**This is Competency 2 of the Certificate in College Teaching (CCT). You can learn more about the CCT competencies here.**
Core Competency 2 focuses on the creation of effective learning environments through the promotion of student success and engagement and through the creation of inclusive learning spaces. I have two experiences listed: The Inclusive STEM Teaching Project and the workshop from the Certificate in College Teaching Institute held in May 2024.
Core Competency 2 focuses on the creation of effective learning environments through the promotion of student success and engagement and through the creation of inclusive learning spaces. I have two experiences listed: The Inclusive STEM Teaching Project and the workshop from the Certificate in College Teaching Institute held in May 2024.
Workshop: The Inclusive STEM Teaching Project
Completed: August 19, 2021
Description: In this competency, I had the opportunity to learn about my ability as a doctoral student to create a more inclusive STEM learning environment. We reflected and discussed topics surrounding topics of equity and inclusion in institutional contexts. Activities that we participated in included embodied case studies, affinity spaces, and an inclusivity framework. Through this workshop, I gained skills that helped me improve my awareness and understand my positionality as an educator.
Artifacts and Rationale:
Course Syllabus
This course was a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), titled INCLU1x: The Inclusive STEM Teaching Project. This was an edX course offered by BUx (Boston University).
Artifact: Certificate of Completion
Rationale: In order to receive a Certificate of Completion, participants watched weekly videos and completed readings/activities each week, including a weekly discussion board focused on reflections from the week. The Certificate of Completion has indicated that the recipient was an active participant in the course. Throughout the seven week course, I had the opportunity to complete five modules that have since influenced my journey as an educator. These modules were titled "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education", "Instructor Identity", "Student Identity", "Course Design", and "Classroom Climate."
Reflection:
What skills and techniques did I learn that will help me become a better educator?
I gained an understanding of how to look inwards at my privilege that I hold and how positionality can have a large effect in the classroom. There is an innate power structure in place in an educational setting. We also learned about how different types of identity can affect teaching and learning. I also learned about some of the tools that I can use to make courses more inclusive overall.
What things am I still uncertain about regarding this topic that I need to investigate further in the future?
I would like to learn about more ways to incorporate discussions about identity into a course setting. We discussed this a bit during the "Course Design" and the "Classroom Climate", but this was through videos and discussion boards. I'd love to know the best way to approach this in an in-person class, and how to make sure students stay respectful during those discussions.
How can I apply materials from this session to my own class to enhance the effectiveness of teaching and learning?
I will be using the skillset that I gained from this course throughout my career, making sure to be reflexive and acknowledging my positionality, especially the power dynamic that is present between educators and students.
Completed: August 19, 2021
Description: In this competency, I had the opportunity to learn about my ability as a doctoral student to create a more inclusive STEM learning environment. We reflected and discussed topics surrounding topics of equity and inclusion in institutional contexts. Activities that we participated in included embodied case studies, affinity spaces, and an inclusivity framework. Through this workshop, I gained skills that helped me improve my awareness and understand my positionality as an educator.
Artifacts and Rationale:
Course Syllabus
This course was a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), titled INCLU1x: The Inclusive STEM Teaching Project. This was an edX course offered by BUx (Boston University).
Artifact: Certificate of Completion
Rationale: In order to receive a Certificate of Completion, participants watched weekly videos and completed readings/activities each week, including a weekly discussion board focused on reflections from the week. The Certificate of Completion has indicated that the recipient was an active participant in the course. Throughout the seven week course, I had the opportunity to complete five modules that have since influenced my journey as an educator. These modules were titled "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education", "Instructor Identity", "Student Identity", "Course Design", and "Classroom Climate."
Reflection:
What skills and techniques did I learn that will help me become a better educator?
I gained an understanding of how to look inwards at my privilege that I hold and how positionality can have a large effect in the classroom. There is an innate power structure in place in an educational setting. We also learned about how different types of identity can affect teaching and learning. I also learned about some of the tools that I can use to make courses more inclusive overall.
What things am I still uncertain about regarding this topic that I need to investigate further in the future?
I would like to learn about more ways to incorporate discussions about identity into a course setting. We discussed this a bit during the "Course Design" and the "Classroom Climate", but this was through videos and discussion boards. I'd love to know the best way to approach this in an in-person class, and how to make sure students stay respectful during those discussions.
How can I apply materials from this session to my own class to enhance the effectiveness of teaching and learning?
I will be using the skillset that I gained from this course throughout my career, making sure to be reflexive and acknowledging my positionality, especially the power dynamic that is present between educators and students.
Workshop: Certificate in College Teaching Institute
Completed: May 9, 2024
Description: This workshop, led by Dr. Bennett Goldberg (Professor of Physics & Astronomy, Northwestern University) and Dr. Sarah Hokanson (Assistant Vice President, Assistant Provost, Research Development and Ph.D. & Postdoc Affairs, Boston University), discussed how educators can infuse active learning with inclusive practices. We learned that inclusive, active learning involves interacting with not only with the material, but also with each other. We discussed how this method can help students develop a deeper understanding of the material and how it relates to situations outside of the course, it promotes critical thinking and promotes questioning.
Artifacts and Rationale:
Artifact: Infusing Active Learning with Inclusive Practices PowerPoint
Rationale: This PowerPoint was provided to 2024 CCTI participants to help us understand what active learning entailed, and different active learning strategies. Active learning strategies sit on a wide spectrum, ranging from simple to complex. When an educator is first beginning their career, they will probably begin with the more simple strategies and work their way up as they learn and grow. We discussed peer instruction, as well as watched and discussed embodied case studies focusing on group work in the classroom from both the students' and instructor's point of view.
Material Developed for the Course: Think/Pair/Share
Rationale: During the lecture, we had a think-pair-share activity, where we discussed a time when we were a student and felt engaged in the course. We further discussed what the course was about, and what contributed to the sense of engagement. Here I share my particular example from the course, where I discuss my experience in three of my undergraduate courses: Anatomy, Osteology, and Science Communication.
Reflection:
What skills and techniques did I learn that will help me become a better educator?
I think that this whole workshop was a lesson in how to become a better educator. Drs. Goldberg and Hokanson practiced active and inclusive learning throughout the entire period, making sure that participants had a voice and was able to discuss them with the entire group rather than just with them and discussing language that we should or should not use as educators when addressing groups of people.
What things am I still uncertain about regarding this topic that I need to investigate further in the future?
I would love to discuss ways to discuss active learning in very large courses of 100+ students, and how to get the discussion back on track if it goes too far off course. We discussed this a little bit, but these are the things that make me most nervous as a beginning educator. I want to make sure that I cover all of the material that needs to be covered but also engage students in these discussions, but it is a daunting thing to think about.
How can I apply materials from this session to my own class to enhance the effectiveness of teaching and learning?
First, I want to practice the active and inclusive learning behaviors that Drs. Goldberg and Hokanson modeled during the workshop. I know it will take some time, but I think it will help students develop critical thinking and create a deeper understanding of the course material.
Additionally, I plan on sending out pre-course surveys to students and include some of the questions that Dr. Goldberg said he has on his pre-course surveys, including:
Ideally, I'd like to also do a mid-semester check in. Then I would send out a survey to my students at the end, and use their comments to help improve my future courses.
Completed: May 9, 2024
Description: This workshop, led by Dr. Bennett Goldberg (Professor of Physics & Astronomy, Northwestern University) and Dr. Sarah Hokanson (Assistant Vice President, Assistant Provost, Research Development and Ph.D. & Postdoc Affairs, Boston University), discussed how educators can infuse active learning with inclusive practices. We learned that inclusive, active learning involves interacting with not only with the material, but also with each other. We discussed how this method can help students develop a deeper understanding of the material and how it relates to situations outside of the course, it promotes critical thinking and promotes questioning.
Artifacts and Rationale:
Artifact: Infusing Active Learning with Inclusive Practices PowerPoint
Rationale: This PowerPoint was provided to 2024 CCTI participants to help us understand what active learning entailed, and different active learning strategies. Active learning strategies sit on a wide spectrum, ranging from simple to complex. When an educator is first beginning their career, they will probably begin with the more simple strategies and work their way up as they learn and grow. We discussed peer instruction, as well as watched and discussed embodied case studies focusing on group work in the classroom from both the students' and instructor's point of view.
Material Developed for the Course: Think/Pair/Share
Rationale: During the lecture, we had a think-pair-share activity, where we discussed a time when we were a student and felt engaged in the course. We further discussed what the course was about, and what contributed to the sense of engagement. Here I share my particular example from the course, where I discuss my experience in three of my undergraduate courses: Anatomy, Osteology, and Science Communication.
Reflection:
What skills and techniques did I learn that will help me become a better educator?
I think that this whole workshop was a lesson in how to become a better educator. Drs. Goldberg and Hokanson practiced active and inclusive learning throughout the entire period, making sure that participants had a voice and was able to discuss them with the entire group rather than just with them and discussing language that we should or should not use as educators when addressing groups of people.
What things am I still uncertain about regarding this topic that I need to investigate further in the future?
I would love to discuss ways to discuss active learning in very large courses of 100+ students, and how to get the discussion back on track if it goes too far off course. We discussed this a little bit, but these are the things that make me most nervous as a beginning educator. I want to make sure that I cover all of the material that needs to be covered but also engage students in these discussions, but it is a daunting thing to think about.
How can I apply materials from this session to my own class to enhance the effectiveness of teaching and learning?
First, I want to practice the active and inclusive learning behaviors that Drs. Goldberg and Hokanson modeled during the workshop. I know it will take some time, but I think it will help students develop critical thinking and create a deeper understanding of the course material.
Additionally, I plan on sending out pre-course surveys to students and include some of the questions that Dr. Goldberg said he has on his pre-course surveys, including:
- What do you expect to get out of this course?
- What is your previous experience with this subject?
- Do you have any concerns going into the course?
- What can I do as an educator to help you learn?
Ideally, I'd like to also do a mid-semester check in. Then I would send out a survey to my students at the end, and use their comments to help improve my future courses.