What is BIS?
The Bachelor of Integrative Studies is a bachelor’s completion degree 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 on how the BIS degree program works, click here.
What's the concept behind the learning community?
The learning community is designed to help faculty develop and teach the three integrative seminars promoting engaged learning 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 other in developing a specific seminar. BIS FLC participants will form connections between the seminars to construct an integrated learning pathway in a developmental framework for BIS students. Full participation in this faculty learning community is required for all faculty who teach BIS seminars.
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 here for a detailed description of each seminar.)
What kind of commitment does the BIS FLC require?
Applicants selected must commit to participating in all meetings of the FLC, which include:
Participate in an opening dinner session on Monday, August 16, 2010 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and participate in a BIS Faculty session from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
In the fall, participate in monthly 2-hour sessions on BIS seminar design within an engaged learning model.
Participate in an intensive seminar “design studio” on a date to be determined during the week before Spring 2011 semester classes begin.
Participate in several seminar cohort mentoring sessions during the Spring 2011 semester.
Participants must commit to teaching their BIS seminars at least twice (in load) over two academic years, beginning as early as Fall 2011.
(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 in a developmental framework and building your own seminar with support, resources, ideas and mentoring from the facilitator and the community. You’ll have the opportunity to shape and teach an upper-level, integrative seminar in the context of an inquiry theme of your choosing. Participants also receive a $1,000 professional development stipend.
(Return to top of page) Who facilitates this program?
Ellenmarie Wahlrab will be the lead facilitator and be supported by other Miami University faculty sharing specific expertise and coaching.
Ellenmarie, at the Deans’ invitation, has been involved in developing the BIS degree program from its inception and co-developed the BIS 201 seminar course template. She teaches in English and BIS and is the Coordinator of Curriculum Development and of the Co-Coordinator CTL on the Middletown campus. Ellenmarie has facilitated faculty learning communities for the past eight years and has been teaching BIS 201 since Fall 2008.
Continuing faculty with a minimum of a half-time teaching assignment
For BIS 301 & 401:
Tenured/tenure-track faculty or
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 as early as Fall 2011.
(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 disciplinary representation, projected course offerings, flexibility in scheduling and pedagogical approach.
(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 our opening session in August.
(Return to top of page) How can I apply for the BIS FLC?
Complete the application form to submit along with a letter of application (no more than 500 words) that includes a brief statement of your teaching philosophy and the qualifications and interests you would bring to developing and teaching the BIS seminars and to this faculty learning community.
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 7, 2010.
(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?
Contact Ellenmarie Wahlrab at (73-406) or mumctl@muohio.edu.
Click here for the BIS Faculty Learning Community brochure.
"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.
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.
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.
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.