The Teaching Center conducts several types of sustained faculty development experiences that allow faculty to explore topics of interest in depth and collaborate with other instructors across various disciplines. These include:
Faculty Learning Communities (FLCs)
Faculty learning communities allow faculty to discuss and examine issues related to a broad, overarching topic. FLCs meet several times per semester on an ongoing basis. While FLCs are coordinated by the Teaching Center, sessions, topics and activities are primarily determined and facilitated by faculty. FLC members can attend sessions as their availability permits.
Equity and Inclusion FLC
The Equity and Inclusion Faculty Learning Community (FLC) brings together instructors (faculty and graduate student teaching assistants) to explore topics related to equitable and inclusive teaching and mentoring, as well as share experiences and strategies.
Large Enrollment FLC
Pitt faculty who teach large enrollment classes (>60) in the fall and spring terms are invited to join the Large Enrollment Faculty Learning Community, which addresses issues of pedagogy, educational technology, and course management, related to teaching/administering a large enrollment class.
New Faculty Essentials
New Faculty Essentials is a program designed to support the success of newly hired faculty at Pitt. You’ll be introduced to campus offices and services that you and your students can use, as well as receive opportunities to meet and interact with other new faculty members from around campus.
Teaching Partners
The Teaching Partners is a faculty community at the University Center for Teaching and Learning. This program engages faculty from across the University who use the Teaching Center’s resources to support and enhance their teaching practice.
Graduate Student Opportunities
Badged and Credentialed Professional Development Series
Faculty can participate in a series of professional development workshops to build specific skills and competencies. Participants will receive a digital badge for participating in events in the series. A credential will be awarded for successfully completing the series.
Inclusive STEM Teaching Certification
The Graduate Student Teaching Initiative (GSTI) has partnered with the Inclusive STEM Teaching Project (ISTP) to grant Inclusive STEM Teaching certificates to those who complete 50% of a self-paced MOOC and attend two of three remote, synchronous learning community meetings facilitated by members of the Teaching Center’s GSTI program.
ID Partners
ID or Instructional Design Partners is a collaborative professional organization for instructional design professionals across the University of Pittsburgh. A program reinvigorated in 2022, we provide a space in which ID professionals can share resources, problem-solve, receive feedback on projects, share information across the university, and further their professional goals. Please email teaching@pitt.edu to join this group.