Faculty Learning Communities for Research Mentors
For the Fall Semester 2026, CSRSE will be supporting two learning communities:
Embedding Undergraduate Research into Courses
Facilitated by Dr. Anna Hammersmith, Sociology Department
Grand Valley State University recently approved the Research Intensive (RI) Course Designation. RI courses actively engage students in research and scholarly practice as a pedagogical approach to teaching skills and content. RI courses are one mechanism through which students can participate in undergraduate research and the scholarly process. This learning community aims to work with faculty members to envision how their current courses could embed undergraduate research experiences, to fit the RI criteria.
Learning Objective: Explore ways in which undergraduate research can be embedded into coursework, meeting the Research Intensive (RI) criteria.
Foundations of High-Quality Practice: A Learning Community for Undergraduate Research Mentors
Facilitated by Dr. Glenn Valdez, Psychology Department
This learning community is designed for faculty who want to engage in clear, research-informed mentoring practices. Participants will explore core elements of effective mentoring, including setting mutual expectations, creating a welcoming and inclusive research environment, planning manageable projects, and using regular check-ins and feedback to support students’ skill development and confidence. Sessions will emphasize practical tools, sample documents, and concrete strategies that mentors can adapt immediately to their own contexts.
Learning Objective 1: Develop a mentoring plan that includes clear expectations, roles, and communication norms for working with undergraduate researchers. Consider how this mentoring plan could be adapted based on diverse student needs, skill levels, among other factors.
Learning Objective 2: Use simple structures such as weekly meetings, goal setting, and progress checklists to scaffold student learning, independence, and time management.
Learning Objective 3: Practice mentoring strategies that help students reflect on what they are learning, articulate their developing skills, and prepare to share their work with others.
Descriptions and instructions to apply to join these communities can be found at the Pew Faculty Teaching and Learning Center: Current Learning Communities webpage.