University of North Texas 
Communities of Practice
A meeting of the Graduate Student Community of Practice.
Communities of Practice are groups of people who share a concern, problem or passion for a topic and deepen their knowledge and expertise through ongoing interaction. Within the Teaching Hub, CoPs serve as collaborative learning spaces where educators build community, exchange strategies, test innovative ideas and collectively build practices that enhance the impact of teaching and learning.
Designed to align with the Hub’s mission to empower faculty, graduate students and staff in creating impactful learning experiences, CoPs support evidence-based teaching, mentorship and innovation to drive student success.
Each CoP is led by a faculty or staff member and can include small or large teams
of additional educators. To support the work of these faculty, the Teaching Hub provides
facilitation, learning science consultations and necessary data and storytelling support.
CoPs can engage in a variety of topics and methods. Some provide a gathering space
for honest conversation, while others provide a more formal structure to test new
pedagogical models and measure efficacy and student learning outcomes. CoPs may last
a single semester or continue for multiple years.
Spring 2026 Communities of Practice
Explore the Teaching Hub's active Communities of Practice and learn how to join below.
Adjunct Faculty CoP
Led by Ann Afflerbach (College of Merchandising, Hospitality and Tourism). Supported by Elizabeth Vogt (University Accreditation).
This CoP will focus on building community and support structures for adjunct faculty, particularly those teaching full-time. Adjuncts often experience isolation from broader institutional networks and this group will provide mentoring, professional development and opportunities to share effective teaching practices. By aligning with the Hub’s mission to nurture confidence and support all educators, the CoP aims to increase adjunct integration into the UNT teaching culture, strengthen teaching quality and positively influence student success.
Teaching in the AI Era CoP
Led by Brian Anderson (College of Music) and Stephanie Vastine (Department of English).
Artificial intelligence — particularly generative AI — is reshaping higher education for both faculty and students. This CoP will help faculty explore the opportunities and challenges of AI in higher education, including guiding student AI usage, aligning AI use with learning outcomes and capitalizing on AI’s potential to support their own teaching. By fostering innovation and building faculty capacity to navigate emerging technologies and best practices, this group supports the Teaching Hub’s role as a translator of learning sciences, ensuring that students benefit from consistent, adaptable and responsible approaches to AI.
Graduate Students as Educators CoP
Led by Sophie Ntipouna (Department of Chemistry) and Danny Daw (Department of English).
Graduate students teach a large proportion of UNT's introductory courses yet often receive limited sustained pedagogical preparation. The Graduate Students as Educators Community of Practice is a graduate-led, pod-based model that supports teaching development through ongoing collaboration and shared practice. Through regular monthly meetings and peer pods, members work with authentic teaching materials to develop strategies for active learning, assessment and the emotional dimensions of teaching. Aligned with the Teaching Hub, the CoP strengthens instructional quality, supports student success and retention, and prepares graduate students for future faculty roles.
Staff as Educators CoP
Led by Kevin Sanders (Student Affairs).
Recognizing the critical role staff play in student learning and success, this CoP will create professional development and collaboration opportunities for staff educators across advising, student success and other student-facing roles. By extending the Hub’s reach beyond faculty, the CoP embodies its mission to empower all educators. Outcomes include cross-unit partnerships, greater recognition of staff as educators and enhanced student experiences.
High-Impact Teaching Practices CoP
Led by LeeAnn Derdeyn (Department of Multidisciplinary Innovation) and Melissa McKay (Department of Multidisciplinary Innovation).
This CoP will help faculty integrate high-impact practices (HIPs) into their courses. Activities will focus on adapting HIPs to UNT’s diverse student population and scaling their use across programs. Aligned with the Hub’s mission to drive meaningful student success through evidence-based practices, this CoP will produce practical strategies and course models that enhance student engagement, deepen learning and improve retention and graduation outcomes.
Teaching and Learning Scholarship CoP
Led by Andrew Colombo-Dougovito (Department of Kinesiology, Health Promotion and Recreation) and Yolanda Mitchell (Teaching Hub).
This CoP will create a community for faculty interested in engaging in scholarship on teaching and learning. This spring we invite educators from across UNT — from novices to seasoned scholars — to explore and expand their capacity for public scholarship. Participants will learn how to translate their disciplinary expertise into accessible, engaging formats that connect with communities beyond the academy.
Register for more information here. This CoP is capped at 20 members and registration will close January 20, 2026.