Leaders from across campus recently celebrated multiple U of A faculty members for completing the Association of Colleges and University Educator's (ACUE) micro-credential "Creating an Inclusive and Supportive Learning Environment" this fall.  

Faculty from the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Engineering and the Sam M. Walton College of Business all earned the micro-credential by completing seven modules: leading the first day of class, promoting a civil learning environment, ensuring equitable access to learning, helping students persist in their studies, embracing diversity in your classroom, checking for student understanding and providing useful feedback.

For each week's module, faculty were encouraged to try out what they learned in a class that they are currently teaching and write a reflection about what they learned. 

"The ACUE micro-credential course was the best resource for teaching I have encountered in my 17 years in higher education," said Sarah Denison, instructor in the Department of Communication. "Seeing the faces of some of the best teachers on campus helped me know I was in good company."

"I felt inspired each week after completing a module, and the course also reinforced successful practices I already incorporate in my classroom," she added. "I want my courses to help students reach their potential, and I want their experience here in higher education to move them toward feeling more included and supported along that journey. This course helps facilitate that on our campus."

During the micro-credential completion celebration, Interim Chancellor Charles Robinson talked about the importance of teaching and reminded faculty about how many students will be impacted by their participation in this program.

Frank Sesso, ACUE's partnership success director, also recognized the U of A for having a 100 percent micro-credential completion rate — something he said he hadn't seen in all his time with ACUE.

He credited this achievement to the dedication of U of A faculty and the facilitation and leadership provided by Fulbright College's Deborah Korth, director of student success, and Lynn Meade, teaching assistant professor.

"This program is important because we want our teachers to be equipped to be as successful as possible, and to then in turn help our students to achieve their full potential as well," Korth said about her commitment to helping U of A faculty complete the micro-credential.  

Korth and Fulbright College piloted the U of A's partnership with ACUE last year, expanding the training and certification options to the whole campus this year after successful completion by a first cohort.

Additionally, Korth helped four Fulbright College faculty members become the first at the U of A to earn the full ACUE certification last spring.

The complete ACUE certification entails earing all four of the ACUE micro-credentials, including the "Creating an Inclusive and Supportive Learning Environment" one this fall's cohort just completed, as well as micro-credentials in "Promoting Active Learning," "Inspiring Inquiry and Preparing Lifelong Learners" and "Designing Student-Centered Courses."

U of A co-facilitator Meade commended this fall's cohort because, "This is a considerable time investment for our faculty requiring about two hours of lessons and then an hour or two working on assignments. It says a lot about the importance of teaching on our campus that we have so many who are committed to enhancing their teaching skills." 

The faculty recognized during the fall celebration for earning the "Creating an Inclusive and Supportive Learning Environment" ACUE micro-credential include:

From the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences

• Lindsey Aloia
• Trish Amason
• Brianna Annaratone
• Margaret Butcher
• Louise Cole
• Sarah Denison
• Claudia Devich
• Phil Harrington
• Lisa Hinrichsen
• Faith Lessner
• Danielle Maynard
• Mahmoud Moradi
• Alyssa Papineau
• Weston Perrine
• Michael Riha
• Chloe Riggs
• Kasey Walker
• Dene Wamsley
• Liam Zachary

From the College of Engineering

• Richard Cassady
• Brandon Crisel
• Aysa Galbraith
• Leslie Massey
• Cameron Murray
• Lora Streeter
• Heather Walker

From the Sam M. Walton College of Business

• Chad Reed
• Yujie Sude
• JaLynn Thomas
• Ryane Ward

ACUE provides robust training in line with their mission to partner with institutions of higher education to prepare, credential and provide ongoing support to faculty in the use of evidence-based teaching practices that promote student engagement, persistence to graduation, career readiness and deeper levels of learning.