Submitted by Stephanie Whalen, Academy Chair, English & Interdisciplinary Studies
As a departure from traditional reporting that typically includes paperwork and forms, the 2nd Annual Share-ousel on Friday, April 26, 2019 provided Communities of Practice with an opportunity to share their work in a format that allows for collaboration and celebration. The Share-ousel involves sharing posters in which CoPs summarize their goals, update their progress, and display artifacts from their work while also learning about the accomplishments of other CoPs by rotating around the displays in a timed gallery walk. Posters from 14 CoPs were displayed on the walls of the Academy accompanied by a table of artifacts for each; next to each poster was a feedback grid. Each time the music played, CoP members rotated around the gallery to the next display and gave feedback on one another’s work. The feedback grid allowed attendees to leave comments on promising ideas, make suggestions for improvement, ask questions, and share other ideas the CoP may want to consider.
This year, the Academy also wanted to highlight the work of groups that have embodied important aspects of the program—assessment, innovation, and sharing. Each CoP was given stickers to recognize the groups that demonstrated these characteristics, and the groups that were most recognized in each category earned the distinction. CoPs that included an assessment plan to evaluate their work—particularly for interventions related to teaching and learning; approached their work in an especially creative and innovative way; or planned a means for sharing their learning within the institution and/or externally in the field were recognized as stand-outs in these categories. Each group received a certificate of recognition and had an opportunity to share how they infused these ideals into their work.
For a listing of CoPs and their artifacts, visit: https://harper-academy.net/communities-of-practice/.
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- Mukila Maitha from Teaching with Geospatial Technologies CoP leaving feedback for the Active Learning Strategies CoP.
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- Grit, Growth Mindset, and Metacognition CoP discussing work of Accelerated Learning Program CoP.
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- Faon Grandinetti accepting award for Assessment for Learning Outcomes Assessment CoP.
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- Richard Johnson and Tong Cheng accepting award for Innovation for Geospatial Technologies CoP.
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- Nancy Moore and Steven Titus accepting award for Sharing for Reflective Teaching Practices CoP.
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- Although many competing activities on campus causes members to come and go, this group remained through the end of the awards.
Questions? Please contact the Academy at 847.925.6174, academy@harpercollege.edu.