Rutgers Active Learning Community
The Rutgers Active Learning Community is a collaborative group of faculty and staff brought together to further the use of active learning at Rutgers. The community was launched in 2015, in preparation for the the launch of new general-purpose active learning classrooms on the Rutgers-New Brunswick campuses. The incorporation of active learning into classes can be daunting, whether its redesigning the syllabus, managing a collaborative classroom, or determining its impact. The Community seeks to support these efforts by:
- bringing together faculty engaged or interested in active learning so they can develop and share best practices
- providing various support mechanisms to aid the use of active learning
- fostering an ongoing dialogue between faculty and staff that design and support active learning spaces
Community members are an essential source of input for the design process of new learning spaces. As new active learning rooms came online, the community broadened its focus towards identifying useful support tools for faculty engaged in active learning. Community events include monthly workshops, Active Learning 101 sessions for faculty who our new to collaborative learning, and the Active Learning Symposium (previously the "Boot Camp") which highlights active learning at Rutgers and beyond through talks, workshops, and presentations. Available support mechanisms include Learning Assistants, technology training, and Instructional Designers.
To learn more about the different ways you can participate in the Community, visit our Get Involved page.
Participation in the community is voluntary and is facilitated via the ALC canvas page. If you would like to stay connected to upcoming events, online resources for teaching, and active learning news, sign up through the canvas page. If you have an questions or ideas, email the Active Learning Community leadership:
- Stacey Blackwell, Executive Director of Learning Assistance and the Learning Centers, Rutgers Learning Centers
Mary Emenike, Associate Professor of Professional Practice, School of Arts and Sciences
Dena Novak, Director of Instructional Design, Teaching and Learning with Technology
Dave Wyrtzen, Associate Director for Faculty Training and Outreach, Digital Classroom Services