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Office for Faculty Excellence

Faculty Learning Communities

What are Faculty Learning Communities?

Faculty Learning Communities (FLCs) are peer-led groups of faculty, staff, and graduate students who engage in active, collaborative, long-term programs structured to provide encouragement, support, and reflection around a topic of mutual interest. They stand as vibrant spaces of academic growth and professional development, fostering an environment where educators transcend the confines of their classrooms to engage in collaborative and reflective exploration. These communities are more than mere forums; they encourage the exchange of ideas, promote cross-disciplinary interactions, and cultivate a culture of continuous learning. By gathering diverse minds and perspectives, FLCs enable faculty members to reinvigorate their pedagogical approaches and respond adeptly to the evolving educational landscape. Moreover, FLCs kindle a sense of belonging, reducing the professional isolation often endemic to academia. 

During the past year, we have intentionally worked on establishing some FLCs at NC State, covering subjects such as Qualitative Research, Collaborative Online Learning (COIL), Ungrading, AI and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). If you are interested in joining any of these vibrant communities, or would like support organizing a new learning community, please contact us at faculty-excellence@ncsu.edu.

Sign up for the community and the first meeting here!

Are you a Professional Faculty member at NC State looking to maximize your career growth, navigate the unique challenges of your role, and build a powerful network? Do you want to feel more connected to professional faculty from around the university? Is there advice you want to share with or receive from others in the professional track? Do you want to be more connected to resources and tools specific to the professional track?  If so, sign up for the Professional Faculty Learning Community at NC State.  

Our first meeting will be held on November 21 from noon to 1pm and be on the topic of Subsequent Contracts and Promotion. Our guest speaker for this meeting will be Dr. Kimberly Grainger, Senior Vice Provost for Faculty Excellence.  Dr. Grainger will give a short presentation on the topic, followed by a question and answer session. The session will be held entirely on Zoom, but will not be recorded.

Why Join the Learning Community?

  • Sharpen Your Professional Edge: Engage in focused discussions and presentations tailored specifically to the needs and professional trajectory of NC State’s Professional Track Faculty. T
  • Forge Critical Connections: Break through departmental silos and build a robust network with peers across campus. 
  • Amplify Your Voice: Your participation ensures that your experiences, successes, and challenges are part of a collective dialogue, leading to increased visibility and institutional support for your role.
  • Find Solutions: Work with colleagues on practical, real-world solutions to common challenges.

For more information, contact Diane Chapman, Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Development in the Office for Faculty Excellence at ddchapma@ncsu.edu 

Elevating Qualitative Research @NC State (EQUAL) is a new faculty-led learning community looking to increase the visibility of qualitative research and its researchers by offering professional development opportunities. If you need information or want to be added to the roster of qualitative researchers, email Corey Johnson at corey.johnson@ncsu.edu or faculty-excellence@ncsu.edu.

COIL promotes virtual, interactive educational opportunities by connecting faculty and students through shared experiences across international borders. Want to meet others on campus who are interested in COIL?  Join the COIL Faculty and Staff Learning community. Here you can learn more about ways in which you can provide international experiences to your students within your courses, share resources about how to internationalize your curriculum, and help foster cross-discipline collaboration. Sign up here.

Fall Meeting Details

All meetings will be in hybrid format, so you will be able to attend in-person or virtually.

Meeting 1: September 10, 2025
Time: 3:00PM – 4:00PM
Location: Online and OFE Conference Room #405 (4th Floor Clark Hall 405)

Meeting 2: November 6, 2025
Time: 10:00AM – 11:00AM
Location: Online and OFE Conference Room #405 (4th Floor Clark Hall 405)

Faculty facilitators contact information: Megan Lupek (mlupek@ncsu.edu) and Alice Lee (Alice_Lee@ncsu.edu)

Contact the Office for Faculty Excellence at faculty-excellence@ncsu.edu with questions.

AI Online Community is where faculty and staff can come together to talk about all things related to AI technology and teaching.  Everyone has an opportunity to participate, in both the Google group and three times a year via Zoom meetings. The community is co-managed by Kerri Brown Parker from DELTA and Maria Gallardo-Williams from the Office for Faculty Excellence. Contact the Office for Faculty Excellence at faculty-excellence@ncsu.edu with questions or to join this learning community.

The SoTL Journal Club’s goal is to create a learning community around SoTL themes, and to connect practitioners with faculty that might be interested in learning more about the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Contact the Office for Faculty Excellence at faculty-excellence@ncsu.edu with questions or to join this learning community.