Overcoming Pedagogical Solitude: The Transformative Power of Discipline-Specific Faculty Learning Communities (FLCs)
27 Pages Posted: 1 Nov 2015
Date Written: July 13, 2015
Abstract
This article describes a multi-year Faculty Learning Community (FLC) program as a strategy to overcome pedagogical solitude (Shulman, 1993) in a discipline-specific context. Participant interviews shed light on their FLC experiences and perceived impact on their teaching and students’ learning. Grounded within the particularities of the disciplinary context and based on the results of interviews reflecting a highly positive experience, we articulate key factors that had a major role in the success of the FLCs, framed within Lee, Hyman and Luginbuhl’s (2007) concept of readiness. We also suggest contextual questions to consider when transferring our experience to other institutional contexts.
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