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University of Wyoming
inVISIBLE College Logo Concept, Definition, and Resources


The inVISIBLEcollege Concept
The term invisible college was used to describe the group of scholars who later became the British Royal Society, founded in 1660. Members of no known formal college, the group met to exchange research and ideas. In the 1960s, sociologist Derek Price revived the term to describe the informal communities of scholars who came together and communicated around the formation of a new discipline. A decade later, in 1972, Diane Crane wrote Invisible Colleges, which explored the way social structures (e.g., departments, course delivery practices, the preparation of future faculty) influence the development of ideas. According to Crane, participation in such a group bolsters morale, inspires a sense of purpose, provides criticism, maintains solidarity, and focuses interest on particular issues. Perhaps most importantly, members of an invisible college see themselves as part of a complex network, not members of a special interest group or even solitary scholars.

UW's inVISIBLEcollege picks up on the ideals of scholarly community and conversation in the context of an initiative called the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL). The UW program is affiliated with SoTL programs nationally and internationally through the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, the Carnegie Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (CASTL) program, and the AAHE. UW is also a founding member of an AAHE campus cluster, the Research University Consortium for the Advancement of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (RU-CASTL). Annual meetings provide the opportunity for members and attendees to deepen and broaden the SoTL initiative as well as present work.

UW Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Definition
In Fall 2000, UW's first inVISIBLEcollege cohort developed a working definition to guide inquiry projects and conversation. The definition will help the 2005 Ellbogen Scholars begin their work:

Scholarship implies peer critique, reflection, and dissemination.
The scholarship of teaching enhances student learning
through ongoing, systematic inquiry.

Websites Providing More Information about SoTL Work
These online resources provide examples of SoTL work and show how research universities like UW are embracing the concept. The list includes the ECTL’s Connecting Learning Across Academic Settings (CLAAS) project funded by the U.S. Department of Education.

 Senior Scholars Program
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
 ECTL Home