NEW: Launching in January 2027
Learning Improvement Community (LIC)
Community of Practice (CoP)
Building on the successful GenAI in Assessment CoP, the Assessment Institute in Indianapolis is partnering with the Learning Improvement Community to launch the LIC CoP in January 2027.
This year-long LIC CoP will provide members with an opportunity to grow their learning improvement capabilities by acquiring knowledge, piloting projects, expanding networks, and building skillsets. Throughout 2027, members will meet virtually to engage in CoP work, including opportunities to adapt practices to local contexts and present and share resources at the Assessment Institute in Indianapolis in October 2027.
Applications Are Now Open
Interested in becoming an LIC CoP Member? Applications are now open.
The LIC CoP brings together colleagues who are interested in strengthening student learning through intentional evidence-informed changes to the learning environment. Members will have opportunities to build their learning improvement capabilities, contribute to a learning improvement project, connect with colleagues from across the country, and access improvement-focused tools and resources.
Who should apply? The LIC CoP welcomes colleagues at different stages of learning improvement work. Members will participate in one of three groups:
- Explore & Share – Build understanding of learning improvement and help others engage with learning improvement practices.
- Launch & Nurture – Undertake or advance a program-level learning improvement effort.
- Build & Sustain – Develop structures that support learning improvement across programs.
You do not need to determine which group is the best fit before applying. The application questions are designed to help you identify the type of learning improvement work you would like to pursue. The LIC CoP leadership team will use your responses to help place you in the group that best aligns with your interests and goals.
The application closes on Friday, November 20, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. (Eastern), and information about joining the CoP will be shared with applicants in early December 2026. Should you have questions, please email Keston Fulcher at fulchekh@jmu.edu and reference LIC CoP in the subject line.
Apply to Become an LIC CoP Member
Learn More About the LIC CoP
More information about the LIC CoP will be shared through several resources and opportunities. If you are attending this year’s Assessment Institute in Indianapolis, you are invited to attend one of two LIC CoP repeating information sessions on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, located in Indiana Ballroom E, located on the first floor of the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown. The session will be held from 9:30–10:30 a.m. and again from 10:45–11:45 a.m.
If you are unable to attend the Assessment Institute, you can learn more by reviewing the information on this page, exploring the resources available on the Learning Improvement Community website, and viewing content from the 2025-2026 season of the Assessment Institute’s Free Webinar Series, which features several LIC leaders.
Please complete this interest form to be kept informed about the LIC CoP.
About the Learning Improvement Community of Practice
The LIC CoP is being developed in collaboration with the Learning Improvement Community (LIC), an organization committed to connecting the dots among academic programs, assessment, and faculty development to improve student learning at scale. This initiative will support colleagues interested in strengthening student learning through intentional, evidence-informed changes to the learning environment, and demonstrating the impact of these changes through assessment.
In essence: assess, intentionally intervene, and reassess.
CoP Purpose: The LIC CoP supports improvement initiatives by providing professional development opportunities for its members, including access to interactive forums, improvement-related tools, and other curated resources. Through the CoP, members will deepen their understanding of learning improvement, contribute to a learning improvement project, and network with others around the country with similar interests.
CoP Leaders: The LIC CoP is led by Keston Fulcher from James Madison University, Bryant Hutson from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Jillian Kinzie from Indiana University, Laura Lambert from James Madison University, Julie Morrison from Glendale Community College (AZ), and Dan Stroud from West Texas A&M University.
CoP Schedule: The LIC CoP will meet via Zoom during calendar year 2027, with additional opportunities for members to network in person and disseminate content at the 2027 Assessment Institute in Indianapolis.
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Timeframe |
Activities |
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October 2026 |
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Early December 2026 |
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January 2027 |
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February–September 2027 |
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October 2027 |
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November/December 2027 |
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