Local Learning Communities

The CIRTL Network offers online courses every year, including:

Summer and Fall semesters: An Introduction to Evidence-Based Undergraduate Teaching
Spring semester: Advancing Learning through Evidence-Based Undergraduate Teaching
Spring semester: Advanced Teaching Practices: Research-Driven Approaches for Higher Education

Both courses focus on teaching, but discuss evidence-based practices that are relevant to all disciplines.

Semester	Online Course	Duration/Dates
Fall	An Introduction to Evidence-Based Undergraduate Teaching	7 weeks Late September to early November
Spring	Advancing Learning through Evidence-Based Undergraduate Teaching	7 weeks Early February to late March
Spring	Advanced Teaching Practices: Research-Driven Approaches for Higher Education	9 weeks Early February to Early April
Summer	An Introduction to Evidence-Based Undergraduate Teaching	7 weeks Late July to early August
Note: The Spring course, Advancing Learning through Evidence-Based Undergraduate Teaching, builds on the CIRTL Network course, An Introduction to Evidence-Based Undergraduate Teaching. That course is recommended, but not required, as a prerequisite for participating in this course.

CIRTL@Texas A&M facilitates at least one local learning community (LLC) a year on campus or via Zoom in conjunction with the online course. Each week participants will review the online materials and videos before coming together for face-to-face discussion on that week's topic.

The online courses are designed to provide current and future faculty, graduate students and post-doctoral fellows with an introduction to effective teaching strategies and the research that supports them, as well as the opportunity to discuss and share teaching resources.

The goal of these seven-week courses is to equip the next generation of faculty to be effective teachers, thus improving the learning experience for the thousands of students they will teach.

The courses draw on the expertise of experienced faculty, educational researchers, and staff from university teaching centers, many of them affiliated with CIRTL.

Weekly Topics
Week	An Introduction to Evidence-Based Undergraduate Teaching	Advancing Learning through Evidence-Based Undergraduate Teaching
1	Principles of Learning – Accessing prior knowledge, mental models & knowledge organization	Peer Instruction
2	Principles of Learning – feedback and motivation	Problem-Based Learning
3	Learning Objectives	Inquiry-Based Labs
4	Assessment	Learning Communities – Cooperative Learning
5	Active Learning	Learning Communities – Learning through Diversity
6	Inclusive Teaching	Course Design – The Flipped Classroom
7	Final Assignment – Lesson Plan	Final Assignment – Principles and Practice
Open to graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and faculty from the Texas A&M University System. Open to all disciplines.

Certificate(s):

CIRTL Associate Certificate – Online Course and Local Learning Community
CIRTL Associate Certificate – Advanced Teaching Practices: Research-Driven Approaches for Higher Education

Spring 2025 Registration

Email cirtl@tamu.edu for registration information.