Starting conversations and building connections: fostering a community of practice across disciplinary boundaries at a college of applied arts and technology

ABSTRACT

This article explores efforts to stimulate significant conversations through a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Community of Practice (CoP) amongst a diverse group of professors and professional staff in a College of Applied Arts and Technology in Ontario, Canada. Participants share their reflections on the formation of significant networks and the start of significant conversations through the founding of a SoTL CoP. These reflections suggest that conversations fostered were shaped by various trusted and trusting individuals within a significant network. This trust assumes different forms and is central to significant networks and significant conversations.

KEYWORDS:

• Community of practice
• scholarship of teaching and learning
• significant conversations
• significant network
• reflective memo

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Siscoe Boschman

Siscoe Boschman is the Library Facilitator for Information Literacy at Niagara College in Ontario, Canada. She has an interest in improving access to Open Educational Resources and supports students and faculty across the college in accessing the information, resources, and tools that are needed to support curriculum delivery across the areas of applied education offered by the college.

Heather Craig-Morton

Heather Craig-Morton is an Academic Advisor in the Engagement, Advising, and Career Services department, and teaches student success courses in the School of Academic and Liberal Studies at Niagara College. She holds a Master of Education in Administration and Leadership (Brock University), and a Bachelor of Arts in History (Queen’s University). Heather’s research and practice interests include college policies, curriculum design, experiential education, career development, and academic advising, and their impacts on student access, persistence, and success in education.

Alexander McGlashan

Alexander McGlashan is a Professor in Photonics Engineering Technician and Photonics Engineering Technology and Advanced Lasers at Niagara College. He holds an Electronics Engineering Technologist Advanced Diploma and a Bachelor of Education from Brock University. He is currently working towards receiving his Masters of Education from Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Carrie Schachtschneider

Carrie Schachtschneider is a Professor and Coordinator in the Fitness and Health Promotion Program at Niagara College. She holds an MSc. (Applied Health Sciences), BKin (Honours) and BSM (Honours) from Brock University. Carrie is a CSEP Clinical Exercise Physiologist with a High Performance Specialization and certifies personal trainers as a CSEP-CPT Instructor-Examiner. Her teaching focus includes Fitness Assessment, Exercise Prescription and Group Fitness.

Jodi Steele

Jodi Steele is a Professor in Fitness and Health Promotion, Exercise, and Science for Sport Performance, Occupational Therapy Assistant, and Physiotherapy Assistant, Personal Support Worker and Nursing Programs at Niagara College. She is also a graduate of Kinesiology and long-time professional physiotherapist. Prior to joining the College team she worked in an oncology rehabilitation program, Cancer Rehab Inc., which soon transitioned into the development and creation of the Wellspring Cancer Exercise Program, a leading not-for-profit cancer rehabilitation program in Canada.

Adam Weaver

Adam Weaver has been teaching in the School of Hospitality, Tourism & Sport at Niagara College since January 2017. Prior to his arrival at Niagara College, Adam was a faculty member in the School of Management at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand between 2003 and 2016. Adam’s qualifications are in human geography: a BA (Honours) from Queen’s University followed by a MA and PhD from the University of Toronto. With respect to research, Adam has mainly published his work in scholarly journals that have a tourism and hospitality focus.

Mary Wilson

Mary Wilson is Vice-Provost, Teaching & Learning and an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario, Canada. At the time when this paper was written, she was the Director of the Centre for Academic Excellence at Niagara College of Applied Art and Technology in Ontario, Canada. She holds a Doctorate of Education in Theory and Policy Studies from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (OISE/UT). Mary’s research and practice interests include educational development, post-secondary policy, curriculum theory and practice, the history of postsecondary education, and postsecondary student learning experiences.