Cooperative for Teaching and Learning (CTL)

CNM’s Professional Development for Faculty, by Faculty

The Cooperative for Teaching and Learning (CTL) is an organization of CNM faculty that fosters internal partnerships across the college to support faculty needs through orientation and professional development. It also supports and enhances faculty collegiality across schools and departments. The faculty-led CTL Coordinating Committee is responsible for the CTL. More info about CTL leadership.

Faculty Development Framework

The CTL Continually creates faculty-driven programs designed to help faculty self-reflect, self-determine, and self-direct their individual and peer group professional development needs related to teaching and learning. The Framework for Quality Education: Principles and Pathways is a student success strategy focused on the student learning environment and faculty development. The framework defines what a quality educational experience looks like for CNM students and guides the expansion of comprehensive and structured faculty professional development opportunities through CNM's CTL to support faculty in creating this learning environment. 

Framework for Quality Education: Program Development Archive, which documents the process of developing the framework in Summer and Fall of 2022.

Framework for Quality Education: Principles and Pathways, which provides more detailed information about the Framework.

Framework Principles

The Framework for Quality Education defines 7 Principles of Effective Learning. These principles articulate the optimal learning environment in which students can thrive.  They are designed to provide a common definition of what it means to teach and to be educated at CNM.  

Find more information on Framework Principles here.

Framework Pathways
The Pathways are the comprehensive and structured faculty professional development model that will support faculty in creating the learning environment outlined by the Principles. 
The framework pathways have been developed by CNM faculty, CTL members, and the Director for Learning & Development.  Many CNM faculty have been asking for more structured and increased training opportunities as well as career pathway options.  The process to develop the framework pathways included extensive research into models at other colleges (see the Framework for Quality Education Program Development Archive site.)  
Teaching Excellence Portfolio

The Certificate of Teaching Excellence can be thought of as a teaching credential. The Certificate of Teaching Excellence will be awarded based on the submission and rigorous evaluation of a teaching portfolio. The portfolios must demonstrate implementation of teaching behaviors and activities that reflect the 7 Principles of Effective Teaching (which includes equity and inclusiveness in courses), artifacts demonstrating evidence of implementation, an evaluation of course and student data, and a plan for continual improvement. Faculty can earn the certificate by developing a portfolio via multiple pathways.

Download the Teaching Excellence Portfolio document in the Framework for Quality Education: Principles and Pathways page. Save it to your own files to add to and complete over the duration of time you will be working on the portfolio.

Framework Badge Courses

Topic-based badges can be earned as components towards portfolio development and as a la carte for continual improvement. The courses are designed to be asynchronous, with some live session options, and are self-paced. The badge courses are currently available through the Brightspace Catalog. View enrollment instructions here.

Faculty Guide to Framework Resources
Faculty Learning Circles

CTL coordinated Faculty Learning Circles enable faculty to self-direct and focus their professional development and exploration while collaborating with their peers. Small groups of faculty agree to meet regularly and study a topic related to their disciplines or to the scholarship of teaching and learning. Faculty participating in faculty learning communities are more likely to implement a change that results in academic gains for students

View this slide presentation for more information and ideas about starting your own Faculty Learning Circle at CNM.

Peer Coaching

Peer Coaching is the CTL’s innovative program that enables faculty to self-evaluate and improve their teaching practice. Peer Coaching is a supportive, confidential, and non-evaluative professional development activity focusing on teacher self-reflection and growth. Several CNM Faculty members have completed training to serve as Faculty Peer Coaches. The primary role of a peer coach is to facilitate the self-reflection and self-evaluation of a peer, while withholding judgment and refraining from providing unsolicited solutions.

View this slide presentation for more information on how Peer Coaching can support your teaching at CNM.

Reflective Practice

The CTL believes that reflective practice in teaching is the key to effective faculty professional development and excellence in teaching. In addition to taking advantage of available professional development offerings, CNM faculty and instructional staff are encouraged to engage in Reflective Practice in Action.

Faculty Development Resources

The purpose of faculty development is to engage in continual learning and improvement, towards the goal of increasing student success. The CTL wishes to foster a culture of teaching and learning where individuals recognize and build upon their strengths in the classroom while also looking for new and untried ways to support all students in the acquisition of knowledge and skills. Explore these resources below.

On-Demand Teaching and Learning Resources

Explore the links below for quick guides, along with in-depth resources to support effective teaching.

CTL Quick Tips

Guide to Classroom Management

Faculty Resource Guidebook - Although primarily designed for new faculty, this guidebook can serve as a reference. The guidebook augments, but does not replace, the Governing Board Policy Handbook, CNM Employee Handbook, Collective Bargaining Agreement, Student Code of Conduct, and the CNM Catalog, all of which take precedence over this document. This guidebook was created by the CTL New Faculty Support Team. For the most up-to-date information on policies and procedures at CNM, please refer to the CNM website Faculty Key Processes, or talk to your Faculty Chair or Associate Dean.

Magna Digital Resources

CNM subscribes to a set of resources for teaching and learning in higher education. Magna Campus is an on-demand, online digital library of professional development resources for college faculty and administrators.

  1. Access link from on campus Magna Campus Resources
  2. Use your CNM credentials to login
  3. Click on Group Access from the upper left navigation bar

Note: The Magna resources can also be accessed off-campus. When you login with your CNM credentials and it indicates that you have successfully logged in, close this window and click on the above Magna Campus Resources link again. Then click on Group Access.

Rate Magna Campus
After using a Magna resources, please take a few minutes to provide the CTL with feedback on your experience. Survey data collected will be used to determine whether the CTL maintains the subscription to this service.

CTL Individual Professional Documentation Form
After completing an Archived Seminar, a 20-Minute Mentor, or an article in The Teaching Professor, you may wish to document your participation by completing the form linked above.

CTL Professional Library

The CTL hosts a growing library of book titles focused on various aspects of teaching and learning. We also have sets of books available for Faculty Learning Circles. If you would like to browse the library or its titles, please email the CTL at ctl@cnm.edu, and we can set up an appointment. Some popular titles include:

  • Brookfield, Stephen D., Powerful Techniques for Teaching Adults, 2013
  • Chávez, Alicia & Longerbeam, Susan, Teaching Across Cultural Strengths: A Guide to Balancing Integrated and Individuated Cultural
  • Frameworks in College Teaching, 2016
  • Weimer, Maryellen, Learner-Centered Teaching: Five Key Changes to Practice, 2013
  • Brown, Peter C., Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning, 2014