Principles of Effective Faculty Learning Communities in Higher Education: A Qualitative Analysis of Faculty Participation
Abstract
This qualitative research study analyzed the experiences of faculty participation in faculty learning communities (FLCs) within higher education institutions in the USA. The study examined faculty participation in FLCs from a first-person meaning-making lens using an interpretative phenomenological research design to better understand participants’ personal meaning-making processes that emerged from their experiences in FLCs. The authors investigated how their participation in FLCs shaped their perceptions about teaching and learning and, in turn, how those perceptions influenced their perceived effectiveness as educators. The results suggest what are the most important qualities for FLCs and validate that the participants’ experiences had a strong positive effect on their professional development and their students’ learning.
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