Courses and Communities of Practice

The CTE's Short Courses and Communities of Practice provide opportunities for sustained and deeper engagement with teaching related interests and topics in a collegial setting. Our Short Courses are opportunities to learn about a particular area of teaching with the guidance of an expert colleague in that area. Our Communities of Practice allow for informal conversation and idea sharing among colleagues involved in a particular area of teaching.

Faculty Cohort

New Faculty Academy

New Faculty Academy is a new initiative of the Office of the Provost designed to launch the careers of new faculty on a positive and productive trajectory by providing a series of professional development, networking, and mentoring activities during their first year at USC. All first-year full-time faculty members on the USC Columbia campus are eligible to participate. NFA is a cohort-based program that begins with a half-day kickoff workshop in conjunction with New Faculty Orientation, followed by a series of monthly workshops and gatherings throughout the academic year.

Short Courses

Virtual Environments Bootcamp

UofSC faculty, staff, and students are invited to apply to attend a four-day hands-on Virtual Environments Bootcamp to be held on the Columbia campus. You’ll learn the basics for using the latest virtual environments technologies as well as how to teach using these tools. Join us and learn about virtual reality, augmented reality, 360° video and pedagogical best practices for teaching using virtual environment technologies.

Teaching Online for Graduate Students

Are you a graduate student who is new to online learning or interested in teaching an online course? Would you like to boost your teaching credentials and learn new instructional skills? This four-week online course will introduce you to online teaching and develop your knowledge and ability to implement and teach online courses at the University of South Carolina and throughout your career as an educator.

Communities of Practice (CoP)

FLIP: Focus on Learning, Innovation and Pedagogy

FLIP is a faculty discussion group, ideas lab and learning community focused on topics related to the theory and practice of teaching and learning. FLIP is open to faculty members, instructors, postdocs and graduate students who want to study, discuss and try out various evidence-based approaches to instruction, including student-centered learning, discipline-based education research, flipped classrooms, problem-based learning (PBL), case studies and other forms of active learning. If you are interested in joining the group or would like to be added to the FLIP listserv, please contact FLIP coordinator Raymond Thompson, Undergraduate Director and Clinical Assistant Professor at department Exercise Science in the Arnold School of Public Health at rwthomps@mailbox.sc.edu.

Coordinators of Large Undergraduate Courses Community of Practice for Coordinators (CLUC CoP)

In this informal, cross-disciplinary discussion group, participants share best practices and resources for effective coordination of large undergraduate courses, including logistics, class management, TA and adjunct supervision, and other issues unique to large course management. Sponsored by the Center for Teaching Excellence, the Coordinators of Large Undergraduate Courses (CLUC CoP) is facilitated by Maureen Petkewich, Senior Instructor in the Department of Statistics and Coordinator of STAT 201. The group meets twice a semester for an informal breakfast (courtesy of CTE), discussing concerns, ideas, and other issues, and regularly invite campus offices to contribute to the discussion. Please contact Maureen at petkewic@stat.sc.edu if you are interested in participating in the CoP.

Instructional Design Community of Practice (ID CoP)

The Instructional Design/Distributed Learning Community of Practice (ID/DL CoP) is a community of instructional design and distributed learning colleagues at the University of South Carolina. This CoP is a place where each person can learn from one another and can provide updates, share resources, and showcase examples of online learning best practices. All Instructional Designers and Directors/Managers of Distributed Learning on any USC campus (Columbia, Regional, and Senior Campuses) and in any department on campus are welcome. For more information and if you would like to join us, please contact us at cte@sc.edu or call 803-777-8322.

Mentoring Graduate Students Community of Practice (MGS-CoP)

This discussion group focuses on guiding the mentoring of graduate students through providing a space for sharing successes and challenges; exploring promising practices; devising an ‘advising statement’; and, remaining abreast of the literature and resources available. To join this group, or for further information, please email Murray Mitchell at mmitchel@mailbox.sc.edu and use MGS-CoP in the subject line.

Pedagogical Technology Community of Practice (PT CoP)

The Pedagogical Technology CoP has spawned a Virtual Reality Interest Group. To join this group, or if interested in another pedagogical technology, please email Aisha Haynes at HAYNESA@mailbox.sc.edu.