Mission
It is the mission of Northwest College (NWC) Teaching & Learning Center (TLC) to inspire and support effective and innovative learner-centered and scholarly teaching for all members of the NWC teaching community. The TLC seeks to promote faculty, staff , and administration in cultivating an institutional climate that encourages and rewards teaching excellence.
About the center
Established in 2017, the TLC is a unit within the Office of Academic Aff airs and is located on the first floor of the Science & Math Building. The TLC is managed by the TLC Director, who is a faculty member appointed by the Vice President of Academic Aff airs. In collaboration with NWC faculty, sta ff, and administration, the TLC Director carries out the TLC mission and goals while simultaneously ful lfilling the primary departmental job responsibilities. The TLC offers a variety of programming, workshops, and seminars that support the development of teachers, professionals, and individuals. All college employees are invited to attend TLC activities. Most activities take place in the TLC if not otherwise announced.
Goals
Instruction
- Enable and support faculty to learn and implement evidence-based, learner-centered, and inclusive teaching practices.
- Encourage faculty in the exploration, development, and use of innovative and varied teaching methodologies and assessments, including new uses of technology, in the pursuit of improved teaching and learning.
- Promote curriculum reflection and reform by offering workshops on the development of course and program-level learning outcomes, syllabi, program maps, and, in conjunction with the Central Assessment Team, effective student and program assessment.
- Collaborate with the Instructional Technology Coordinator to promote and guide faculty in the use of classroom and online technology.
- Plan and execute programs and events throughout the academic year to address specifi c interests and needs.
Digital resources
- Maintain a TLC website.
- Establish a scholarly database specfi c to teaching and learning in collaboration with the Hinckley Library.
- Facilitate online sharing of teaching and learning related materials.
Research
- Support and encourage projects on the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) to enhance reflective teaching practices, seek evidence for student learning, and sharing findings of effective teaching practices publicly.
- Encourage and coordinate SoTL projects in collaboration with other colleges and universities.
Recognition
- Promote and support an institutional climate and policies that value and reward teaching excellence and innovation.
- Advocating the centrality of teaching excellence in decision-making concerned with hiring, tenure, and promotion.
- Showcase achievement of outstanding educational initiatives that enhance teaching and learning.
- Promote teaching excellence awards nominated by faculty, students, or both.
Engagement & Community
- Facilitate faculty learning communities, peer mentorship, and cross-disciplinary collaboration.
- Develop programming aimed at catalyzing, increasing, and broadening participation of all faculty and staff involved in teaching and curriculum development throughout NWC teaching community.
