Great teaching doesn’t happen in isolation—it happens in community. In this bonus BCCE Community Conversation preview, Melissa talks with chemistry educator Dr. Joanne Stewart about communities of practice: groups of educators who come together to share ideas, solve problems, and help one another grow. They explore why teaching is hard to improve on your own, how these communities support both faculty and students, and why meaningful change in chemistry education depends on building relationships, not just sharing resources.
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0:00 – Introducing the BCCE Community Conversation series
2:40 – Meet Joanne Stewart and her work in chemistry education
5:10 – What is a community of practice?
8:20 – How educators can get involved (even as a “lurker”)
11:50 – Sharing teaching resources and learning from one another
15:30 – Building a “community of communities” in chemistry
18:50 – What this year’s Community Conversation will explore
23:50 – Why lasting educational change requires strong networks
29:20 – BCCE events, communities to explore, and final invitations
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