• Facilitated by: Elena Lioubimtseva - [email protected] - Geography and Sustainable Planning
• Co-facilitated by: Azizur Molla - [email protected] - School of Interdisciplinary Health
• Location/Campus: Hybrid - Valley Campus 
• Type: Closed - This LC is no longer accepting applications
• Status: Still accepting applications

Braiding Indigenous Knowledge with Western Sciences to Improve Pedagogies 

What are the best practices for integrating Indigenous Ecological Knowledge (IEK) in transdisciplinary environmental curriculum informed by respectful, reciprocal, and relevant relationships with Indigenous communities?

IEK systems are grounded in thousands of years of ecological observations, skillful environmental stewardship, experiential learning, and holistic kinship relationships with the land, water, plants, and animals. Yet they remain largely absent from GVSU curricula, particularly in the environmental, physical, and life sciences. The lack of inclusion of Indigenous epistemologies and methods in environmental science curriculum stems from entrenched colonial power structures, systemic biases, and an ongoing reliance on extractive research models. Working collaboratively with Indigenous environmental education consultants, Native-American scholars, and Tribal organizations, we will develop a transdisciplinary framework for culturally appropriate inclusion of IEK across multiple academic programs. Guided by the principles of 4R (Relevance, Respect, Reciprocity, and Responsibility), this FLC will create new teaching resources, facilitate community-engaged service-learning pathways, and strengthen relationships between GVSU and Indigenous communities and their peoples. Ultimately, this work will prepare students to address environmental challenges through more inclusive, holistic, and community-centered approaches.

This Learning Community is primarily intended for faculty interested in environmental science and studies. Participants are encouraged to attend the workshops by the Indigenous consultants. More information about these workshops will be shared via the group facilitators.

Learning Objective 1 
Evaluate and adopt effective approaches for decolonizing environmental science content and methods through integration of Indigenous perspectives.  

Learning Objective 2 
Develop culturally appropriate teaching materials, pedagogical approaches, and resources for holistic and inclusive transdisciplinary environmental curricula and pedagogies. 

Learning Objective 3 
Establish pathways for long-term collaboration with Tribal governments, Indigenous organizations, and other Native American community partners that support internships, civic engagement, applied research, and other high-impact learning activities 

Registration for Braiding Indigenous Knowledge with Western Sciences to Improve Pedagogies has Closed

• Facilitated by: Ellen Shupe - [email protected] - Psychology & Pew FTLC | Zsuzsanna Palmer - [email protected] - Writing
• Location/Campus: Online/Zoom
• Dates: Fridays 11am-12pm | 10/23, 11/20, 1/22, 2/26, 3/26, 4/23
• Type: Open
• Status: Still accepting applications

Bringing Global Perspectives into the Classroom with International Virtual Exchange/Collaborative Online International Learning (IVE/COIL)

How might we incorporate virtual exchange projects in our courses to promote intercultural dialogue and foster collaboration, problem solving, and global awareness in our students?

International Virtual Exchange (IVE) is a faculty-led, active learning approach that connects students with international peers for a shared, online learning experience. Instructors from different universities work together to develop projects or other activities. Students in their courses then work together on projects, typically over 2-8 weeks. Because it provides a structured, culturally informed opportunity for collaboration, IVE fosters students' intercultural awareness and leads to several skill-based and discipline-specific benefits. It's also highly adaptable and can be used in any academic discipline and at both undergraduate and graduate levels. 
This learning community is designed for faculty who are already using IVE and faculty who are interested in learning more about it. Participants will share ideas and experiences and discuss topics related to IVE, such as finding international teaching partners, designing projects, and managing logistics. Optional readings related to discussion topics will be made available by the facilitators. 

Learning Objective 1 
Name specific ways IVE/COIL has been used by instructors at GVSU and other universities 

Learning Objective 2 
Consider how find international teaching partners and sustain the teaching partnerships and get help developing collaborative projects and materials 

Learning Objective 3 
Explore how to meet student learning outcomes in different disciplines through IVE/COIL 

Learning Objective 4 
Identify on and off-campus resources and support for integrating IVE/COIL in your courses 

Register for Bringing Global Perspectives into the Classroom with International Virtual Exchange/Collaborative Online International Learning (IVE/COIL)

• Facilitated by: Barbara Stevens - [email protected] - eLearning
• Location/Campus: Hybrid - Valley Campus 
• Type: Open
• Status: Still accepting applications

Building Accessibility Leaders Across Campus

How can faculty and staff be supported in developing into departmental accessibility leaders, enabling them to effectively guide others in creating inclusive, compliant, and accessible digital content that aligns with Title II accessibility requirements?

This six-session train-the-trainer program, supported and facilitated by the Digital Accessibility Committee, is designed to prepare faculty and staff to serve as accessibility leads within their respective departments. Participants will acquire skills to create and remediate accessible digital content using tools such as Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat Pro, presentation software, and others. They will also learn how to interpret the Ally accessibility report within Blackboard courses and organizations, while gaining a foundational understanding of Title II of the ADA, inclusive design principles, and digital accessibility best practices. Through hands-on activities, collaboration, and practical application, participants will develop the ability to identify accessibility barriers, support colleagues, implement sustainable accessibility practices, and contribute to a more inclusive campus environment. In-person and Zoom meetings will be available for each session.

Learning Objective 1 

Analyze digital content, communication practices, and instructional materials to identify accessibility barriers and evaluate compliance with Title II of the ADA, WCAG principles, and inclusive design standards.

Learning Objective 2 

Apply accessibility best practices and remediation techniques to create accessible documents, PDFs, presentations, media, and online content using tools such as Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat Pro, presentation software, and the Ally accessibility report.

Learning Objective 3 

Design and facilitate departmental accessibility initiatives, resources, and peer training opportunities that promote sustainable accessibility practices and foster a culture of inclusion across GVSU.

Register for Building Accessibility Leaders Across Campus LC

Facilitated by: Anna Hammersmith - [email protected] - Sociology
Location/Campus: In-Person/ Valley Campus
Type: Open
Status: Still accepting applications

Embedding Undergraduate Research into Courses

How can instructors embed undergraduate research into their coursework?

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 1 
Explore ways in which undergraduate research can be embedded into coursework, meeting the Research Intensive (RI) criteria.

Register for Embedding Undergraduate Research into Courses LC

• Facilitated by: Glenn Valdez - valdezg@gvsu.edu - Psychology
• Location/Campus: In-Person Valley Campus 
• Type: Open
• Status: Still accepting applications

Foundations of High-Quality Practice: A Learning Community for Undergraduate Research Mentors 

How can mentors design supportive and structured undergraduate research experience that help students grow as emerging scholars?

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. 

Register for Foundations of High-Quality Practice: A Learning Community for Undergraduate Research Mentors LC

• Facilitated by: Dauvan Mulally - [email protected] - Writing
• Location/Campus: Hybrid - City Campus 
• Type: Open
• Status: Still accepting applications

Internships: Approaches, Strategies, and Best Practices

How can we help students get the most out of their internship?

Internships serve different purposes for different students. For some students, an internship can serve as a starting point for their academic and professional aspirations. For others who can have a clearer vision, an internship can help them apply their knowledge and skills in a “real world” setting. Much of the responsibility for helping students understand the purpose and value of an internship fall on the shoulders of internship directors.

Learning Objective 1 

Understand best practices for advising and evaluating student internships experiences 

Learning Objective 2 

Articulate strategies for outreach, networking, and student preparation 

Learning Objective 3 

Consider approaches for building and strengthening relationships with employers and community partners 

Register for Internships: Approaches, Strategies, and Best Practices LC

• Facilitated by: Paul Bylsma - [email protected] - Higher Education and Student Affairs 
• Co-Facilitated by: Aaron Yore-VanOosterhout -[email protected] - Bellamy Creek Program 
• Location/Campus: Hybrid - City Campus 
• Type: Closed (accepting applications from faculty teaching in the Bellamy Creek Prison Education Program)
• Status: Still accepting applications

Liberatory Adult Education in the Bellamy Creek Program 

How might Bellamy Creek Program instructors develop a liberatory approach to adult education?

This learning community (LC) will explore adult education as a liberatory practice within the Bellamy Creek Prison Education Program. Faculty teaching in the program, many of whom have witnessed the transformative potential of education in a carceral setting, are invited to come together to examine how critical perspectives on teaching and learning can inform their practice. Drawing from literature on critical adult education and critical prison education, participants will reflect on the social, ethical, economic, and political conditions that shape prison education. Through structured discussion and reflection on their own classroom experiences, LC members will work to develop an integrated philosophy of liberatory teaching in prison. Foundational ideas about adult learners and andragogical practice will provide a starting point for examining how teaching strategies, classroom relationships, and course design can support critical inquiry while affirming incarcerated students’ agency and dignity. 

Learning Objective 1 
Identify and analyze key concepts from critical adult education and critical prison education literature and examine how these ideas relate to their teaching practice in the Bellamy Creek Program (BCP). 

Learning Objective 2 
Examine components of a critical andragogical teaching philosophy and identify pedagogical strategies that align with the specific relational and institutional context of the BCP. 

Learning Objective 3 
Develop and articulate a coherent philosophy of liberatory prison education and accompanying andragogical principles that support incarcerated students in engaging in critical inquiry, action, and advocacy. 

Register for Liberatory Adult Education in the Bellamy Creek Program LC 

• Facilitated by: Jennifer DeWaard- [email protected] - CECI Teaching and Learning
• Location/Campus: Online/Zoom
• Type: Open
• Status: Still accepting applications

Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) in PK-12 Education

How can we embed SDI in teacher preparation so that our candidates are prepared to address students' unique needs while also ensuring access to general education?

This learning community will provide an opportunity for teacher preparation instructors to focus on examining the content, methodology, and delivery of instructional strategies and techniques that are core to our courses and curriculum. 

Through book study and examination of our existing courses and activities, we will plan to model and incorporate SDI as a concept, part of IDEA law, and current high priority in Michigan PK-12 schools. We will examine the capacity for teacher candidates and instructors to integrate this concept in current coursework.

Learning Objective 1 
Identify and analyze key SDI concepts as they relate to our teaching practice. 

Learning Objective 2 
Align instruction with shared learning concepts by examining course activities and instructional strategies that align with SDI as it is related to educational equity, student success, and current PK-12 requirements.

Register for Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) in PK-12 Education LC 

• Facilitated by: Leanne Kang - [email protected] - CECI Literacy, Educational Foundations, & Technology
• Co-Facilitated by: Janelle Grant Ashbaugh - [email protected] - CECI Literacy, Educational Foundations, & Technology
• Location/Campus: Hybrid - City Campus/ Online
• Type: Closed - Participants must have completed the prior year's LC "Reflecting on the Teacher Internship Experience: How Do We Cultivate Social Justice-Minded PK-12 Teacher Identities?"
• Status: Still accepting applications

Supporting Social Justice-Minded Teacher Development During the Internship Semester

How might cross-departmental collaborations more explicitly support the development of social justice-minded teachers during their teacher internships experience at the College of Education and Community Innovation?

This Learning Community (LC) builds on last year’s LC, “Reflecting on the Teacher Internship Experience: How Do We Cultivate Social Justice-Minded PK-12 Teacher Identities?” This year, we will extend and deepen that work by continuing to explore how teacher candidates develop and sustain social justice-minded identities as educators.

Learning Objective 1 

Continue to identify areas of curricular overlap across courses and potentially propose, or plan, ways to streamline programming. 
 

Learning Objective 2 
Examine and analyze our collective work and identify the ways in which we cultivate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that support the development of social justice-minded teacher identities.

Register for Supporting Social Justice-Minded Teacher Development During the Internship Semester LC 

• Facilitated by: Ariel Mokdad- [email protected] - SIS 
• Location/Campus: Online/Zoom
• Type: Open
• Status: Still accepting applications

Teaching Adult Learners in the LEADS Format

What are some effective strategies for connecting with adult learners in the accelerated LEADS format?

This learning community is designed for mentors. This group will support faculty teaching in the LEADS format by developing a culture of collegiality amongst LEADS faculty, sharing our experiences with adult learners, sharing assignment designs or other strategies that participants have used, and raising common questions or concerns to address as a group. We'll also consider some writings on andragogy (aka pedagogy for adults), as we think about how to positively impact our adult students! 

Learning Objective 1 
Successfully engage with adult learners in LEADS format courses  

Register for Teaching Adult Learners in the LEADS Format LC