Fusion Course: Enhancing Online Education through Community-Based Learning

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many institutions had to rapidly shift from in-person to online learning. The Fusion Course aims to provide critical training and support for faculty as they adapt to online teaching and offers instruction for how to integrate community engagement methodologies into existing curricula to improve the quality of course delivery and foster student engagement.

Through this faculty development course, learn how to infuse community-based learning into online courses to give students hands-on, real-world experience that will strengthen learning, create connections to the larger community, and improve student retention rates.

The curriculum for this program aims to:

Introduce faculty to best practices in community-based and problem-based learning pedagogy
Introduce faculty to best practices in engaged online teaching and learning
Explore the potential benefits and challenges, as well as best practices, of using community-based learning in online courses
Introduce faculty to helpful online learning tools, techniques, and technologies

As a result of their participation in this course, each faculty member will:

Identify a course in which they could fuse community-based learning with online learning
Learn about and select resources, tools, and strategies that will help to implement that course
Create a blueprint for a future course that integrates community-based learning in an online course
Be part of an expanded network of educators from across the country who are dedicated to community-based learning

Anticipated benefits for students:

A more engaged education and online experience
Development of 21st-century skills
Hands-on experience rooted in addressing vital community issues and assets.

Course Format:
The Fusion Course consists of 5 units to be completed through a combination of autonomous work and live sessions for participants to further discuss course materials and best practices:

Unit 1: Getting Started
Introduction to the course, your instructors, and your fellow learners
Unit 2: Project Scope
Designing a community-based learning project that is appropriate for your online course and community partner integration
Unit 3: Preparing Learners & Building Online Communities
Helping students (and faculty!) engage and succeed in an online setting
Unit 4: Project Implementation, Assessment, and Reflection
Unit 5: Sharing Fusion Work
Finalizing and presenting your course blueprint and ongoing resources/support

Participants can expect to spend a minimum of 20 hours on this course, including reading, discussions, writing, group work, practicing technology tools, and reflecting. During the course, each faculty member will develop their own infused course blueprint.

Three Fusion Course sessions will be offered over the course of the summer, with more in the coming academic year.

Fusion Course Session 1 \| July 13 - July 24
Live meeting times: Monday, July 13th, 3:00-4:30 PM Eastern Wednesday, July 15th, 3:00-4:30 PM Eastern Monday, July 20th, 3:00-4:30 PM Eastern Wednesday, July 22nd, 3:00-4:30 PM Eastern
Fusion Course Session 2 \| July 27 - July 31 (accelerated one-week session)
Live meeting times: Monday, July 27th, 3:00-4:30 PM Eastern Wednesday, July 29th, 3:00-4:30 PM Eastern Friday, July 31st, 3:00-4:30 PM Eastern
Fusion Course Session 3 \| August 3 - August 14
Live meeting times: Monday, August 3rd, 3:00-4:30 PM Eastern Wednesday, August 5th, 3:00-4:30 PM Eastern Monday, August 10th, 3:00-4:30 PM Eastern Wednesday, August 12th, 3:00-4:30 PM Eastern