Augsburg is a community of lifelong learners, and that includes its faculty—striving to inspire students to achieve through relevant and engaging learning experiences. And this fall, the Center for Teaching and Learning launched a program to support professors eager to enhance their pedagogy and classroom management.
Classroom Consulting is designed to offer individualized and course-specific faculty development through confidential peer partnerships. The program—available to any Augsburg faculty member, including adjunct instructors—operates fully outside the tenure and promotion review process (see confidentiality policy). Heading the program is Tim Pippert, associate professor of sociology and director of the Center for Teaching and Learning. Pippert said interactions with trained consultants—a mix of 17 faculty who specialize in a variety of teaching methods and settings—are provided in strict confidence and may take many forms.
“These anonymous consultations are a collaborative process, driven by the needs of each faculty member who reaches out for support,” said Pippert, who has taught at Augsburg for 16 years. “One faculty member may want to talk through a specific problem or ask a consultant to review course materials while another might request a consultant to observe a class or explore strategies to more fully engage students.”
Consultants are available on an on-call basis to offer assistance to fellow faculty members. Because consultations are course- and faculty-specific, Pippert said the center pairs inquiring faculty members with consultants whose expertise aligns with their needs, goals, and schedule.
“Our consultants are a great resource for all faculty, from the tenured professor who has taught the same class for 15 years to a newcomer eager to gain his or her footing,” Pippert said. “And while those involved with the program maintain anonymity, faculty who engage in the program are free to share their participation. Augsburg celebrates faculty who actively strengthen their teaching because it ultimately enhances our students’ learning experiences.”
For more information or to arrange a meeting with a consultant, email Tim Pippert.
Dimension 1, Goal 2, Strategy 2: Invest in faculty.
—by Kate Elliott