The Teaching and Learning Network (TLN) at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada, represents an effective network model for faculty and educational leadership development. Grounded in the principles of communities of practice (Wenger, 1998), the TLN is a collaborative network that fosters interdisciplinary dialogue, relationship building,…

The emergence of digital communication channels has transformed faculty development, offering new opportunities for networking and collaboration. This paper explores successful practices for promoting connection and belonging among faculty members through platforms like Slack and Discord. Key strategies include creating dedicated channels for…

By prioritizing engagement opportunities, faculty development programs have the potential to help participants build relationships with available support systems, consider the perspectives and needs of their students, and interact with a community of practice. This article considers the engagement strategies that remain core to a professional…

This article describes the transition of a Learning Community for adjunct faculty from an in-person professional development program to a virtual experience necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Preliminary findings show support for our goals of enhancing teaching effectiveness while building community among an interdisciplinary cohort of adjunct…

For faculty members, writing is often the task that is perpetually set aside due to demands of teaching and service in a university setting. Faculty writing groups are one way to encourage commitment, consistency, and support for a successful writing agenda. The purpose of this article is to illustrate one successful example of a thriving virtual…

Facilitated networking, integrated into professional development programs, allows faculty participants to foster opportunities for engagement while strengthening collaborative relationships that help to humanize digital learning. This article considers the networking that is central to a professional development program that credentials faculty at…

This article describes a study designed to investigate the utility, motivations, and outcomes of participating in faculty writing groups before and during a university shutdown and forced quarantining due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. The study aimed to determine whether faculty writing group participation contributed to improved productivity…

Ongoing professional learning in supportive contexts, such as in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) has been indicated as effective in promoting reinvigoration in teaching. PLCs are a community of educators that engage in a regular process of learning and reflection, where faculty can work together with peers toward common goals and purposes…

In this pilot study, eight faculty members participated in at least one online Open Space Technology participatory meeting and provided feedback. Each meeting had a predetermined central theme. Participants chose one or more sub-topics to discuss in a small group followed by a whole group recap. Results indicated that faculty members reported the…

Recent research has emphasized the affective components of both learning and teaching. While the former has been extensively studied, the emotional challenges faced by instructors are comparatively less so. Micro-communities, such as the one assessed in the present study, have been identified as potentially effective resiliency strategies for…

The article provides insight into how supportive communities contribute to the wellbeing of Black faculty. This autoethnography centers the creation of an intentional community to support Black faculty toward experiencing joy at a historically white institution from the perspective of a Black faculty member. The findings provide an example of how…

This article describes a reflective process, influenced by collaborative autoethnography and poetic inquiry, and provides an opportunity for replication at other sites. The process illuminated a workgroup's power to enhance professional lives in support of students, seeking to harness collective power to make space for critical discussions as well…

Life in academia can be difficult. Studies of faculty show high levels of stress leading to impaired productivity, exhaustion, pessimism, and disillusionment. Methods for addressing workplace stress including mentoring, professional/social interaction, and work-family enrichment have been well documented. This co/autoethnographic study examined a…

In predominantly white institutions, BIPOC faculty experience the perpetual stressors of systemic inequity and imposter syndrome. COVID-19 added pandemic-induced traumatic stress. On top of both of these and out of care for all, but particularly BIPOC, students, female BIPOC faculty took on additional emotional labor during the pandemic.…

This study explored how the interdisciplinary nature of a Faculty Learning Community (FLC) promoted the professional development of participants' teaching. Participants reported gaining new insights into implementing active learning and mitigating student resistance to learning (the FLC topic). FLC members experienced a connection and affinity…