Learning Communities

Early Career Learning Community

The Center for Integrated Professional Development’s Early Career Learning Community offers course instructors in their first through third years of service at ISU a combination of professional development and peer support. Join us for a series of engaging conversations on teaching, learning, and thriving in academia.

For fall 2025, our focus will be on the book A Pedagogy of Kindness, by Catherine Denial. This book presents a fresh perspective on teaching that focuses on ensuring justice, believing in our students and colleagues, and contributing to both student and faculty success. Denial offers practical techniques for creating syllabi, developing student assessments, and creating trust and belonging in the classroom.

Copies of A Pedagogy of Kindness are available to attendees. An electronic version is accessible through Milner Library, and the audiobook is available through Normal Public Library (for those with a library card). To request a copy, please email Dr. Dana Karraker.

Registration is not required to attend these sessions. Details about each session will be sent through the Early Career listserv and posted on the Early Career Teams site. If you would like to be added to either of these, please contact Dr. Dana Karraker.

Fall 2025

Session 2

Wednesday, September 17 or Thursday, September 18.

We'll discuss the Introduction and Chapter 1: Kindness Towards Self. This chapter emphasizes the importance of self-care as we navigate environments that often promote overwork, perfectionism, and self-sacrifice.

Session 2

Wednesday, October 22 or Thursday, October 23.

This session will focus on Chapter 2: Kindness in the Syllabus and Chapter 3: Kindness in Assessment. Denial asks us to challenge authoritarian teaching methods that are commonplace in educational settings. We’ll explore how the language we use in syllabi, our positionalities, and identities in the classroom, shape our relationships with students. She offers suggestions for creating classrooms where students feel seen, supported, and empowered to learn.

Session 3

Wednesday, December 3 or Thursday, December 4.

We'll wrap up the book with Chapter 4: Kindness in the Classroom. As we look toward the end of the semester, we’ll reflect on intentional practices we’ve implemented and how we saw our students and ourselves grow. We’ll also look ahead to the spring semester, discussing practices we’ll stop, start, and continue as we work to create learning spaces where both educators and students thrive.

Online Education Learning Community

The Center for Integrated Professional Development’s Online Education Learning Community is designed for instructors who teach fully online or hybrid courses at ISU. Whether you're new to online teaching or have years of experience, this community will focus on sharing experiences, co-learning, and navigating together the ever-evolving landscape of teaching online.

For Fall 2025, we’ll be reading Bringing the Neuroscience of Learning to Online Teaching by Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa. This handbook unpacks the science of learning and provides practical, grounded guidance for supporting students in online environments. By discussing valuable design considerations, tools that can be leveraged in a course, the importance of mind, body, and education science, and much more, Tokuhama-Espinosa helps us ask the right questions to grow as online instructors. Registration is required.

Intended Audience: Tenure-Track Faculty, Non-Tenure Track Faculty and Course Instructors, Graduate Students

Once registered, you may request a physical copy of the book by emailing Allison Hauser at ahauser@ilstu.edu. We will coordinate getting a copy to you. Physical copies are available on a first-come, first-served basis. A digital version is also available through the Milner Library.

Small Changes Learning Community

Teaching can be an isolating experience. This reading group, intended for faculty who have been teaching at Illinois State for over four years, provides a chance for faculty to discuss peer support, networking, and mentorship. Experience new confidence in yourself and your ability to teach!

Our read for Fall is Smart Teaching Stronger Learning: Practical Tips From 10 Cognitive Scientists by Pooja Agarwal. As the book cover describes, it’s an “approachable resource that distills key principles from the science of learning, with concise chapters and real-world examples for busy educators” with “down-to-earth tips.” We'll use the text as a springboard for our conversations. We will use it to find ideas for small changes we can make in our teaching to see changes in our student learning and motivation. Reading is encouraged and kept to reasonable amounts between our biweekly meetings but not required to participate. We’ll meet six times throughout the semester to discuss and support each other in our teaching across disciplines, and you’re always welcome to bring your lunch!

Intended Audience: Mid- and Later- Career Faculty and Course Instructors, those who have been teaching for 4 or more years.

Outcomes

Discuss innovative teaching strategies

To join this group, contact Dr. Sarah Boesdorfer.