SESSION ONE
9:30 A.M. – 10:45 A.M.
101: Indigenous Pedagogy: Teaching, Learning, Decolonizing
Elizabeth Rule (American Studies / Critical Race, Gender & Culture Studies Collaborative)
Location: TBD
This interactive session will address teaching strategies, learning approaches, and research methods rooted in decolonization theory and indigenous frameworks. Topics for discussion include: microaggressions toward indigenous students/cultures, the colonial roots of research, land acknowledgment practices, community engagement, and more. A portion of this session will also be dedicated to discussion on teaching on traditional indigenous homelands in the nation’s capital.
102: Thriving While Paying “Invisible” Taxes: Addressing Challenges of Minority Faculty Head On
Lynn A. Addington (Justice, Law & Criminology), TaLisa J. Carter (Justice, Law & Criminology), Lallen T. Johnson (Justice, Law & Criminology) & Kareem L. Jordan (Justice, Law & Criminology)
Location: TBD
Thriving in teaching and scholarship is the goal of academics, yet for minority faculty the journey often comes with “invisible” taxes. These taxes can include disproportionately mentoring minority students, disheartening student evaluations, difficulties establishing authority in the classroom, the imposter syndrome, and a void in professional mentorship. In this session we will tackle these challenges head on through sharing, discussion, and a reflective activity.
103: ADVANCE AU: Advancing Opportunities for Women and Underrepresented Minority Faculty in STEM at AU
Meg Bentley (Biology), Mary Clark (Deputy Provost and Dean of Faculty), Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy (Dean, School of Education) & Monica Jackson (Sr. Associate Dean, College of Arts and Sciences)
Location: TBD
The ADVANCE AU team would love to hear your thoughts and ideas on our recently NSF grant-funded project to assess gender and racial equity among women and Underrepresented Minority (URM) STEM faculty at AU. Come hear about our new two-year study, kicking off in early January, and share your questions and comments with us as to how best to approach this work.
104: How to Create, Monitor, and Grade Team Projects/Processes
Tommy White (Management)
Location: TBD
Employers want graduates who can work in teams yet universities consistently fail in delivering this capability. In this session we will explore what works/fails in designing and implementing team projects and what we can do as professors to strengthen this process. The goal of the session is to reduce the likelihood of team projects going haywire, and to learn techniques to deal with it if they do!
105: Clarity and Creativity: Exploring Alternative Syllabus Formats
Alex Breiding (AU Core), Rebecca Hazen (Biology), Jeremiah Patterson (School of Communication) & Maddox Pennington (Literature)
Location: TBD
How can we make syllabi less like an instruction manual and more like a map to a mental adventure? In this interactive panel discussion, we will explore alternative styles and formats of syllabus design that inject creativity without compromising clarity for students. Participants are encouraged to share examples of creative elements from their own current syllabi and how they might incorporate ideas from this session into their future syllabi.
106: Mindfulness and Contemplative Pedagogical Practices in the Learning Environment
Michelle Chatman (University of the District of Columbia), Michelle Levere (University of the District of Columbia), Elissa Margolin (Health Studies) & Jorhena Thomas (School of International Service)
Location: TBD
In this session we will provide information on the benefits – for both faculty and students – of using mindfulness and contemplative pedagogical practices in the classroom. Session participants will understand the principles underlying these approaches and will be equipped with practical ideas for how they can apply them in their own classrooms, regardless of the subject matter of the course.
107: Exploring a Model for Adjunct Teaching and Scholarship
Susan Mockler (Literature) & Derek Tokaz (Literature)
Location: TBD
What does thriving as a teacher and scholar mean for adjunct faculty, especially those using their adjunct appointments as a foothold in academia at the start of their career? In this session we will explore the unique challenges and opportunities experienced by adjunct faculty as they navigate the new normal of a work–work-life balance.
108: Learning by Leading: New Opportunities for Project-Based Learning
Stephanie DeStefano (Facilities Management), Cindy Brown (Smithsonian Institution), Jerri Husch (Sociology) & Michael Mastrota (Facilities Management)
Location: TBD
Learning by Leading (LxL) is an exciting new concept started at AU this year. In collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution, AU students are leading projects both on campus and at the Smithsonian. Come learn about the LxL model and join an interactive discussion to see if it can be helpful in your teaching and research.
109: Parenting Hacks for Faculty
Donna Dietz (Mathematics & Statistics), Karen Knee (Environmental Science), Michael Robinson (Mathematics & Statistics) & Chris Tudge (Biology)
Location: TBD
Starting your academic career as a tenure line or term faculty member is challenging in its own right, but when combined with parenting, it can seem completely overwhelming. This session will provide practical information, helpful strategies, and emotional support for those navigating or contemplating this difficult and rewarding time.
110: AUx2 DIVand Beyond: A Pipeline of Student Learning
Noemí Enchautegui de Jesus (Psychology), Priya Doshi (School of Communication), Justin Bernstine (School of Communication) & Izzi Stern (AUx Program)
Location: TBD
This session will cover how AUx2 begins to set the stage for further learning in Diversity and Equity (DIV) courses and serves as a pipeline to other AU Core requirements and to university-wide programming initiatives. In particular, participants will be able to examine how DIV courses and departmental programming based on the foundation of the AUx2 curriculum can serve as next steps in students’ learning.
SESSION TWO
11:00 A.M. – 12:15 P.M.
201: Integrating Antiracist Practice in Teaching
Rachel Brown (Undergraduate Education & Academic Services), Sarah Jones (Undergraduate Education & Academic Services), Esther Philip (Undergraduate Education & Academic Services) & Darien Smith (Undergraduate Education & Academic Services)
Location: TBD
Are you apprehensive when conversing with students or colleagues about race? We cannot work without acknowledging race because it impacts our daily lives. Participants will hear from adjunct faculty who conducted a community of practice based off the concept of participatory action research. After examining their beliefs, biases, and practices, participants will leave with the tools to build their own communities of care to sustain antiracist practice.
202: Bridging Across Cultures and Making New Discoveries in an Inclusive Learning Environment
Krisztina Domjan (School of Professional & Extended Studies) & Gul Gur (School of Professional & Extended Studies)
Location: TBD
How do we approach our multicultural classrooms with both domestic and international students? In this session participants will discuss how to transform tension-producing conflicts or unproductive participation into constructive moments in culturally diverse classrooms. They will receive guidelines on how to modify existing assignments through the concept of transparency, so diverse learners can complete them with success.
203: Understanding and Supporting Students with Learning Disabilities
Erica Cirineo (Class of 2020), Michaela Desimone (Class of 2020), Grayson Hanes (Class of 2022), Nicole Marjorie Nowinski (Academic Support & Access Center) & Emily Peterson (School of Education)
Location: TBD
Many students will proactively disclose a learning disability to the university, while others will only disclose after academic difficulties. Through presented research and diverse student perspectives, attendees will gain an understanding of university processes and support strategies for these students to incorporate into their everyday work.
204: Class Discussion: Identifying the Purpose and Helping Students Capture the Content
Elizabeth (Betsy) Cohn (School of International Service)
Location: TBD
Why do you hold class discussion? If it’s for students to learn content, how do you help everyone capture the points classmates make? Do you hold students accountable for this content in exams/essays? Or do you want students to develop skills like critical thinking or public speaking? Then, how do you help them improve those skills? How do you communicate your goals of class discussion to students?
205: Assignment-Design Charrette: A Collaborative Process to Strengthen Assignments
Cindy Bair Van Dam (Writing Studies / AU Core), Erin Horan (Center for Teaching, Research & Learning), Brad Knight (AU Core) & Kim Westemeier (Center for Teaching, Research & Learning)
Location: TBD
Assignment-design charrettes promote faculty collaboration and learner-centered curriculum development by engaging participants in structured peer review of one another’s assignments. Faculty form small groups and spend 15 minutes per faculty member, time that includes: introductory comments about the assignment, conversation, and written comments.
206: Creating an AU-EU Center: Building Bridges across Disciplines
Kimberly Cowell-Meyers (Government), Michelle Egan (School of International Service), Fernanda Nicola (Washington College of Law) & Tim Rivera (EEAS/EU)
Location: TBD
AU has a breadth of faculty teaching and researching on Europe across different disciplines, working together in an informal, often ad hoc manner. Come learn about the externally funded new EU Center, which sustains cross-disciplinary collaborations around key issues, and is designed to enhance collaborative scholarship, raise academic visibility and policy engagement, promote team teaching and webinars with European partners as well as cross-campus activities.
207: Becoming a Teacher Scholar: Co-Authoring and Collecting Data with Students
Ernesto Castañeda (Sociology), Natalia Cañas (Graduate Student), Cristiana Little (Graduate Student) & Nina Yamanis (School of International Service)
Location: TBD
In this session we will provide concrete examples of projects that successfully included students in the data collection, drafting, or publishing of academic research. We will address common questions and doubts that arise when working with students on research initiatives. We will discuss how these projects allowed us to become Teacher Scholars, help students become published authors, and help address knowledge gaps that we or our students had.
208: Reimagine Your Teaching with Ideas from the IDEAS Lab
Krzysztof Pietroszek (School of Communication)
Location: TBD
From using brain-computer interfaces in education to creating holograms of Peace Corps volunteers, the IDEAS (Immersive Designs, Experiences, Applications, and Stories) Lab is AU’s hub of immersive media innovation. In this session, we discuss the conceptualization and results of some of our projects. We will stress the importance of engaging undergraduate and graduate students in experiential learning and research.
209: Efficiency Hacks for Faculty: Balancing the Demands on Our Time
Robert Shand (School of Education) & Jennifer Steele (School of Education)
Location: TBD
As faculty members, we juggle pressing responsibilities for research, teaching, and service. Managing these responsibilities demands that we use our work time efficiently. From scheduling apps to delegation, project management to grading tools, come learn practical strategies for minimizing busy work and maximizing focus on the work that matters most. Bring your best efficiency hacks to share with your colleagues.
210: Living-Learning Communities as a Site for Interdisciplinary Thinking
Rebecca Comfort (Complex Problems/University College), Charles (Chuck) Cox (Literature / Complex Problems), Celeste Davis (Health Studies), Richard Duncan (Complex Problems/University College), Rob Johnson (Justice, Law & Criminology), Martyn Oliver (Arab World Studies) & Stef Woods (Critical Race, Gender, and Culture Studies Collaborative)
Location: TBD
This session will present lessons learned from the University College undergraduate living-learning community (LLC). Foremost, cohort-based learning is a productive approach for interdisciplinary collaboration and learning for students and faculty. Participants will discuss best practices in student and faculty engagement, collaboration, and communication, to understand how the work encouraged by LLCs can translate to other academic settings.
SESSION THREE
2:45 P.M. – 4:00 P.M.
301: Creating a Classroom of Care: Moving Beyond Microaggressions
Robin Adams (Center for Diversity & Inclusion), Consuelo Grier (Center for Diversity & Inclusion), Anna Morrison (Center for Diversity & Inclusion), Shannon Smith (Center for Diversity & Inclusion) & Michelle Strange (Center for Diversity & Inclusion)
Location: TBD
Looking to create a more inclusive learning environment focusing on respect, being open to the voices of others, and using thoughtful language and practices? This interactive workshop will also include faculty with expertise on how to navigate difficult conversations on privilege, bias, microaggressions, and fear in the classroom, as well as provide participants the tools, confidence and practice to achieve classrooms of care.
302: Engaging Veterans on Campus: Tremendous Possibilities, Solvable Challenges
Shawn Bates (School of International Service), Daniel Gade (Public Administration & Policy), Terra Gargano (School of International Service), Tony Hollinger (Office of Campus Life) & Patrick Malone (Public Administration & Policy)
Location: TBD
This session will establish a deeper understanding of AU’s relationship with its Military Affiliated faculty, staff, students, and administrators – current, past, and future. We will discuss strategies for understanding, engaging, and supporting these individuals in the AU community while capitalizing on their unique experiences, skills, and perspectives in and outside of the classroom.
303: The Secret(s) to Designing a Highly Effective Course
Tommy White (Management)
Location: TBD
In this session, participants will learn one method to quickly and easily design a focused syllabus and run effective classroom sessions. The secret is tied to four simple words: Content, Illustration, Practice, and Application. Let’s have some fun and walk out feeling 10x better about entering your next (or first) classroom!
304: Harvesting Student Feedback for Classroom Innovation
Meg Bentley (Biology), Rebecca F. Hazen (Biology) & Pallavi Kumar (School of Communication)
Location: TBD
In this workshop, participants will explore ways to optimally benefit from student feedback. We will discuss ways to diversify feedback, maximize response rates, and apply a framework to transform this information into helpful suggestions and tangible classroom improvements. Expect to work in groups on example feedback and then individually (with guidance) on a model for revisions and refinements for the new semester.
305: Supporting Student Wellness: What, How, and Why
Pritma (“Mickey”) Irizarry (Health Promotion Advocacy Center), Andrea Malamisura (Undergraduate Education and Academic Services) & Elissa Margolin (Health Studies)
Location: TBD
Join a panel of faculty, staff, and students to examine data on student health as it relates to academic performance. Explore a range of concrete tips and techniques to alleviate stress, promote healthy decision-making, foster more meaningful connections in class (with others as well as with course material), support higher levels of well-being, and optimize the learning environment.
306: Embodying Scholarly Teaching with the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
Erin Horan (Center for Teaching, Research & Learning) & Jesse Meiller (Environmental Science)
Location: TBD
The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, or SoTL, describes the process of systematically researching your teaching practices. This session will introduce attendees to the field of SoTL including how to get started, typical measurement tools SoTL research employs, and venues for publishing your research findings in peer reviewed journals, conference presentations, and other outlets.
307: Putting Student Engagement into Practice in Online Courses
Solange Garnier-Fox (World Languages & Cultures), Daniella Mascarenhas (Justice, Law & Criminology), Ashley Roccamo (Library) & Kim Westemeier (Center for Teaching, Research & Learning)
Location: TBD
One of the biggest challenges when designing a course is ensuring that students are engaged. But what does this mean in an online course? In this session, we will use social presence to enhance our understanding of what it means for students to be “present” in an online context. We will examine pre-existing assessments as well as create new ones that maximize online student engagement.
308: Complementing Classroom Learning with Site Visits and Experiences
Jason Fabrikant (School of Professional & Extended Studies) & Heather Heckel (School of Professional & Extended Studies)
Location: TBD
In this session we will share examples and best practices for using co-curricular site visits and other experiential learning opportunities to enhance student learning. We will consider the breadth of opportunities in our region and best practices for planning, implementing, reinforcing, and evaluating these experiences. Participants will draft their own site visit activity and are encouraged to share ideas and resources.
309: What I Wish I Knew When I Started Teaching
Laura Lawson Duval (Psychology), Jody Gan (Health Studies), Erica Hart (Psychology), and Whitney Mhoon-Mock (Psychology)
Location: TBD
Graduate school tends to teach you a lot about content but very little about how to teach this content to others. This workshop will reflect on common challenges faced by those new to teaching, along with resources and strategies for overcoming them. We welcome new teachers looking for ideas as well as experienced teachers planning new courses or with suggestions to share.