Presented by University of Denver

Creation of a Cross-Campus Faculty Cohort to Support Reflection, Problem-Solving, and Knowledge Sharing about Community Engagement during COVID Times

At the University of Denver (DU), 4 depts are collaborating on a professional development program that will create a small cohort of cross-campus faculty who are experienced community-engaged teachers to do some communal reflection, collective problem-solving, and knowledge sharing as we navigate what Community-Engaged Teaching (CET) looks like during COVID times. The goals of the program are two-fold, to provide immediate support and comradery to faculty navigating CET now as well as to more broadly develop and share new knowledge about CET in COVID times to serve faculty, students, and partners in the future and contribute the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning about as much. Participants will engage in a guided cohort experience. They are also supported by facilitators, who will craft meetings to meet real-time needs of cohort members and will provide individualized support, from the Center for Community Engagement to advance Scholarship and Learning, DU Grand Challenges, the University Writing Program, and the Office of Teaching and Learning. We will share what we have learned (at the point we present) about engaging in this collaborative professional development experience. This might include how to develop and lead such cohorts, the topics/themes that surface, and lessons learned for how to do CET in a way that is fulfilling and enriching for students, faculty members, and community members during a moment of collective stress and uncertainty.