André Buchenot, associate professor of English at IUPUI, teaches classrooms full of first-year students as well as smaller graduate-level courses. His experience in the Mosaic Faculty Fellows, a year-long program training faculty to use active learning practices in the classroom, gives him an innovative outlook on instruction.

Active learning tools can be as simple as configurable furniture and whiteboards, or as complex as sharing information wirelessly on classroom screens—the goal is a space where students and instructors can have a robust exchange of ideas.

Through IU’s Mosaic Initiative, Buchenot gained insights that changed his teaching.

“Mosaic introduced me to networks of support and development that I didn’t know existed on campus. Talking to instructors from other campuses and disciplines expanded my perspective of teaching happening on campus, and what could happen in my own classroom,” Buchenot said. “And I was impressed with the way Mosaic trains instructors to become leaders—there’s something to be said for having someone on your campus who understands active learning spaces and can share their knowledge with you.”