Taking Flight: Making Your Center for Teaching and Learning Soar

Taking Flight synthesizes research on bestpractices for running centers of teaching and learning, providing practicalguidance and resources for educational developers who are looking to open newcenters; revitalize an underperforming center; or sustain and enhance aneffective center. The authors offer thenecessary background, relevant examples, and practical exercises specificallydesigned to support the sustained vitality of educational development and itsrole in fostering organizational change. The book is practical in nature, withstep sheets, diagrams, and similar materials designed to facilitate reflectionand application.

Thebook guides educational developers in enhancing and applying their knowledge, skills and abilities to establish a leadership role which, in turn, will enablethem to play a pivotal role in translating visionary strategies into meaningfulactions across their respective campuses. An effective, well-managed center forteaching and learning has the potential to benefit its institution's faculty, staff, students, and community members. Through fostering a productiverelationship with campus administration, centers can improve morale, contributeto shaping and achieving institutional learning mission and outcomes, enhanceinstitutional reputation, and make a contribution to the practice of teachingand learning across the academy.

Thematerials in Taking Flight were honedthrough a series of national workshops developed under the aegis of the PODNetwork - the professional organization for educational developers in theUnited States. This book answers a need for a resource for directors and staffof centers that has been identified by leaders in the field. It also providesvaluable context for all leaders concerned about student learning and theimprovement of teaching.