From six-foot video walls to configurable furniture, Indiana University has been rethinking what classrooms should look like, and how instructors and students can use them.
At IU, the Mosaic Active Learning Initiative is leading the charge to help faculty explore classroom design and maximize its potential for enhancing student learning.
The Mosaic Faculty Fellows program is a key part of the Mosaic Initiative. It brings together faculty who, over the course of an academic year, teach in Mosaic classrooms, share approaches to active and collaborative learning, engage in research related to active learning classrooms, and contribute to the development of learning spaces across IU.
On January 27, 2017, the Mosaic Initiative welcomed its second group of Bloomington Mosaic Fellows with the Mosaic Institute, a one-day meeting and luncheon. They were joined by the first cohort of Mosaic Fellows as the two groups convened over lunch.
The 2017 IU Bloomington Mosaic Faculty Fellows are (left to right): Alison Calhoun, Jared Allsop, Erik Willis, Rachel Ryder, Deborah Getz, Cassandra Coble, Erik Nelson, Sandra Ortiz, Michael Stucker, Roxie Barnes, Jon Racek, Shabnam Kavousian, and Morten Oxenboell.
Photo by Jenn Robison“Like the many unique tiles that comprise a mosaic, the initiative supports innovative teaching and learning in active learning spaces designed to meet the needs of a wide range of disciplines,” said Stacy Morrone, IU associate vice president for learning technologies. “With the new IU Bloomington Mosaic Fellows, we now have more than 40 fellows across IU who are part of a vibrant community of faculty who collaborate to advance their own teaching and to mentor other colleagues exploring new pedagogies.”
During the Mosaic Institute, new Mosaic Fellows learned about the emergence and development of active learning spaces at IU, explored active learning in an active learning classroom, and discussed current trends in learning spaces research.
[Being a Fellow] will be hugely beneficial to me as a faculty member to collaborate with folks who have experience in this area, and who can help me modify my classrooms to better support student success.
Deborah Getz, assistant clinical professor and new Mosaic Faculty Fellow
“During the IU Bloomington strategic planning process, our faculty identified both a need and an interest in expanding and enhancing our learning spaces,” said Dennis Groth, IU vice provost for undergraduate education. “Along with our first group of fellows, IU Bloomington is well on its way in developing a rich community of faculty scholars, advancing student learning and student success. I am delighted to have the engagement of our new fellows.”
The 2017 IU Bloomington Mosaic Faculty Fellows are:
- Jared Allsop, lecturer, public health—recreation, park, and tourism studies
- Roxie Barnes, clinical assistant professor, School of Nursing
- Alison Calhoun, assistant professor, French and Italian
- Cassandra Coble, clinical assistant professor, kinesiology
- Shabnam Kavousian, lecturer, mathematics
- Deborah Getz, assistant clinical professor, public health—applied sciences
- Erik Nelson, assistant professor, epidemiology and biostatistics
- Sandra Ortiz, senior lecturer, Spanish and Portuguese
- Morten Oxenboell, assistant professor, East Asian languages and cultures
- Jon Racek, senior lecturer, interior design
- Rachel Ryder, lecturer, kinesiology
- Michael Stucker, senior lecturer, Jacobs School of Music
- Erik Willis, associate professor, Spanish and Portuguese
"I’m happy for the opportunity to be around other people who have the same interest in engaging our students in ways that support their success,” said Deborah Getz, assistant clinical professor and new Mosaic Faculty Fellow. “It will be hugely beneficial to me as a faculty member to collaborate with folks who have experience in this area, and who can help me modify my classrooms to better support student success."
A list of current Mosaic Faculty Fellows, as well as more information about the Mosaic Initiative, can be found here.