One theme in the LTC programming this term has been the possibilities that open when we think about curriculum that is not limited to 10-week, 6-credit, single-instructor courses. The winter break OCS programs that span two terms, the CUBE program that includes an online summer component and a face-to-face on-campus component, and trailing courses like those offered by GEI (the Mellon-funded Global Engagement Initaitive) and EthIC (Ethical Inquiry at Carleton) provide flexibility that allow us to engage our students in new ways. At the LTC speed dating event in October, there was excitement about collaborative possibilities that ranged from shared micro-courses to multi-course digital projects. However, significant curricular innovation or collaboration requires time to reflect, converse, and experiment, and time is scarce!
Grant-funded initiatives have traditionally been valuable in fostering collaborative work and curricular experimentation, but when the grant ends, sustaining these efforts is difficult. I’m interested in finding ways that the LTC can better support faculty who want to develop collaborative curricular projects or engage in curricular experiments -- whether those efforts are exploring how to highlight connections across disciplines or how to employ pedagogical approaches that capitalize on new technologies. Isolation rarely leads to innovation so finding ways to create space for faculty and staff to brainstorm and experiment together in supportive company is important both for our vitality as teachers and for the vitality of our curriculum. One possibility is having the LTC support communities of practice around shared interests for a term or an academic year; another possibility is reconsidering the way in which the LTC structures the opportunities for teaching circles. Stay tuned!