Empowering Faculty to Foster Student Success
Center for Teaching and Learning
At Mary Baldwin University’s Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), we’re committed to empowering faculty in creating inclusive, engaging, and effective learning environments. The CTL serves as a resource hub where faculty can find professional development, support, and tools to enhance student outcomes and retention. The CTL fosters a campus culture rooted in academic belonging and equity, helping instructors make a meaningful impact on students’ lives.
Our Mission:
Building a Culture of Inclusion and Belonging
The CTL’s theme for 2024–25, Inclusion and Belonging, underscores our dedication to creating accessible and diverse learning spaces that honor every student’s unique background and perspective. Research shows that when course design embraces inclusivity, students experience greater success and deeper engagement. Aligned with MBU’s institutional priorities, the CTL works in partnership with faculty to support these outcomes and complement university-wide efforts.
Faculty Support and Professional Development
At the heart of the CTL’s mission is our commitment to faculty development. The CTL offers regular programming, resources, and learning opportunities that equip faculty with innovative tools and strategies for the classroom. Through these resources, faculty can explore new approaches to teaching that prioritize accessibility, celebrate diverse perspectives, and build a sense of academic belonging.
Highlights of Our Offerings:
- Workshops and Panels: Monthly events include interactive workshops and expert-led panels on topics relevant to today’s dynamic classroom environments.
- Faculty Learning Circles: Designed as collaborative spaces, these circles gather faculty to share knowledge and best practices, problem solve, and implement innovative teaching strategies.
- Resource Curation: Our growing library of teaching resources offers guidance on a range of topics to support inclusive and effective pedagogy.
Programming for 2024–25
The CTL’s programming for the academic year includes a variety of workshops and discussion-based sessions. These offerings are open to all faculty and focus on both foundational teaching practices and timely issues in higher education.
- Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Workshop – Led by international expert Dr. Tom Tobin, this event focused on accessible teaching practices
- The Election in Your Classroom – A panel discussion on navigating political topics in class
- Supporting Queer Students – Workshop with Dr. Paige Reed on fostering inclusivity
- Faculty Learning Circles – Series focused on practical teaching tips, AI assignment redesign, and classroom strategies (ongoing)
Upcoming events will continue to highlight support for diverse identities and perspectives, with a special emphasis on strategies for fostering belonging and student success.
Expanding Faculty Scholarship and Research
Beyond practical teaching tools, the CTL encourages faculty to engage in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), enabling instructors to transform classroom insights into contributions to academic literature. Through faculty learning circles and targeted support, we aim to help faculty measure the impact of their teaching practices and share their findings with the broader academic community.
Join Us
The Center for Teaching and Learning invites all MBU faculty to join us in shaping the future of teaching on our campus. Together, we are building a community that values innovation, inclusivity, and academic excellence.
For more information about upcoming events, resources, or to connect with the CTL team, please reach out to ctl@marybaldwin.edu or visit our CTL resources page [Link].
CTL Director
Dr. Abby Wightman
awightman@marybaldwin.edu
540- 887-7283