Communities of Teachers & Learners Fall 2018 · Volume II · Issue II
A Note from the Director The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning is delighted to present TeachingWISE, a publication on teaching and learning. Our goal is to create community by centering conversations about innovative practices happening at KSU. We aim to feature remarkable educators and students in their own words, sharing what motivates them. Too often teaching becomes a private act, but sharing our stories opens the door to dialogue upon which ongoing enhancement is founded. My heartfelt thanks goes to the educators, CETL staff, and our student writers and designers involved in producing the newsletter.
Michele DiPietro, Executive Director
Table of Contents When a Student’s Suggestions Become Much More
The Pumpkin Launch: Starting a Career in Mechanical Engineering Forgotten Women and the Professor Who is Remembering Them The Sound of Music What do Twitter and PechaKucha Have in Common? A Community-Engaged Partnership Empowering Students to Tell Their Own Stories Thank-a-Teacher
1 2-3 4 5 6 7-8 9
When a Student’s Suggestions Become Much More by Paige Bronner and Taylor Power
T
he start of a semester can be a time of excitement, anticipation, and even uncertainty for many students and professors. Matthew Tikhonovsky, an undergraduate, had great expectations for his Honors English 1101 class, yet he was soon taken aback when he saw the textbook assigned to his class. The book was Understanding Rhetoric: A Graphic Guide to Writing. This textbook uses a comic-book style to engage students and assist them specifically with their first-year writing course. However, Tikhonovsky was surprised that he had been given a graphic text in his honors college class. Tikhonovsky respectfully brought his concerns to his professor, Christopher Martin. Instead of dismissing his concerns, Martin supported the opportunity to encourage critical thinking and promote undergraduate research in English 1101, a course in rhetoric and argumentation.
Losh, Elizabeth. Partnering with Students on Textbook Revisions. 2018. community.macmillan.com
After designing the research proposal, the student committee also met with Dr. Elizabeth Losh, one of the authors of “Understanding Rhetoric” the book that sparked all this research. Ironically, the students had to employ the very strategies taught in “Understanding Rhetoric”—establishing evidence and practicing revision—to effectively get their points across to Losh. During the meeting, the student committee proposed various concerns about the text. Through their research, students reported that key terms were not distinguishable and could be fixed by bolding and coloring the words. The students also noted that more writing samples could be included throughout “Understanding Rhetoric” to provide more real-life examples. Dr. Losh welcomed their feedback; she and her co-authors will take this feedback into account when revising the third edition. The students’ meeting with Dr. Losh provided the students with a genuine example that undergraduate research and writing matter.
Martin’s teaching pedagogy, in all of his classes, is grounded in democratic engagement principles. He encourages openness and welcomes his students’ feedback. Martin supported Tikhonovsky’s concerns and began to work with Tikhonovsky by examining the relationships among graphic texts, rhetoric, and research. Martin says that Tikhonovsky “leaned into his frustration and turned it into a positive opportunity for genuine research in response to a real concern.” Due to his professor’s support, Tikhonovsky was able to further delve into his research.
Tikhonovsky's research and writing have become public in several venues. At Losh's invitation, he presented his research and participated in a discussion on textbook formats at the College of William and Mary in Virginia. Tikhonovsky also presented at the 2018 National Conference on Undergraduate Research and the KSU Symposium of Student Scholars. His work is on display in the KSU Writing Center as well as the College of William and Mary Writing Resource Center. Furthermore, his research is expected to be cited in a future edition of "Understanding Rhetoric."
From there, Tikhonovsky got in contact with Amy Buddie, the Director of the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR), which exists to promote quality undergraduate student-faculty collaborative research and scholarship in all disciplines across campus. This collaboration initiated multiple actions. First, Tikhonovsky formed a student committee to investigate the efficacy of graphic textbooks in first-year composition courses. Elizabeth Burmester, Director of Composition and Associate Professor of English, helped champion the students’ research in the English department and within English classes. The research dispelled the notion that graphic textbooks are less beneficial than traditional textbooks. Although the research was all student led, OUR and Burmester supported the students’ efforts to develop their methodology and analyze the data. 1
Christopher Martin’s student-centered, democratic approach to integrating undergraduate research into his course created an impact on real-world issues. Martin’s openness to opposition gave space for his students to become stakeholders in their own education.
The Pumpkin Launch: Starting a Career in Mechanical Engineering by Micheal Jones
D
r. David Veazie, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, took the initiative to give his firstyear students a hands-on assignment to kick off their initial learning experience. He designed an event that features mechanically-engineered launch devices that catapult pumpkins. “The goal of this project is to give students a sense of what they can do as a mechanical engineer,� says Dr. Veazie as he explains the dynamics of working as a mechanical engineer. Mechanical engineers design machines that we use every day to advance society. They develop future technology in top industries like transport, energy, construction, and robotics.
to apply everything that they learned is to let them design and build a mechanical device. With Veazie looking to give his students a practical, hands-on design project in their first year and Student Life looking for a major event to host on the Marietta campus, the Pumpkin Launch Extravaganza was created. The
"This may not be an easy project; however, it should be fun and you will get a hands-on experience of real-world mechanical engineering."
While Mechanical Engineering does include the study of mathematics and sciences, Veazie believes that initial coursework should point more towards the application of knowledge. He wants to give students the opportunity to use what they learn to demonstrate the fundamentals of Mechanical Engineering. The best way for first-year Mechanical Engineering students
Pumpkin Launch has evolved from a small event to the largest event on the Marietta Campus. This event showcases mechanical launchers built by the first- year Mechanical Engineering students here at Kennesaw State University. 2
This project teaches team dynamics and implements key learning strategies that engineers use in the real world. After the first year of the Pumpkin Launch Extravaganza, more and more students wanted to be a part of the competition. Veazie never expected the event to be as big as it is today, and it shows no signs of slowing down.
This school-wide event, that includes free food and merchandise, has also garnered the attention of the local community. Veazie volunteered to take up the challenge of increasing interest in the event by making it a competition. He challenged his first-year Mechanical Engineering students to design and build launchers in groups and compete with other groups on how well their launcher operated. This introduction to the Mechanical Engineering class (ME 1001) design project requires students to research, design, analyze, test, and actually launch 11 lb. pumpkins. Then they present a final report on their launcher to the class. Undertaking this assignment sparks student interest and gets them excited about their futures as Mechanical Engineers. Veazie looks to increase the retention rate of the program by giving students something exciting to look forward to in the field of Mechanical Engineering. His goal is to get Mechanical Engineering students inspired and prepared for the analytical coursework necessary to become successful engineers.
Veazie gives students an experiential learning opportunity in their first year Introduction to Mechanical Engineering course, which in turn results in motivation for their early college careers. He challenges students with the Pumpkin Launch design project and tells them, "This may not be an easy project; however, it should be fun and you will get a hands-on experience of real-world mechanical engineering.� He empowers his students to be successful in building a learning community in which engineers work together for a common goal. He gives students a meaningful experience that incorporates essential qualities of a Mechanical Engineer that they will never forget.
3
Forgotten Women and the Professor Who is Remembering Them
by Paige Bronner and Taylor Power
S
ohyun An’s project and her students’ work were recently featured in Harvard University’s Youth Participatory Politics Research Network. In her Unsung Women Change Agents Project, An models teaching about women civil rights activists who are too often excluded in the official US history curriculum.
An Associate Professor in the Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education, An uses transformative teaching methods to inspire her students to become teachers of democracy and social justice in their future classrooms. An explains that, despite persistent marginalization and disenfranchisement throughout American history, women have bravely stood up to fight for a more just world. However, while elementary students may learn about Rosa Parks and Susan B. Anthony, they rarely have a chance to explore the forgotten stories of other women who have sparked social change in America and to write about their lives and civic efforts. An invites her students to explore the forgotten stories of women change agents. She hopes her students will bring more women and other marginalized groups and their voices, struggles, and contributions to the forefront in their future classrooms. To this end, she models inquiry-based, experiential learning. Her students write narratives based on research about women change agents and participate in role play activities as well. She wants her undergraduates to avoid taking a superhero-centered approach to history education and a textbook/memorization/worksheet based approach to social studies. Ultimately, she hopes her students and, subsequently, their students will understand that our democracy is not built on the epics of a few superheroes, but on the sacrifice and collective efforts made by a great number of ordinary citizens.
By emphasizing critical thinking and historical empathy, An encourages her students to analyze what is going on in school and society and to stand up for a more just and democratic world through their own teaching and civic Dr. Sohyun An, Associate Professor of engagement. By modeling Social Studies Education these transformative teaching strategies to her undergraduate students, she is equipping them to implement the strategies in their own classrooms. Three of An’s students, Jennifer Ziegler, Erin Tinnell and Taylor Evans, discussed what they learned from her approach to teaching. Through the project, they were able to gain historical perspectives and understanding about women in history. The Unsung Women Change Agents project allowed them to see how a historical figure effected change "She wants her and who was affected by their actions. undergraduates to According to her avoid taking a students, the project offered them a fuller superhero-centered perspective on approach to history history. They applied their new perspectives education." to elementary history and social studies education in their final projects. As a result, they were invited to present these projects at the Cobb County Social Studies Professional Development for in-service teachers last summer. Ziegler, Tinnell, and Evans all plan on implementing these transformative teaching methods in their future classrooms. For example, Tinnell wants students to learn from diverse perspectives at an early age; Evans wants to bridge the gap between history and her students' lives; and Ziegler wants to show history through multiple historical and socioeconomic lenses.
An, Ziegler, Tinnell, and Evans
4
The Sound of Music
J
by Taylor Power
eanne Potter’s passion to help others led her to return to school to become an educator. Potter states, “I have had many hands help me. I now want to extend the hand to help students succeed.” Potter, a graduate student in the MAST program, is currently working on her interdisciplinary capstone project: a curriculum revolving around music to teach Latin American History.
Potter wants history to come alive in the classroom, and she believes music serves that purpose in an American Studies classroom. Potter’s goal is to create a curriculum that changes the way people view Latin American history and allows students to learn the history from Latin American perspectives. By using them as an entry point to history, Potter believes Latin American music and songs will not only capture students’ attention, but also deepen their ability to understand and remember the history and culture of a time and place.
While Ani Cordero’s album provides a backbone for Potter’s course, she plans to include multiple artists and musicians from countries in South America to explore diverse genres. She particularly enjoys introducing students to protest songs. She is designing the course chronologically to move through historical periods in South American countries. She teaches the songs within the context of their historical period. Then, she asks the students to listen, discuss, compare, and analyze these musical texts. She states, “People love music and the songs are good.” Potter wants to create an engaging way for students to hear and experience history to reinforce their learning. When college students hear a favorite song from junior high, they are transported back in time. They remember the events unfolding around them and the song brings them back to a specific point in history. Potter wants her students to hear Latin American music and recall what they learn in her classroom in much the same way.
"Potter wants history to come alive in the classroom, and she believes music serves that purpose in an American Studies classroom." Furthermore, a music-based curriculum in the classroom offers a place for a range of narratives to take root. According to Potter, songs from multiple artists offer diverse perspectives of Latin American history. Drawing upon songs from different countries and time periods broadens student perspectives and complicates representations and interpretations of history. One artist Potter intends to feature is Ani Cordero, a Puerto Rican artist and Agnus Scott graduate. She was the drummer for Pistolera, a local rock band in Brooklyn, New York. Cordero released an album titled “Recordar” (to remember). The songs on this album are saturated in Latin American history and culture.
Jeanne Potter, second from the right, at the Native American and Indigenous Peoples heritage celebration held last November.
5
What do Twitter and PechaKucha Have in Common?
by Paige Bronner
E
ngaging students and witnessing student growth are two fundamental experiences that all professors hope to create in their classrooms. Yuri Feito is an Associate Professor of Exercise Science in the Department of Exercise Science and Sport Management here at Kennesaw State University. Feito has been recognized due to his ability to create, facilitate, and adapt different projects in his classrooms. Using activities including PechaKucha and social media, Feito implements a large array of assignments within his classrooms to encourage student engagement. Notably, Feito won the 2018 Wolters Kluwer Innovation in Teaching Award from the American College of Sports Medicine for his Twitter assignment. This award focuses "When I am on educators who use preparing a lecture, innovative strategies to enrich student I ask myself what I learning.
can do to deliver this information in a visual way."
Social media has grown to be a large part of communication in today’s society. Due to its importance, Feito uses social media inside his classrooms in multiple ways. With his undergraduate courses, Feito prefers to use Twitter and LinkedIn. “I feel Twitter provides a more lively way of engaging the classroom,” says Feito. Feito explains that Twitter is an excellent platform to initiate conversations among students in large classrooms. It also offers students another way to interact with the course subjects beyond PowerPoint. Students can also relate outside sources with lessons, helping solidify the information that students learned in class. LinkedIn provides an opportunity for students to engage with professionals in the field as they are completing their degree programs. This platform aids students in Yuri Feito, accepting the 2018 Wolters Kluwer becoming more Innovation in Teaching Award from the American College of Sports Medicine comfortable with real-world application
of their projects and achievements. For his graduate level courses, Feito uses a type of presentation called PechaKucha. The word itself is Japanese, and when translated it means “chit-chat.” These Dr. Yuri Feito presentations consist of Associate Professor of Exercise Science visual aids and few words. Presenters only have five minutes to present their slides. Also, each slide is timed to precisely fit the five minute time frame. Feito’s students are able to choose any topic relating to the course and then create an argument based on the topic. Feito says this format is a good way to present important information quickly, while being able to see if the student fully understood the literature they researched. Feito’s clinical experience helped form the physical demonstrations he uses in the classroom. In his clinical work, Feito mentioned that his patients would be considered adult learners and in this setting he did not have PowerPoints or lecture halls so he became accustomed to creating physical, visual aids to help his patients understand what he was trying to explain. For example, Feito created a three-dimensional explanation to his patients by drawing a model of the heart on his fist, placing it on his chest, and drawing the ways in which electricity flows from the heart. Feito then incorporated this approach in his classrooms. Feito explained that he is a visual learner so he tries to create lessons in ways he would appreciate being taught. “When I am preparing a lecture, I ask myself what I can do to deliver this information in a visual way without the PowerPoint,” says Feito. Using these visual aids can lead students to feel more involved with the curriculum.
6
Feito’s projects and presentations engage students and encourage their growth. Feito has found when students post to Twitter over a period of time, it allows them to look back at how they have grown over the semester. Similarly, the PechaKucha projects fully engage the students with the literature they research. Feito’s ability to involve his students in these innovative projects is both noteworthy and inspiring.
A Community-Engaged Partnership Empowering Students to Tell Their Own Stories by Paige Bronner and Micheal Jones
K
ennesaw State University’s President Pamela S. Whitten recently underscored the importance of “faculty and students pursuing research and community outreach opportunities that enhance intellectual growth and positively impact lives.” It is this very community-engaged work that Dr. Nichole Guillory, a Professor of Curriculum and Instruction in the Department of Secondary and Middle Grades Education, has pursued through a multi-year collaboration between Kennesaw State University and R. L. Osborne High School in Marietta.
her colleagues focus on relationship building. Guillory explains, "The foundation of why I do what I do is centered on people being able to tell their own stories.”
Historically marginalized communities often Guillory has served as a university liaison at Osborne have had nonmembers High School to improve teacher education through telling their story for a grant funded by the U.S. Department of Education: Dr. Nichole Guillory them and she seeks The Teacher Quality Partnership Grant. This Professor of Curriculum & Instruction to change that. She partnership helps foster the preparation of teachers through co-taught education classes by Kennesaw State refuses to allow her students to place the blame for systemic inequity in University faculty and Osborne High School faculty. under-resourced schools on marginalized communities. The partnership places pre-service teachers in an Using a social justice pedagogy framework, Guillory authentic school environment so that they can works to interrupt normative discourses around consider how students learn, what they do well, and historically marginalized people. what they could do to improve. Faculty at Osborne and KSU collaborate on multiple features of the In collaboration with Amanda Richey, a KSU professor co-taught classes: from how teachers are going to in Inclusive Education, and Osborne English teacher design their classes to what books the students are Sherrye Tillman, Guillory designed a curriculum going to read. This partnership allows Guillory to for high school students that helped them to explore collaborate weekly with high school teachers who are teaching students from marginalized communities. and analyze themes of self, community, power, and resistance through a variety of written, musical, and visual texts. They developed lessons for the purpose Students from marginalized communities are often of having students examine the intersections of their viewed through a deficit-based lens rather than an racial, cultural, gendered, and economic realities. They asset-based model. Guillory challenges her pre- and also taught students how to use digital photography in-service teachers to view communities through an as well as movie-making software to tell their own asset-based lens, building upon the strengths of each student to ensure they have access to powerful learning stories of identity. experiences. She wants to make sure that all students Furthermore, Guillory, Richey, and Seneca Vaught, are able to experience educational excellence, a KSU professor in History and African and African regardless of their background. Diaspora Studies, have developed multiple, reciprocal learning opportunities for students at Osborne High Guillory believes the classroom is a site from which we can change the world to be a more equitable place School and Kennesaw State University. Students from by helping students become more reflective about who both locations have participated in joint classes where they read and discuss the same texts. This approach they are in relation to others. Consequently, the allows high school students to experience the curriculum and projects developed by Guillory and 7
expectations of a college class while pre-service student teachers learn more about high school settings. Guillory, Richey, and Tillman secured grants to fund student equipment for a Photovoice Project. Photovoice is a documentary photography program that Guillory uses to promote critical dialogue around images of a community that has been misrepresented or misunderstood. The Photovoice Project literally gives voice to students’ stories, empowering them to tell the stories of their education and their lives.
her to impact teaching strategies and to improve the way teachers are prepared. Recently, she had the satisfying opportunity to work with one of her former Education students who is now a teacher, which has brought her full circle in this community-engaged project with Osborne High School. Throughout this dynamic partnership, Guillory continues to help students express their own truths and tell their own stories.
For the Photovoice Project, students and faculty collaborate to identify a yearly theme; then faculty develop a curriculum around the chosen theme. The first year’s theme focused on misconceptions about the Osborne community; the second year focused on crossing borders; and the third year focused on the theme of love. Upon completion, the students involved with Photovoice project presented pictures and short films with a public exhibition of their artwork, allowing students to interact with their guests. This public storytelling event extends the combined work of KSU and Osborne faculty and students from the campus into the community.
"The foundation of why I do what I do is centered on people being able to tell their own stories.” A related final project is a visual, writing-based presentation exploring each year’s theme. Students also participated in another public event: The Literal Literacy Conference, a showcase of student skills in researching particular topics and delivering an interactive presentation for a high school audience. The student learning goals of these projects are to improve their reading, writing, and critical literacy skills. Guillory’s goal is to develop and sustain long-term partnerships that promote reciprocal learning opportunities for KSU students and stakeholders from historically marginalized communities. Guillory’s assignments offer students the opportunity to express themselves and tell stories about their community. Working with school partners has allowed
8
Thank - aTeacher Professor Candace Deal, Coming into college, I was not very confident in my writing abilities for a good reason too. I was a horrid writer. I guess I never paid attention in English class in elementary and middle school because I surely could not form a complex sentence, and I am not exaggerating when I say I had no idea when it was appropriate to use a comma. I wanted to go to law school after I graduated from KSU, and I knew that I needed stellar grades in order to do this. So I was pretty worried about my below average writing skills. I wanted to let you know that it is educators like you who really make the difference by providing a real learning experience for their students. You were kind enough to give me that little bit of extra time to ensure I succeeded and I cannot thank you enough for that. It is because of you and teachers like you that my wants as a freshman have actually come true. Once I graduate I will be attending law school at Emory University. Thank you for all you did for me!
Dr. Sandria Stephenson, I enjoyed taking your class this semester! I appreciated the time you took to explain each of the concepts being taught. You used a number of ways to engage the class to ensure participation. The examples you used to connect the teaching back to "real life" moments were relatable and helpful. There was a nice balance of lecture and exercises to reinforce learning. You were always linking the why of things back to what you were teaching or discussing, which is important to retaining what is being taught. You were always encouraging participation in lectures or events outside of class, applying for scholarships, networking, and providing tips for studying smart. You care about your students and it shows! In my opinion, you provide a good classroom environment and are invested in teaching the material as thoroughly as possible. Thank you for always starting class with a smile and for being committed to your responsibilities of providing quality education!
Professor Caroline McCormick, Taking your course has been a pleasant experience for me, and because of how knowledgeable you are, I was able to learn easily and comfortably. One of your best qualities as an instructor is the fact that you recognize students for who we are individually, each as a whole individual. I am thankful for this. I am also thankful for how you do not view classes as just classes or numbers of students. You make sure that everyone is well (not only to the students who appear in class, but also to the students who miss classes). If we are not well, how will we learn? There is a lot to thank you for, so thank you, thank you, and THANK YOU!
Professor Sandip Das, You are one of the best professors I've encountered. You know your material, you know how to use the online tools, and it's clear you put effort into all your presentations. When the professor shows he cares about the material he teaches, I believe it makes the students try a little bit harder. Your course was definitely challenging in some areas, but I came out with a solid fundamental knowledge base in photovoltaics. Keep up the good work!
9
How to Get Involved in Our Next Issue
T
eachingWISE features teaching and learning stories across disciplines, campuses, and communities at Kennesaw State University. We are interested in campus events, places, projects, and people who are engaged in scholarly teaching and learning. This publication is dedicated to sharing stories, pedagogies, and strategies that improve teaching and learning for all faculty and students at KSU. We invite your suggestions to improve the scope and impact of this publication. Please visit cetl.kennesaw.edu to learn more.
Contributing Staff Writers
Paige Bronner Micheal Jones Taylor Power
Designer/Editor Tatyanna Jones CETL Assistant Director of Graduate Students/ Advisor to Students
Linda Stewart
CETL 3211 Campus Loop Road, MD 5400 Kennesaw, GA 30144 Phone: 470-578-6410 CETL@kennesaw.edu cetl.kennesaw.edu