Teaching Circles are small groups of faculty from various disciplines who come together to discuss matters related to teaching and learning.  Members meet to dive deeply into a topic as well as develop relationships with faculty across campus.  Members serve as informal “discussion leaders” but the conversation is typically guided by the group at large.

Faculty Teaching and Learning Core – Teaching Circles Schedule (Spring 2024)

FACULTY WRITING CIRCLE
Weekly starting January 30th; 8:00 -10:00 am

WebEx Link: https://ramapo.webex.com/meet/cmarti13 (NO RSVP needed. Just click and join!)

Host: Dr. Colleen Martinez, Assistant Professor of Social Work

The Faculty Writing Circle will meet on Webex every Tuesday during the spring semester, from 8-10 a.m. to write in a supportive environment.  There is no need to register, and no weekly commitment is necessary.  If your schedule allows, please just show up! Participants will briefly check in on writing goals and then turn off their cameras/microphones and spend time writing.  Participants will check in on progress and close the session at 10 a.m. Please email Prof. Colleen Martinez with questions cmarti13@ramapo.edu.

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
Every other Thursday (Feb 1, 15, 29; Mar 14, 28; Apr 11, 25)

The Faculty Resource Center; 1:15 – 2:00 pm

Host: Dr. Fariba Nosrati, Assistant Professor of Information Technology Management

This group is a place where we discuss and analyze different ways of doing qualitative research. Some topics will include action research, ethnography, grounded theory, and case studies. We will also discuss the ideas behind qualitative research, how to do it well, and what works best. By sharing our knowledge and experience, we aim to enhance our research methodology toolbox and improve our ability to conduct qualitative research. The discussion will be welcoming and inclusive for participants from diverse disciplines. Please contact  at fnosrati@ramapo.edu with questions.

RSVP – https://forms.gle/u4bRi8iczsAwMMDx7

RACIAL LITERACY ROUNDTABLES
Final Fridays of the Month – Feb. 23^rd, March 29^th, April 26^th

The Faculty Resource Center; 10:00 am – 11:00 am

Host: Dr. Sharon Leathers, Assistant Professor of Literacy; Director, Faculty Resource Center

“Education leads to enlightenment. Enlightenment opens the way to empathy. Empathy foreshadows reform.” – Derek Bell. In order to lead towards anti-racism and racial justice, we must talk about race – the very thing about which we rarely have the opportunity to sit and talk. These sessions will discuss ways to talk about race in your classroom and on campus. If you talk about race and racism in your classrooms, how? What obstacles and/or challenges do you face? What successes guide you towards more informed teaching and learning? How do you understand race to be (or not be) a part of your classroom teaching? Let us come together in fellowship to discuss the topic that saturates the very soil on which we stand. Please contact Sharon Leathers for questions about the circle – sleather@ramapo.edu.

RSVP – https://forms.gle/cei6KV8Fn8wWoH3D8

THE RAMAPO INVESTIGATIVE GENETIC GENEALOGY CENTER
February 15^th – ONE SESSION ONLY

The IGG Center; 12:30 pm

Host: Dr. David Gurney, Assistant Prof. of Law and Society and Director of the IGG Center

The Ramapo IGG Center started as an idea during the pandemic. With the support of the president and provost, it has grown into a substantial project with three full-time and two part-time employees and many volunteers. By the end of this year—just the second of our official operations—we will have graduated over 100 students from our certificate program and bootcamp, accepted over 50 cases of violent crime and unidentified human remains, hosted the second iteration of the only conference dedicated to IGG, engaged in half-a-dozen research projects, and established partnerships nationally and worldwide. Please contact David Gurney for questions about the Circle – dgurney@ramapo.edu.

RSVP – https://forms.gle/EbCrmB5m5GBBa5Le7

For questions regarding the FRC, please contact Sharon Leathers, Director, FRC – sleather@ramapo.edu