Touring a Circle
Your virtual learning community will use the Lumen Circles Platform. It is a website or hub to connect with your peers and Circle Facilitator and reflect on your teaching practices.
To gain a deeper understanding of the Circle Platform, you can page through the images below to explore facets of the experience.
Accessing the Platform
You will receive a “welcome” email inviting you to enter the Lumen Circles platform.
When you first log in, you’ll be asked to go through an Instructional Practice Inventory to get a benchmark around your current teaching practice.
Set up your profile and see who’s in your circle. Post a “hello” message in your Circle Chat.
To ensure the Lumen Circles site functions properly and to avoid potential frustration, please use the latest version or the second latest version of one of the following browsers:
- Chrome (recommended)
- Firefox (recommended)
- Safari
- Microsoft Edge
Download your Lumen Circles Platform Tip Sheet for reference.
The videos below illustrate how to get started with the Lumen Circles Platform.
The Circle Dashboard
The Circle Dashboard is where all of your Circle and fellowship activities can be viewed. When logging onto the platform, you will want to start at the Dashboard page.
Setting Up Your Profile
Your first introduction to your Circle is through your Profile in the platform. Your profile includes basic information such as your name, photo, teaching experience, and contact information. You may choose what information you wish to share with the Circle.
The Nature of the Fellowship
During the fellowship you’ll explore topics that interest you, generate ideas for improving your teaching, and make small adjustments that shift your teaching in new directions – all with the support of peers in your circle. Together, these small ideas can lead to big changes. The core of the fellowship is participating in the following four activities each week:
Explore the materials available on effective teaching practices (Approx. 60 min/week)
Reflect on your current teaching approach and plan how to apply what you have learned about evidence-based teaching practices (Approx. 30 min/week)
Collaborate with your peers by offering feedback and support (Approx. 30 min/week)
Now that you have toured the platform and are becoming more familiar with the Lumen Circles experience, it’s time to Engage!