Campus Spotlight

Joseph Zornado

Joseph Zornado, Professor of English & Director of the FCTL

Project: Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning (FCTL)

Joseph Zornado and Marie Beardwood (Sr. Programmer/Consultant) in the FCTL's office and conference space

Dr. Zornado was looking for a professional challenge a couple of years ago; he found that challenge in the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning. Now in its second year, the FCTL, funded by a 3-year start-up grant from the Davis Educational Foundation, is a college-wide collaboration among departments, disciplines, and schools designed to foster the professional development of faculty in teaching at Rhode Island College. The FCTL provides opportunities to discuss issues related to teaching, the latest scholarship on teaching and learning, and offers workshops and consultation services to faculty who wish to develop, enhance, and improve face-to-face, on-line, or hybrid teaching.

The creation of the FCTL has been a wonderful asset for the college campus and all of Rhode Island. On campus, it promotes collaboration among faculty, particularly encouraging more interdisciplinary collaboration. The impact on the broader community is inherent as the majority of RIC graduates go on to professional careers throughout the state. In particular, 90% of Rhode Island K-12 teachers graduated from RIC; therefore, fostering this collaborative community benefits the students and professionals of Rhode Island.

A discussion held at the FCTL in December