Apply to Join The Carpentries Lesson Development Study Groups

We are thrilled to announce a new program of Lesson Development Study Groups for members of the Carpentries community who would like develop a new lesson in The Carpentries Incubator.

The Study Groups program will bring these community members together to develop their lessons as a cohort. Participants will benefit from the process by learning and discussing good practices in lesson design and share their experience as they build their lessons.

By the end of the program, participants will have gained practical experience of the backwards design approach to lesson development, written and taught at least one section of their lesson, prepared a plan for the remaining material, and set up a repository to facilitate further collaborative development of their lesson.

Read on to learn more about the program and apply to join the first cohort.

Who is the program for?

Lesson Development Study Groups are aimed at Carpentries community members who have an idea for a new lesson and want to begin developing it. The lesson should not already exist, even as a partially-complete lesson, except perhaps as a “placeholder” lesson repository e.g. in the Carpentries Incubator.

Plans are also being made for follow-up sessions/activities/events, covering topics more relevant at later stages of the development process, which would be open to other lesson developers. Watch this space for more details!

What are the objectives of the program?

Over the course of the program, Study Groups will

• explore relevant resources detailing good practices in open lesson design and development
• apply these practices to the development of their lesson.
• and meet weekly to discuss these resources and practices, in the context of their lesson

By the end of the program, each participating lesson will have a realistic and coherent outline, a repository set up to encourage collaboration, and at least one completed episode that has been taught once. This will equip developers with the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to continue developing the lesson after the round ends, and begin to create a more tangible community around curriculum development in The Carpentries.

When is the program running?

The first round of Lesson Development Study Groups will begin in February and run until mid-April 2021. Discussion calls will take place weekly, and groups will also undertake reading and homework tasks associated with each call. To support The Carpentries international community, participants will be distributed across three groups, with each group meeting at a different time UTC. Community members have the opportunity to state a preference between these time slots when applying to join the program.

Who is involved?

Lesson Development Study Groups will be supported by members of The Carpentries Curriculum Team and a group of volunteers who will facilitate Study Group discussions:

• Steve Crouch
• Tim Dennis
• Kate Hertweck
• Mateusz Kuzak
• Aleksandra Nenadic
• Serah Njambi Kiburu
• Sarah Stevens
• Yuka Takemon

There will also be dedicated communication channels for Study Group participants to enable communication and collaboration within and between groups.

The groups will also be able to link up to future rounds of The Carpentries Mentoring Program, with participants encouraged to share what they learned with mentees or find a mentor while they continue to work on their lesson.

How can I apply?

To apply to join the first cohort of Lesson Development Study Groups, please fill out this short application form. Up to three developers of the same lesson will be able to join a group and participate in the program together. At least one developer from each lesson must be a certified Carpentries Instructor.

The deadline for applications to the first round of the program is the end of Wednesday 13th January 2021 Anywhere on Earth.

Where can I go to learn more?

To find out more about the Lesson Development Study Groups program, including a summary of the planned week-by-week schedule, visit the Study Groups home page.

Who can I contact about the program?

If you have any questions about the Lesson Development Study Groups, please contact Toby Hodges