of $1500 stipend ($750 each semester). FLC participants will also have an opportunity to present their preliminary work at the Fall Forum on Teaching and Learning and submit their work for the CTL Journal, iteratio.  

Write to us with any questions at ctl@pratt.edu.