Starting in the fall of 2024, NVC faculty will have the opportunity to participate in CARE@NVC —a year-long faculty development program centered in research-based practices in teaching and learning. In the program new and existing faculty will collaborate to create compassionate, active, relatable, and engaging (C.A.R.E.) student learning experiences. The result is a transformed course reflecting compassionate practices and curriculum designed to better engage our students in the learning process.
With “belonging” as a central component of NVC’s strategic plan for student success, faculty are crucial because they spend the most time with our students. When NVC President Amy Bosley asked faculty to help lead faculty development at NVC, faculty members Chad Mueller and Sarah Ball developed the C.A.R.E. framework as an idea for a potential program.
Chad said, “Reviewing the teaching and learning literature reveals that designing Compassionate, Active, Relatable and Engaging (i.e., the four elements of C.A.R.E.) learning experiences are pivotal in fostering welcoming and effective learning environments for our students.”
NVC students are at the foundation of CARE. To foster student success, we first must understand who those students are and know something about their lives—their responsibilities outside of the classroom, their communities and the strengths they bring with them to enrich the learning environment. The first module in CARE focuses on “NVC students and You”—who our students are, and what it means for us as faculty to be in this relationship with them as educators. We look at our own student data, information from the San Antonio community, and resources and data from Excelencia. This intentional look at our students opens opportunities for a wider discussion about equity gaps in higher education and invites faculty to adopt more equity-minded practices in our own courses.
Other CARE topics are Learner Motivation; Goals, Outcomes, and Assessment; and Active Learning. The aim is to encourage faculty to thoughtfully engage students in ways that will lead to more meaningful learning experiences and long-term student success. During the fall semester, faculty will collaborate on a compassionate syllabus project and active learning plan to implement in future course offerings.
Another exciting piece of CARE is the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning project. In the fall semester, CARE participants will identify something of interest to research in their own course, put a proposal together, and in the spring, they will conduct the research and present their findings to their cohort. The purpose here is to get faculty excited about trying new things in the classroom, and to create a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.
The CARE@NVC 2024-2025 program is already underway. If you are interested in learning more, reach out to Chad Mueller or Sarah Ball. And, if you’re interested in participating next year, please keep your eyes out for an email invitation later this fall, or talk to your NVC department chair.
