Abstract
The Covid-19 pandemic prompted a rapid transition to distance education internationally. Higher education institutions have since been challenged to adapt and support faculty needs for online teaching practices and pedagogical approaches that differ from face-to-face teaching. One approach to consider is the fostering of faculty learning communities, peer-led communities with faculty members of varied status or experience, generally selected by a facilitator or programme coordinator. Faculty learning communities have been found to provide effective environments for faculty development initiatives through membersâ collective encouragement, support and collaboration in the development of teaching practices.This article examines a university in the United Arab Emirates that looked at fostering faculty learning communities to deliver training and support in learning design and teaching pedagogy to improve online teaching practices. Findings suggest that faculty learning communities thrive when experienced members facilitate learning through shared goals alongside collective input, participation and collaboration in the community. Given the current pertinence of this topic, more research is needed to better understand if learning communities have long-term impact to promote effective planning and development of online teaching practices in distance education.Keywords: change management; community of inquiry; communities of practice; distance learning; faculty learning communities; learning design; online learningPart of the Special Issue Technology enhanced learning in the MENA region <https://doi.org/10.21428/8c225f6e.1fd869f8>
Highlights
Governments around the world took rapid, high-stakes actions in response to the global Covid-19 pandemic
As this transition of teaching practice requires a change in human mindset and behaviour, Kurt Lewin’s change management model has been used in this study to analyse how a facilitated, multidisciplinary faculty learning communities (FLCs) can support the advancement of effective online teaching practices in Higher Education Institutes (HEIs)
The following findings and discussion are structured and reported in relation to the theoretical framework of the Kurt Lewin’s Change Management Model in order to address the identified research problem of how FLCs might support the development of online teaching practices
Summary
Governments around the world took rapid, high-stakes actions in response to the global Covid-19 pandemic. This article provides a framework for well-designed learning experiences, reverting to the concept of the Community of Inquiry (COI) for guidance before looking at how faculty learning communities (FLCs) can support faculty change and adoption of COI in online teaching practice, for the continuation of distance learning. As this transition of teaching practice requires a change in human mindset and behaviour, Kurt Lewin’s change management model has been used in this study to analyse how a facilitated, multidisciplinary FLC can support the advancement of effective online teaching practices in HEIs
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