804: AU Signature Skills Demo: Beyond the Syllabus: Embedding Core Signature Skills Across Disciplines

Date: Thursday, August 20

Time: 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM

Presenters: Dhananjaya Katju (Professorial Lecturer, CAS | Environmental Science), Farhang Erfani (Associate Professor, CAS | Philosophy and Religion), Kyle Brannon (Senior Professorial Lecturer, SOC | Film and Media Arts), Michele Lansigan (Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer, CAS | Chemistry) & Lilian Baeza-Mendoza (CFE Faculty Associate and Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer, CAS | World Languages and Cultures)

Session Description:

Join us for one of eight sessions where faculty discuss the process of integrating AU Signature Skills into their course assignments and classroom activities.

This presentation explores how faculty have successfully integrated AU Signature Skills into traditional coursework. Participants will discover how to authentically assess critical skills across a variety of disciplines—including Habits of Mind, communication, introductory science, forensic science, and theories of democracy—while maintaining academic rigor and protecting instructional time. Faculty presenters will share redesigned assignments that increase student engagement, cultivate career-ready proficiencies, and enhance learning outcomes without adding unnecessary complexity to the syllabus.

The session will conclude with a question-and-answer discussion with the presenters.

The AU Signature Skills were developed by a group of AU faculty and staff to operationalize AU’s goal of helping students become thoughtful and engaged professionals and are an extension of AU’s Meet Our Moment Strategic Plan.