Fostering Communities of Practice Among Community College STEM Faculty: Connecting the Dots

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 49
  In Roundtable Session: Faculty, Curriculum, and Teaching in STEM

Abstract

This research reviews data collected in the first two years of a 4-year project involving a professional development (PD) model built to support the three project strands, which include: improving community college student success, broadening participation, and supporting career pathways in the geosciences. The PD model uses face-to-face workshops, virtual activities, and mentoring to help support the project’s 23 change agent (CA) faculty members. The faculty are on 10 different regional teams located across the country. The CA teams are hosting regional workshops and creating action plans for change on their campuses, with administrators involved for each team. Early findings indicate the development of a community of practice among the CAs and an influence on practice in the region.

Authors

• Pamela L. Eddy, College of William and Mary

• Ellen Iverson, Carleton College

• Yi Hao, University of Virginia