Center for Teaching and Learning

Home
Search
Calendar
Site Map
ThunderHawks
Untitled Document
CTL Services



The MUM CTL has sponsored (or co-sponsored) the following Faculty Learning Communities:


"Bachelor of Integrative Studies" Faculty Learning Community (2008-2009)

Frequently asked questions about the BIS Faculty Learning Community:

What is BIS?
What's the concept behind the learning community?
What are the three seminars?
What kind of commitment does the BIS FLC require?
What are the benefits to me?
Who facilitates this program?
Who is eligible to participate?
How are participants chosen?
Where and when will the BIS FLC sessions be held?
How can I apply for the BIS FLC?
How can I find out more about the BIS degree, and in particular, the BIS seminars and BIS Seminar Faculty Learning Community?

What is BIS?
The proposed Bachelor of Integrative Studies is a bachelor’s completion degree to be offered at Miami University’s regional campuses. The purpose of the BIS degree program is to develop lifelong, integrative learners. Through this integrative approach, students pursue coursework from multiple fields of study to connect and apply learning across disciplines, contexts, and perspectives. For more information how the BIS degree program will work, click here.

(Return to top of page)

What's the concept behind the learning community?
The learning community is designed to help faculty develop and teach the three integrative seminars that are the core of the BIS degree (BIS 201, 301 and 401). Faculty from across the disciplines from Miami University Hamilton and Miami University Middletown will work together in this interactive yearlong faculty learning community to support each in developing a specific seminar. BIS FLC participants will form connections between the seminars to construct an integrated learning pathway for BIS students. Full participation in this faculty learning community is required for all faculty who teach BIS seminars.

(Return to top of page)

What are the three seminars?
The three seminars include BIS 201, Introduction to Integrative Studies; BIS 301, Integrative Studies Seminar II; and BIS 401, Integrative Studies Seminar III, the Capstone. (Click on the course number for a detailed description of each seminar.)

(Return to top of page)

What kind of commitment does the BIS FLC require?
Applicants selected must commit to participating in all meetings of the FLC, which include:
  • Friday, May 9, 2 - 4 p.m.: An introductory session to clarify values and expectations
  • Monday, May 12, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.: Outcome setting intensive
  • Bi-weekly meetings throughout the 2008-2009 academic year, including an extended opening session in the fall
Participants will begin working on the development of a seminar during the summer (with consultation with the facilitators available) and complete the development of the seminar during the academic year. Participants must commit to teaching their BIS seminars at least twice (in load) over two academic years, beginning in Spring, Summer or Fall 2009.

(Return to top of page)

What are the benefits to me?

Participants will join a community of faculty who are pioneering the development and implementation of the BIS degree program. In this yearlong community, you will be learning about integrative learning and building your own course with the support of Carolyn Haynes, an expert in the field of integrative studies. You’ll have the opportunity to use your own areas of expertise and interest to shape and teach an upper-level, integrative seminar. Participants also receive a $1,000 professional development stipend.

(Return to top of page)

Who facilitates this program?

The co-facilitators are Carolyn Haynes, Michael Hieber and Ellenmarie Wahlrab.

Dr. Carolyn Haynes serves as Director of the Honors and Scholars Program and Professor of English. She received her Ph.D. from University of California, San Diego in 1993 in Comparative Literature and is author and editor of Innovations in Interdisciplinary Teaching (2002).

Dr. Haynes is also Past President of the Association for Integrative Studies, the national professional organization for the advancement of interdisciplinary studies. She has taught over 20 interdisciplinary courses, and consulted at over a dozen institutions on issues relating to integrative teaching and assessment.

Mike Heiber and Ellenmarie Wahlrab, at the Deans’ invitation, have been involved in developing the BIS degree program from its inception and have developed the BIS 201 seminar course template. Mike (ART & Transfer & Articulation Advisor) has both re-designed and created Miami Plan courses for the regional campuses. Ellenmarie (ENG & Coordinator of Curriculum Development and the CTL on the Middletown campus) has facilitated faculty learning communities for the past six years.

(Return to top of page)

Who is eligible to participate?

For BIS 201:
  • Continuing faculty with a half-time teaching assignment
For BIS 301 & 401:
  • Tenured/tenure-track faculty
  • Faculty with a half-time teaching assignment and a terminal degree
Note: All participants must have the approval of their Coordinator/Chair for their BIS involvement. All BIS FLC members must commit to teach the seminar they develop at least twice over two academic years, beginning in the Spring, Summer or Fall 2009 semesters.

(Return to top of page)

How are participants chosen?

Faculty will be selected by the Deans’ offices based on the needs of the BIS program such as pedagogical approach, disciplinary representation and projected course offerings.

(Return to top of page)

Where and when will the BIS FLC sessions be held?

Meetings will alternate between the MUH and MUM campuses. The meeting times for fall sessions will be determined by the learning community at the values and expectations session on May 9.

(Return to top of page)

How can I apply for the BIS FLC?

Complete the cover application form to submit along with a letter of application (no more than 500 words) that includes a brief statement of your teaching philosophy; the seminar you are interested in teaching; and the qualifications and interests you would bring to the seminar you are selecting and to this faculty learning community.

Note: Applicants for the team-taught BIS 301 are strongly encouraged to communicate with and identify a team-teaching partner who is also applying for the BIS FLC.


Your letter of application should be submitted with the cover application form (signed by your Coordinator/Chair) to the Center for Teaching & Learning on the Middletown campus by May 1, 2008.

(Return to top of page)

How can I find out more about the BIS degree, and in particular, the BIS seminars and BIS Seminar Faculty Learning Community?

Come to the BIS information sessions:
  • At Middletown: CTL Conversation on Teaching: BIS Program, on Thursday April 3, noon - 1 p.m. in Johnston Hall 136/137.
  • At Hamilton: BIS Information Session on Tuesday, April 8, noon - 1 p.m. in the Harriet Taylor Room/560 Mosler
  • A special interactive session, “The Taste of BIS,” is scheduled for Friday, April 18, from 2 - 4 p.m. (location to be announced). We’ll be serving up some food and hands-on integrative learning experience.
If you have further questions, please contact Ellenmarie Wahlrab (73-406) wahlrae@muohio.edu or Mike Hieber (73-449) hiebermr@muohio.edu.

Click here for the BIS Faculty Learning Community brochure.

(Return to top of page)


"Engaging in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning" Faculty Learning Community (2008)

The MUM CTL and CELT are co-sponsoring a faculty learning community (FLC) titled "Engaging in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)." The FLC will began in January with an opening retreat and will last one year culminating in a completed SoTL project, presentation at the Lilly Conference, and a scholarly paper for journal publication. For a more detailed description and to apply, please visit the website
http://www.units.muohio.edu/celt/flcs/miami/flc-SoTL.php.

Click Here to see a list of participants in the SoTL FLC


"Communication Across the Curriculum" Faculty Learning Community (2002-2008)

Click here for a brochure and application for the 2007-2008 CAC Faculty Learning Community.

Click Here to see a list of the participants of the CAC-FLC

Frequently asked questions about the CAC Faculty Learning Community:

What is CAC?
What's the concept behind the learning community?
What kind of commitment does the CAC FLC require?
What are the benefits to me?
Who is eligible to participate?
Who facilitates this program?
How can I apply for next year's CAC FLC?

What is CAC?
Communication Across the Curriculum at Miami University Middletown is an interdisciplinary effort seeking more effective ways to integrate writing, reading, speaking, and listening into classrooms across campus. The CAC Faculty Learning Community (previously called the CAC Proseminar) is in its sixth year of operation in 2007-2008.

(Return to top of page)

What's the concept behind the learning community?
It is an interactive series of workshop sessions designed to help faculty members from a variety of disciplines develop assignments or an assignment sequence utilizing the CAC principles. The learning community proceeds from the basic assumption of Communication Across the Curriculum: that students in any discipline will benefit by using communication processes to learn and to develop their communication competencies.

(Return to top of page)

What kind of commitment does the CAC FLC require?
Participants meet for an opening dinner meeting in the spring, two half-day sessions during the summer and monthly 90-minute meetings through the academic year. Each participant develops a CAC-infused assignment sequence in the summer and fall, then pilots it in the spring. At the end of the academic year, participants develop a group presentation about their teaching innovations to share with the rest of the campus in an open forum.

(Return to top of page)

What are the benefits to me?

Participants enjoy a year-long community of faculty who reflect and share ideas on teaching and curricular innovations. The atmosphere is interdisciplinary and mutually supportive. Participants also receive a $500 professional development stipend.

(Return to top of page)

Who is eligible to participate?

The workshop is open to all continuing faculty and staff with teaching responsibilities at MUM. Our goal is to have representation from across the disciplines, and we welcome applicants from all faculty ranks. In previous years, participants have included faculty members from art, chemistry, computer and information technology, educational leadership, English, geography, history, math, microbiology, psychology, sociology, and zoology.

For a list of faculty members who have particpated in previous CAC learning communities, click here.

(Return to top of page)

Who facilitates this program?

The learning community is facilitated by Ellenmarie Wahlrab (ENG) and Rob Schorman (HST). If you have any questions, you can contact Ellenmarie at wahlrae@muohio.edu or Rob at schormr@muohio.edu.

(Return to top of page)

How can I apply for next year's CAC FLC?

There is a very short form to complete, and applications are being accepted through the end of the academic year. Click here for a copy of the brochure that includes the application form.

(Return to top of page)