During this time slot, you will be free to choose one of the following breakout sessions to attend!
1. Making the Montclair Syllabus Your Own: Essentials, Expectations, and Personalization
Presenters: Pam Fallivene, Lead Technology Trainer, Dr. Catherine Keohane, Associate Director of Faculty Excellence, Dr. Dana Levitt, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, & Dr. Tammy Castro, Professor of Biology
Description: The Montclair Syllabus easily conveys essential information to students, AND it is adaptable by individual instructors! This session will offer an in-depth look at Montclair’s official syllabus template—its origins, purpose, and how it supports student success. Come learn how you can use the Montclair Syllabus to support student success and to put your own touch on it. Dana Levitt, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, CCHL, and Tammy Castro, Professor of Biology, BC Natural Sciences, will share their experiences working to successfully implement the template to enhance consistency and communication across courses in their department and college respectively. We’ll also showcase examples of individually customized syllabi.
2. Design Justice in the Classroom: Empowering Students to Write (Their Own) Community Stories
Presenter: Dr. Nora McCook, Associate Professor of Writing
Description: This presentation explores how applying design justice principles (Costanza-Chock; Design Justice Network) to educational practices creates more equitable, inclusive learning environments. Drawing from my experience collaboratively launching Stories of Newark at Bloomfield College, I will demonstrate how the principles that informed the creation of this oral history project carried into a service learning course on Oral History Writing. Through storytelling examples from community interviews, public writing, and student reflections, I’ll showcase how community-engaged courses can empower students to take ownership over their learning.
3. Enhancing Online Teaching: Faculty Reflections on EOTL101
Presenters: Dr. Jinxia He, Lead Instructional Designer, Dr. Emily Douglas, Professor, & Dr. Fanny Lauby, Associate Professor
Description: Empowering Online Teaching and Learning: Foundations for Success (EOTL101) is a foundational course that introduces faculty to the core principles of effective online and hybrid instruction. In this panel session, Dr. Emily Douglas from Social Work and Child Advocacy, and Dr. Fanny Lauby from Political Science and Law will share their experiences participating in EOTL101 and reflect on how the course has influenced their teaching practices. They will discuss the challenges they encountered in the online teaching environment, how they approach course design and delivery, how to build an inclusive online environment and strategies they use to foster student engagement, and effective methods for assessing student learning.