Overview

Course Mentors is a peer-based program that is intended to be a collegial, interdisciplinary community of faculty who support one another in improving their teaching through sharing ideas, experiences, and practices. 

Application

Please click here for Spring 2024 application. 

If you have any questions about the Course Mentors program, please feel free to contact miriam.lipsky@miami.edu. 

How does it work?

The program combines small groups that include:

• Faculty participants
• Exemplar faculty: a faculty member who has demonstrated excellence and innovation in the classroom
• Instructional designer

Over the course of a semester, a Course Mentors group will meet to discuss their courses, identify common challenges, review educational literature, propose new activities or modes of interaction, and discuss plans to implement those changes. Exemplar faculty mentorship will focus on customized teaching support including sharing practices, peer consultation and feedback, and optional course observation. 

Course Mentor’s groups typically meet 4-5 times throughout the semester and have no more than 10 participants in a group. Meeting dates are based on the overall availability of the group.

• Boosting Active Learning through Flipped Techniques

   Boosting Active Learning through Flipped Techniques

  This cohort will focus on topics such as an explanation of the "Flipped learning" concept, how to introduce study concepts before the class, implementing innovative practices during class, creating assessments during and after the class, and using educational technology to enhance student learning.

  Exemplar Faculty Lead

  Yunqiu Wang

   

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Classroom

  Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Classroom

  This cohort will focus on topics such as creating a safe space for discussion, introducing controversial topics for dialogue and debate, managing student-student conflict, and supporting students in need.
  

  Exemplar Faculty Lead

  Miriam Lipsky

• Rethinking your Assessment Strategy through Ungrading

  Rethinking your Assessment Strategy through Ungrading

  This cohort will focus on challenging assumptions behind traditional grading practices, de-centering grades in the classroom, providing detailed feedback and/or opportunities for revisions, and learning different approaches to support learning.

  Exemplar Faculty Lead

  Melissa Burley

• Exploring the Processes and Factors that affect Intrinsic Motivation

  Exploring the Processes and Factors that Affect Intrinsic Motivation

  This cohort will focus on mini topics for exploring the concept of intrinsic motivation, such as, (a) the effects of external factors on intrinsic motivation, (b) interpersonal and intrapersonal processes affecting intrinsic motivation, and (c) satisfaction of autonomy, relatedness, and competence for affecting intrinsic motivation. We will discuss implications for practice in college education and in student and faculty well-being. 

  Lead

  Maria Kolovou

Interested in becoming an Exemplar Faculty? Or, would like to suggest new group themes/topics? We would love to hear from you! Contact us at PETAL@miami.edu