Date of Completion

5-31-2011

Document Type

Open Access Capstone

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

First Advisor

Peter Taylor

Abstract

Have you ever felt isolated in your work environment that left you feeling perplexed and stuck only to find out that colleagues felt the same way you did but had no idea to work around it? Through this practioner’s narrative, I journey through my struggle of teacher isolation to my action plan to make it better. Finding a way to identify my feelings, strengths and weaknesses and move towards change to improve my own work environment describes my experience in the Critical and Creative Thinking (CCT) graduate program. This new awareness changed the way I see myself as a leader and also gives me a new appreciation for the thinking styles of others. The main part of this synthesis paper is a faculty learning community process framework, which outlines the process of building a faculty learning community for dental hygiene educators who, like me, often feel isolated in their work place. The framework is a road map, outlining initial steps, planning, implementing and evaluating a faculty learning community. The philosophy of my faculty learning community is to create a safe, trusting environment where participants will develop in a new way through new ways of thinking, sharing, inquiry and reflection. The framework is my way to retain and use some of the skills, habits of mind, knowledge, and values I have been exposed to through my CCT experience—to keep CCT active and alive within me.

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