Funded Research

Description: This series is intended to complement other OAR initiatives that support
grant writing, research, scholarship, and creative works. The series utilizes a
comprehensive, project-focused approach to provide support to faculty who have a high
interest in securing external funding, but limited experience in doing so. Recognizing
that our most effective resource is the accumulated experience of our externally funded
research faculty, we leverage the institutional knowledge of this cohort by inviting them
to participate as mentors, who will work with participants to develop a lasting culture of
funded research and scholarship across the disciplines at John Jay College.

Graduate PBL (Problem-Based and Project-Based Learning)

Description: Project-Based Learning and Problem-Based Learning (PBL) are
question-driven pedagogical approaches that ask students to engage in real-life projects
in their chosen fields that require both independent effort and teamwork. In PBL,
instructors present students with a professional problem to solve. Students then
investigate these problems, define goals, and build critical extensive and practical
knowledge bases under the instructor’s guidance.

HSI Faculty Seminar

Description: The Teaching and Learning Center will offer a faculty development
seminar linked to the HSI Speaker Series, an initiative spearheaded by President Karol
Mason. The seminar will invite faculty participants to identify and address gaps related
to effective teaching and learning experiences for Latinx students in one of their courses
through discussion with the guest speakers (listed below). By the end of the spring term,
seminar participants will have designed or redesigned an assignment or class activity,
set of resources, learning objective, assessment, or other specific section of their
course in response to the guest speakers’ discussions and lectures.

OER (Open Educational Resources)

Description: Funded by CUNY, the seminar will guide faculty through converting highimpact
undergraduate courses, primarily Gen Ed, through selecting, curating, and
implementing Open Educational Resources (OER) and Alternative Educational
Resources (AER) as part of course redesign. These textbook cost-free courses will
support students by increasing access to college education and providing them with
innovative, pedagogically sound approaches to learning.

Practical Teaching

Description: The Practical Teaching Seminar focuses on introducing and modelling
effective, hands-on strategies for classroom learning and management, many of which
also apply to online teaching. Drawing from constructivist, brain-based learning, trauma
and resiliency theory, theatre and communication techniques, and decades of
experience working with students in public urban education, Greg Donaldson, Associate
Professor of Communication and Theatre and Gina Rae Foster, Teaching and Learning
Center Director, will guide participants in the theory and application of practical skills to
engage students and “raise the stakes” in classroom and online course interactions.
Participants will share syllabi, assignments, and strategies throughout the year
supported by online discussion forums and readings between sessions.

Scaffolding 100/200 Gen Ed Critical Thinking Skills

Description: The Scaffolding 100/200 Gen Ed Critical Skills seminar is designed to
guide faculty who teach, or plan to teach, 100 and 200 level courses that fulfill general
education requirements in building students’ skills in critical thinking, writing, and
information literacy from an introductory to an intermediate level. Guided by Director of
General Education Raymond Patton, participants will learn L. Dee Fink’s concept of
integrated course design and how to apply it to their own courses to foster critical skills
learning. Aided by faculty-created guidelines and student success data provided by
Kate Szur, Senior Director of Student Academic Success Programs and Wynne
Ferdinand, Associate Director of First Year Academic Programs, the seminar will
consider the learning needs of students at each level, and how faculty can support them
in transitioning from 100 to 200 level work. Throughout the seminar, participants will
develop, revise, and workshop assignments, and also refine and redesign their courses
to foster student learning of critical skills at each level.