Whether faculty are aware of it or not, our students are utilizing free AI technology to generate classwork and creative work. This seminar will serve as an incubator to develop innovative pedagogical and institutional practices that help adapt to the reality of these new technologies. Importantly, since these technologies are constantly evolving (and becoming exponentially more powerful) they require faculty to repeatedly take stock of how our pedagogy safeguards against this new form of plagiarism. Ultimately, safeguarding student learning is one of the most important missions of any institution of higher education, and providing our students with skills in communication and critical thinking must remain central to our pedagogy in spite of the changing tools at their disposal. With respect to diversity, equity, and inclusion, we believe that the skills safeguarded by pedagogical modifications (by faculty trained to understand the latest AI tools) enable our students to be on a level playing field with peers at other institutions. The value of this type of educational equity is immeasurably important in today’s ever-changing educational and employment landscapes. 

This seminar offers a space for faculty in all disciplines to learn about artificial intelligence (AI) as a critical new and rapidly-evolving challenge facing higher education and to discuss effective pedagogical tools for both preventing and incorporating new AI tools into our courses.

ChatGPT, Bard, and Claude are among several powerful new free online artificial intelligence (AI) tools that can be used to complete assignments, answer complex questions, generate expressive artistic work, and write entire essays in a matter of seconds when fed a prompt. This seminar will explore the implications of these technologies on student learning outcomes, and will consider strategies for modifying our existing assignments and teaching methods. The focus of the seminar will be on the professors’ role in the classroom, namely, how to develop pedagogy that ensures students are still acquiring crucial skills (especially in critical thinking and communication).

After learning the background and potential uses of ChatGPT and other generative online AI tools, we will create or modify existing assignments that ensure students are not taking shortcuts that ultimately harm their own learning outcomes. We will also look at the latest tools being developed to identify if/when students have made use of this assistive technology. Finally, we will explore ways in which this technology can enhance our courses in innovative ways.  

The seminar co-leaders will facilitate activities such as experiments with AI software, role-playing, group discussion, and reflective writing to model activities that faculty can implement in their classroom instruction. The co-leaders will also present sample material that will help faculty create and revise their course material to emphasize the value of learning and of students’ voice, as well as prevent AI-related plagiarism. The seminar will conclude with a showcase about AI-proof pedagogies for the broader college community.

Co-facilitators: Robin Kietlinski, Social Science and Lilla Tőke, English

Eligibility: Full-time and part-time faculty

Support: Contingent upon attendance and active participation in all seminar activities, each Academic Affairs full- time faculty participant will receive a stipend of $600. Adjunct faculty may receive the equivalent as non-teaching pay if eligible, or professional development funds to support conference attendance or other allowable PD activities/items.

Dates: Monthly Fridays in person from 11:00 to 1:30 pm with lunch provided, on 9/20, 10/18, 11/15, and 12/6; Asynchronous work due on: 9/27, 10/25, 11/22, and 12/13.

Inquiries: Lilla Toke: ltoke@lagcc.cuny.edu, Robin Kietlinski: rkietlinski@lagcc.cuny.edu

Oral history is an interactive method and inquiry process on a topic, as well as how a topic is remembered. The goal of Oral History in Interdisciplinary Community College Pedagogy is to introduce the oral history methods through a series of year-long workshops. The faculty will engage in interviewing, deep listening, discussion with guest speakers, and analysis of oral history materials in their disciplines. Through this engagement, the faculty will explore how oral history practices can help recenter their teaching practices to the vantage points of individuals and communities of minority groups whose perspectives are often marginalized in published materials and media. The seminar is particularly interested in non-history disciplines, where the oral history has not been commonly adopted in teaching and research. For more information about this seminar, visit the CUNY Commons page at https://oralhistory.commons.gc.cuny.edu/

Co-facilitators: Thomas Cleary, Library, Molly Rosner, LaGuardia and Wagner Archives, Tomonori Nagano, Education and Language Acquisition

Eligibility: Full-time and part-time faculty

Support: Contingent upon attendance and active participation in all seminar activities, each Academic Affairs full- time faculty participant will receive a stipend of $1,000. Adjunct faculty may receive the equivalent as non-teaching pay if eligible, or professional development funds to support conference attendance or other allowable PD activities/items.

Dates: Eight meetings on Fridays from 10:00 to 1:00 pm on 9/20/24, 10/18, 11/15, 12/13, 3/21/25, 4/25, 5/16, and 6/13/25. An optional showcase event will be scheduled some time in May or June.

Inquiries: Thomas Cleary tcleary@lagcc.cuny.edu, Molly Rosner mrosner@lagcc.cuny.edu, Tomonori Nagano  tnagano@lagcc.cuny.edu

Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) is a teaching practice whereby faculty in geographically and culturally remote spaces, usually different countries, work closely on designing a unit of scaffolded assignments that engage their students virtually in collaborative tasks via digital tools, such as Zoom, Slack, and Padlet.

The seminar will introduce participants to COIL pedagogy and support them in developing a COIL project with an international partner around an issue of global significance as outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The seminar will be supported by the Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language program (UISFL) grant. This will be a third iteration of a COIL seminar funded by the UISFL grant. At LaGuardia, COIL is supported by the Office of Global and Experiential Learning (GEL) and the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL).

This COIL seminar will benefit participants because it underscores LaGuardia’s commitment to global learning and introduces a pedagogy that can foster career readiness skills among students. The seminar will provide a space for faculty to continue enhancing their pedagogy and advancing the educational experiences of their diverse student population. By emphasizing intercultural empathy, respect for diversity and perspective taking, COIL cultivates the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion, and it serves as a strong platform to implement culturally relevant pedagogy. COIL is also a form of experiential learning, as it facilitates an authentic interaction and collaborative problem-solving with the international community and emphasizes critical reflection.

Participants will:

1. Design a specific COIL project that aligns with their existing course learning outcomes, program learning outcomes in an impactful way and emphasizes United Nations Sustainable Development Goals;
2. Expand their ability to create course projects that challenge monolithic and essentialist views of culture; foreground student agency; and bridge students’ academic and non-academic identities;
3. Enhance their assignment design skills in relation to the College’s Core Competencies and Abilities, especially Global Learning and Digital Learning;
4. Diversify their own online teaching skills and develop critical digital literacy of their students;
5. Develop a mindset of aligning course projects with specific career readiness skills, such as critical thinking, teamwork, and global and intercultural fluency as defined in the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) competencies;

International partner participation in the seminar is encouraged but NOT required. Also, international partners do not receive compensation after participation. Instead, they receive a certificate of completion.

Upon completion of the seminar, participants will be expected to implement COIL projects in their chosen courses in Spring I 2025 and attend two check-in sessions. During implementation, they will continue receiving support from the seminar leaders and COIL team. At the end of Spring I 2025, COIL faculty and students will participate in LaGuardia’s signature COIL Faculty & Student Showcase.

Expectations:

• Participate in five 2-hour synchronous seminar sessions via Zoom during January and February 2025. These sessions will include team-time with international faculty partners and time in small groups with other LaGuardia faculty for peer feedback. Faculty will also receive on-going feedback and support from seminar leaders throughout seminar activities;
• Complete 5 hours of asynchronous tasks (including designing lessons and scaffolded assignments in collaboration with their international partners) in preparation for the 5 synchronous sessions;
• Meet regularly with a faculty partner to plan activities during the seminar in Fall II and during implementation in Spring I;
• Attend two 1-hour synchronous check-in sessions during implementation in March & April 2025;
• Participate in the COIL Faculty & Student Showcase in June 2025.

Synchronous seminar session: 9:00 – 11:00 am on 1/10, 1/17, 1/24, 1/31, and 2/14.

Synchronous check-ins: March and April 2024, specific dates to be announced

Compensation for LaGuardia Faculty: $600

Eligibility: Full-time and adjunct faculty are encouraged to apply. Preference will be given to faculty who have not implemented COIL previously.

Community Based Learning (CBL) is a pedagogical approach where students learn through active experiences in their community.  Employing CBL strategies in college courses can play a vital role in achieving learning outcomes.  CBL gives students a sense of purpose and makes the subject matter relevant to their everyday lives.  Adopting a CBL approach keeps students engaged and motivated, while developing their communication and leadership skills.  This approach may help facilitate interdisciplinary and collaborative projects for faculty, enhancing their research and publication opportunities while providing professional recognition. This seminar will help faculty develop assignments based on this pedagogical approach.  Starting with the theory and philosophy behind experiential learning, participants will be exposed to the benefits of CBL and will be provided with examples and avenues for integration in their courses, and ultimately, they will develop interactive assignment projects that will be used in their courses. The workshop series will conclude with a showcase where participants can share their finished projects/assignments.

Co-facilitators: Daniel Boudon and Neetu Kaushik, Social Science

Eligibility: Full-time and part-time faculty in Academic Affairs.

Support: Contingent upon attendance and active participation in all seminar activities, each Academic Affairs full- time faculty participant will receive a stipend of $600. Adjunct faculty may receive the equivalent as non-teaching pay if eligible, or professional development funds to support conference attendance or other allowable PD activities/items.

Dates:  Four sessions and a showcase on Fridays from 11:00 – 1:00 pm on 9/27, 10/18,11/1, 11/15, 12/6 Showcase

*Note: All sessions including showcase will be remote.

Inquiries: Daniel Boudon dboudon@lagcc.cuny.edu Neetu Kaushik nkaushik@lagcc.cuny.edu

The seminar aims to introduce faculty to experiential learning (EL) and offer support with designing course activities and assignments using the LaGuardia Humanitarian Initiative (LHI) as an applied example. As an interdisciplinary, hands-on seminar, we will explore how to integrate experiential learning opportunities into our personal pedagogy. Participants will be introduced to the theory and praxis of LHI, which aligns with the Association of Experiential Education and CUNY’s vision of EL, discuss its strategic goals, and review aligned examples that demonstrate successful implementation of classroom learning in real-life settings. The seminar will foster existing and new strains of experiential learning, including curricular, co-curricular, and community outreach projects that benefit students with transfer and career readiness. In addition, through backward design workshops, participants will create discipline-specific low-stakes and high-stakes EL modules.  Finally, participants will be introduced to assessment tools at various stages of assignment implementation to gauge the effectiveness of the experiential learning assignment or activity.

Co-facilitators: Claudette Davis, Natural Sciences and Dana Trusso, Humanities

Eligibility: Full-time and part-time faculty in Academic Affairs.

Support: Contingent upon attendance and active participation in all seminar activities, each Academic Affairs full- time faculty participant will receive a stipend of $600. Adjunct faculty may receive the equivalent as non-teaching pay if eligible, or professional development funds to support conference attendance or other allowable PD activities/items.

Dates:  Fridays from 11:00 -1:00 pm on Zoom on 3/14, 4/11, 5/16, and 6/6.

Inquiries: Claudette Davis cldavis@lagcc.cuny.edu Dana Trusso datrusso@lagcc.cuny.edu

At the heart of Writing in the Disciplines (WID) pedagogy lies the assertion that writing, itself, plays a key role in critical thinking. Writing can be a powerful tool to cultivate students’ engagement with course material and their understanding of their own thought processes. Writing is the medium through which students can begin to learn and deepen their understanding of discipline-specific content and modes of inquiry. It is also the medium through which they can begin to produce knowledge.

WID pedagogy holds that writing to learn and learning to write are intimately linked. When you present students with problems and ask them to identify and challenge assumptions in writing, writing itself becomes an act of problem solving. Continuous writing practice helps students improve their writing and better understand core concepts. The Writing in the Disciplines (WID) seminar will support faculty as they develop strategies to guide students to use writing to formulate and shape their ideas, and to make sense of course content. It will provide faculty with a workshop-based forum to design, adapt, and incorporate a range of writing assignments and activities into their courses. These will be discipline-specific materials, designed by faculty for the specific courses they teach. They will include in-class, ungraded activities as well as “high stakes” assignments, such as research papers, lab reports, business plans, and other materials. Faculty will receive the resources, support, and feedback necessary to explore and integrate these strategies into their courses.

Faculty will be asked to workshop their syllabi and course assignments, hold honest discussions with their peers about teaching, and develop materials that can support student learning.

Key themes to be explored will include: “writing to learn,” coaching the writing process, various assessment and grading practices and responding to student work. Together, we will also address questions about grammar, and have discussions about how to use technology effectively, including AI and Learning Management Systems (Blackboard/Brightspace) in writing pedagogy. This workshop will address the concerns of STEM, Health Sciences, Social Science, Business and Technology, and Humanities faculty. We will discuss writing about data, images, graphs, literature, history, linguistics, journals, and other kinds of informal writing, etc. The seminar will incorporate a substantial amount of new material, including deeper discussions about the affective dimensions of writing, how to think about writing across different modalities, writing and online forums/platforms, and alternative assessment practices.

This seminar is open to full-time and part-time faculty members, including those who completed the seminar five or more years ago and who wish to refresh their WID pedagogy.  We encourage any faculty member scheduled to teach a writing-intensive course for Spring I who has not completed the WID program to sign up for the seminar. Faculty members who are interested in teaching writing-intensive courses in the future must take the seminar to get certified. All urban studies and capstone classes in the college are designated writing intensive.

Co-facilitators: Karen Miller, Social Science and Joshua Tan, Natural Sciences

Eligibility: This seminar is open to full-time and part-time faculty members, including those who completed the seminar five or more years ago and who wish to refresh their WID pedagogy.

Support: Contingent upon attendance and active participation in all seminar activities, each Academic Affairs full- time faculty participant will receive a stipend of $600. Adjunct faculty may receive the equivalent as non-teaching pay if eligible, or professional development funds to support conference attendance or other allowable PD activities/items.

Dates: Spring 2025.  Meetings schedules will be determined based on the availability of the participants.

Inquiries: Karen Miller kamiller@lagcc.cuny.edu , Joshua Tan jotan@lagcc.cuny.edu

Open educational resources (OER) are open access learning materials that anyone is welcome to create, use, and remix. Given the high price of commercial textbooks, free OER alternatives are one effective tool in reducing the price of higher education and increasing access to learning materials. Furthermore, OER open up more possibilities for culturally relevant and equitable educational opportunities. OER also present a unique opportunity to further develop a college-wide practice for collaborative, cross-disciplinary learning at LaGuardia. By incorporating open educational practices, faculty can meet students’ needs with greater editorial control over teaching materials. The seminar invites instructors and staff to explore their past, current, or desired use of OER at LaGuardia. Seminar co-leaders will present and discuss a variety of experiences with OER, from authoring a textbook to implementing OER in high enrollment courses. Other key topics include:

• Copyright, licensing, and citation in OER
• Publishing, modifying and archiving OER
• Accessibility and Universal Design for Learning
• Open pedagogy and student creators

Co-facilitators: Ian McDermott, Library and Joshua Tan, Natural Sciences

Eligibility: Full-time and part-time faculty and staff.

Dates: This seminar meets via Zoom. Dates are TBD

Support: Contingent upon attendance and active participation in all seminar activities, each Academic Affairs full-time faculty participant will receive a stipend of $500. Adjunct faculty may receive non-teaching pay if eligible.

Inquiries: Ian McDermott  imcdermott@lagcc.cuny.edu