Get Ready to Connect, Create, and Collaborate!
NEFDC’s 2026 Communities of Practice are gearing up for a year of energized collaboration and creative exploration! The 2026 NEFDC Communities of Practice will dive into some of the most exciting topics shaping higher education: from the ever-evolving world of AI in teaching and critical thinking, to mid-career transitions, alternative grading, supporting graduate students, and even writer-to-writer support for The Exchange. Each theme is designed to spark curiosity, build confidence, and create space for colleagues to learn with one another—not just from one another.
Our goals are equally energizing:
- Monthly resource-sharing and peer discussion, launching Spring 2026, with ambitions for vibrant online engagement.
- Collaborative, virtual matchmaking, where cross-institutional teams can spark ideas.
- A new regional mentoring and networking program, connecting seasoned educators with newcomers to grow skills, confidence, and community.
Think of the NEFDC Communities of Practice as shared workshops where faculty developers, educators, directors, grad students, and writers gather to experiment, build, imagine, and support one another in meaningful—and fun—ways. We can’t wait to see these Communities of Practice come alive!
Dates, times, and links for each Community of Practice are forthcoming.
Let us know if you are interested in joining a Community of Practice.
CoP Leaders
- Centers for Teaching & Learning: Support for teaching innovation.
Lindsey Hamilton and William Duffy
- Alternative Grading & Assessment Approaches: Rethinking how learning is evaluated.
Ryan Sonder
- Mid-Career Changes: Navigating transitions in academic careers.
May Hara
- Graduate Students: Supporting graduate student success.
Jayantika Chakraborty and Kellie Deyes
- Artificial Intelligence [AI]: AI’s impact on teaching, learning, and research.
Laura Roberts
- Writers to Support Writers for The Exchange: Peer support for scholarly writing.
Kellie Deyes and Denise Parillo