About CIRTL Graduate Research Fellows Online Learning Community (GRFLC)

The Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (CIRTL) is the curator of this online learning community (GRFLC) for National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellows (GRFs). CIRTL's mission is to "enhance excellence in undergraduate education through the development of a national faculty committed to implementing and advancing effective teaching practices for diverse learners as part of successful and varied professional careers." To further this mission, CIRTL launched this Online Learning Community with the goal of connecting national GRFs to CIRTL network resources to support science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) future faculty professional development in teaching and learning. The website is hosted by Drexel University, a member institution of CIRTL, under the direction of Dr. Adam Fontecchio, Director of The Center for the Advancement of STEM Teaching and Learning Excellence (CASTLE).

In general, the GRFLC platform provides opportunities for GRFs to learn more about CIRTL programming around higher education STEM teaching and learning professional development. Included on the site are:

• Existing asynchronous CIRTL STEM teaching and learning web resources in addition to modules specifically designed to address topics of interest to GRFs (Modules & MOOCs Page).

• From the Faculty Office Hours feature of the site, GRFs get the opportunity to hear from STEM faculty and postdoctoral fellows who engage in "Faculty Chat" videos that include an overview of speakers' career paths and a short talk on a topic of interest to GRFs. There is an opportunity to follow up in discussion with Faculty Chat speakers through threads created in the Faculty Office Hours Forum, where GRFs are free to begin new threads and engage with faculty and postdoctoral fellows around teaching and learning and academic career topics.

• The Community Chatroom facilitates networking among the diverse members of the GRFLC through the Google Chat Communication Platform.

• Links to CIRTL and other Teaching and Learning Resources from CIRTL Network Institutions.