Teaching using technology is easier when you have colleagues to collaborate with. RIT's Faculty Learning Community on Blended Learning, launched in December, offers this kind of support.

A faculty learning community (FLC) is a multidisciplinary group of faculty and professional staff that is engaged in a long-term collaborative learning effort. A typical FLC is comprised of six to 15 people, and most focus on topics related to curriculum and teaching issues.

In this case, the FLC focuses on blended learning — the thoughtful fusion of face-to-face classroom and online learning experiences.

Online Learning put out a call for applicants to join in this new type of learning community last fall. In December, 11 RIT faculty members met with FLC coordinator Michael Starenko and guest Peter Shea, from SUNY Albany, to officially launch the FLC on Blended Learning and plan a variety of activities for the rest of the academic year.

Like other faculty learning communities, at RIT and elsewhere, the FLC on Blended Learning aims to foster collaboration across disciplines and encourage scholarship on teaching and learning. Unlike most FLCs, however, this community communicates in a blended mode—with online discussion sessions "wrapping" monthly face-to-face meetings.

Online Learning will sponsor another FLC on Blended Learning for the 2009-2010 academic year. It will start in September 2009 and continue through June 2010. A call for applicants will go out via the RITstaff listserv in April. In the meantime, contact Michael Starenko for more information.