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Teaching Circles

Teaching Circles Initiative

A teaching circle (TC) is a supportive community of about 3-5 instructors who come together to explore a specific topic or theme related to best practices in teaching and learning. TC members will experiment with new instructional approaches, engage in collaborative research, and participate in the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) related to the group's specific topic. All TCs will be paired with a larger community of individuals with a common goal or topic (see topic groups ).

Participants in UHD Teaching circles will enjoy opportunities to:

  • Experiment with new teaching and learning strategies.
  • Network and interact with colleagues who share an interest in a specific pedagogical question or issue.
  • Collaborate within and across disciplines.
  • Increase student learning and academic success.
  • Access resources and funding for TC activities such as attending a webinar, purchasing materials, cost for a QM course review, etc. (Up to $1,000/year/TC)  
  • Receive a $500 stipend upon completion of the preliminary report (see important dates below) for professional development needs, such as travel to present findings.
Approximately 35-50 faculty participate in 10-12 Teaching Circles each academic year, with some yielding productive Course Innovation Initiative awards or even external grants, such as the Steelcase Education Active Learning Center Grant earned through a collaboration of the CTLE and a mathematics faculty teaching circle. UHD was one of four institutions nationwide to receive this grant in 2019, which includes installation of a new active learning classroom. 

For other examples of circle projects, please use the left menu to navigate to a list of descriptions and deliverables organzied by academic year.