Semester Support Groups (SSG)
The TRIAD Coalition facilitates Semester Support Groups (SSG).
Group descriptions, expectations, and outcomes are provided below.
SSGs Offered:
Fall 2026
Sign up for a Fall 2026 SSG: https://go.rutgers.edu/5x4ecjgv
- GIFT – facilitated by Phil Brown and Ines Rauschenbach
- OPTIMAL – Facilitated by Mary Emenike and Pauline Carpenter
Spring 2026
- GIFT – facilitated by Phil Brown and Ines Rauschenbach
- OPTIMAL – Facilitated by Mary Emenike, Chaz Ruggieri, and Marc Muñiz
Fall 2025
- OPTIMAL – Facilitated by Mary Emenike, Chaz Ruggieri, and Marc Muñiz
Related Opportunities
Interested in joining Rutgers’ Faculty Affinity Network for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning? Learn more and sign-up here: https://rutgers.chronus.com/p/p2
Group Descriptions
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TRIAD FACILITATORS
Mary Emenike, Associate Professor of Professional PracticePauline Carpenter,DESCRIPTION
This is an interdisciplinary group focusing on peer observation feedback using existing validated protocols (e.g., COPUS or other published protocol) to conduct 2 to 3 peer observations, reflect on received observation feedback, discuss course changes to implement based on feedback, and use observation evidence to document teaching outcomes. This group is led by Mary Emenike, Associate Professor of Professional Practice in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, and Pauline Carpenter, Assistant Director of Pedagogy and Assessment in SAS’s Office of Undergraduate Education. This group is offered to any instructor teaching in New Brunswick.
This group will consist of 6 to 10 participants who will meet virtually (via Zoom) every other week throughout the semester, starting mid-September, for 60-80 minutes (potential meeting days and times are given later in this application form).
This group has been designed to meet the following goals:
GOALS
This group has been designed to meet the following goals:- Provide multiple opportunities for instructors to be observed and to observe a peer using a published (valid and reliable) observation protocol
- Support faculty in the interpretation of observation feedback and identification of potential changes to their classes based on observation feedback
- Support faculty in documenting the effects and outcomes after making changes based on observation feedback.
- Support faculty in incorporating the observation feedback and outcomes into their teaching portfolios and other documentation relevant to reappointments and promotions
OUTCOMES
Participants in this group will have the following outcomes:
- be observed by a peer 2-3 times during the semester using COPUS (Classroom Observation Protocol for Undergraduate STEM) or other protocol (e.g., LOPUS, EQUIP, PAITE)
- observe a peer 2-3 times during the semester using COPUS or other protocol (e.g., LOPUS, EQUIP, PAITE) and sharing the completed template with the observed peer and the group facilitators
- reflect on teaching practices to make class changes addressing an area of interest from the observation report
After completing in the OPTIMAL group, instructors will:- receive 2-3 COPUS observation reports from peers
- incorporate visualizations from COPUS reports and document implemented changes and evidences of outcomes into their teaching portfolio
- document their experiences with and reflections on being observed and conducting observations within their teaching portfolio
SSGs FACILITATED
Spring 2026
- 7 participants
Fall 2024
- 5 participants
Spring 2025
- 7 participants
Fall 2025
- 9 participants
Spring 2026
- Current Semester
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FACILITATORS
Dr. Phil Brown, Associate Teaching Professor, School of EngineeringDr. Ines Rauchenbach, Associate Teaching Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, School of Environmental and Biological SciencesDESCRIPTION
This interdisciplinary group will provide a medium for discussion, advice, and sharing of efforts across participants’ course contexts with the following goals:
- Learning and discussing current teaching strategies of interdisciplinary colleagues in a variety of course contexts,
- Learning and implementing new, low-barrier, evidence-based practices within existing structures and activities,
- Provide an opportunity for peer observations using an existing protocol to give and receive specific feedback on teaching and course design.
- Optional pair-wise observations will be facilitated within this group using an existing protocol for observations found in this document. Such optional observations are opportunities to provide and receive specific feedback on positive and productive elements of one’s teaching, course design, Canvas design, as well as identifying potential areas of improvement.
The group will consist of 4-8 participants who will meet either virtually (via Zoom) or in-person depending on group consensus and availability, every other week for 60-80 minutes.
There will be two meeting formats that alternate each week, with one meeting format being discussions of topics of interest chosen by the group participants and group participants presenting materials they are developing to obtain feedback, and the other meeting format being informal check-ins and open discussion.
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TRIAD FACILITATOR
Dr. Mary Emenike, Associate Professor of Professional PracticeDESCRIPTION
Are you interested in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) or STEM education research, but don’t know where to start? Are you unsure how to go about collecting, analyzing, or presenting data from students, teaching assistants, or instructors? Does the term “IRB” invoke fear and/or consternation? Have you started the IRB process, but given up because of how much work it seems to be? Are you asking yourself right now: “what’s an IRB?” If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, these SoTL groups have been designed with you in mind!
While this group is designed as a continuation of Fall 2023 PASSER group, faculty who have already completed CITI training and have outlined a research project are welcome to join the Spring 2024 iteration of this group without having participated in the Fall 2023 group. If you’re interested but in doubt, please submit an application and we will reach out to you to discuss.
GOALS
The group goals for the Spring SoTL group are the following:
- participants will write and be ready to submit an entire IRB protocol (eIRB system, project description, consent forms, recruitment scripts, surveys, etc.)
- participants will form a community around shared interests in SoTL, providing support and feedback to each other as they design their research study and plan for data collection the following year
- participants will identify their own needs and be directed to resources and networks around campus for additional support (financial, collaboration, consulting, etc.)
This group will meet approximately 6-8 times during the Spring semester for 60-90 minutes per session (consensus timings and durations will be discussed among group participants), hosted as a virtual Zoom meeting unless group consensus shows a preference to meet in-person.
SSGs FACILITATED
Fall 2023
- 11 participants
Spring 2024
- 6 participants
EXTENSION & EXPANSION
The PASSER SSG has been expanded to a Faculty Affinity Network (FAN) through Rutgers’ Faculty Diversity Collaborative.
Faculty can join the SoTL FAN by creating an account at: rutgers.chronus.edu
Facilitators: Mary Emenike, Christine Cahill, Crystal Quillen
