Decolonizing Pedagogy

Developed by Asilia Franklin-Phipps As the decolonial paradigm gains traction in the world of education, we pause to consider what that means in CUNY, how it is connected to larger discourses and practices by educators and scholars, and the ways we can conceptualize of a teaching practice that is aligned with goals and principles that are decolonizing. This session will first offer space and resources for discussion on decolonizing research and teaching methodologies in academia, both imagining the possibilities and problematizing our positionalities of a decolonial practice in the classroom. The second part of the workshop will turn to how …

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Using Online Polls to Promote Active Learning and Student Engagement

Developed by Fernanda Blanco Vidal fblancovidal@gradcenter.cuny.edu             “Technology doesn’t inherently improve learning; it merely makes possible effective pedagogy, and only when it is consonant with an instructor’s educational philosophy and beliefs and reinforced by other components of the total course” (Beatty, 2004, p. 08)    Have you ever introduced a new concept in your classroom and asked the students what they think about it, but they have remained quiet? Or have you assigned an excellent reading that you’re sure will promote interesting discussions, but your students don’t connect with the content? As educators, many of …

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A Critical Approach to non-F2F Language Teaching

Developed by Inés Vañó García Description Face-to-face language courses tend to use in-class time mostly for lecture and language practice. Such instructional modes are difficult when, as in our current public health crisis, teaching and learning must be done online. What are the specific challenges for teaching language courses at CUNY in an online format? To be fully effective, language instruction must take into account the social, cultural, and political contexts in which a language is produced. This pedagogical approach goes beyond the acquisition of the core linguistics skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing) and the basic approaches that cover …

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Equity and Access in the Online Learning Space

Developed by Lindsey Albracht This workshop bridges the concepts of equity (broadly conceived) and accessibility, treating them as related and intersecting. Its intention is to increase our collective and individual capacity to become more equity and accessibility-minded educators: especially in the online classroom, where existing inequity and a lack of accessibility can sometimes be magnified, but which is also a place that can offer new forms of engagement and connection. Over the course of this workshop, you can expect to: Further explore, consider, and apply definition(s) and intersections of equity and access within the teaching and learning context on your …

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Cultivating Participation & Engagement

Developed by Inés Vañó García Description Students’ participation and engagement are key measures not only of motivation, but they also provide a way to formatively evaluate and summatively assess their learning. Facilitating participation and understanding engagement comes with some particular challenges in online/hybrid courses. This workshop will provide a space for participants to think through what participation can mean in an online/hybrid setting, and to discuss concrete strategies to keep students engaged and motivated through the semester. Participants will have the opportunity to develop and apply participation and assessment strategies to a range of sample assignment types. Learning Goals • …

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Bridging Lecture and Lab

Developed by John Zayac Description Science courses are typically split between lecture and laboratory instruction. Lecture is used to provide students with foundational, structured knowledge, andlabs allow students to make direct observations and develop specific scientific skills within the discipline. The division between these two experiences is often heightened when the lecture and lab components of the same course have different instructors. In reality, this is an artificial curricular distinction, as in practice most scientific research involves both theoretical and practical components. This workshop will focus on identifying learning objectives that cross the lecture/lab divide, developing assignments that foster students’ …

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