Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC/CUNY) Faculty Development Day 2016 was held Wednesday, November 30 in the Fiterman Conference Center.
Within the larger theme “New Pedagogical Approaches,” panels explored strategies for maximizing student learning in developmental courses, for implementing more effective assessments of student learning, and for the benefits of interdisciplinary and community learning.
“This is a great opportunity for BMCC faculty to share effective pedagogy across disciplines, and to celebrate the excellent teaching that is a hallmark of our college,” said Karrin Wilks, BMCC Senior Vice President and Provost.
The BMCC Faculty Development Committee which organized the event included Margaret Carson, Chair; Geoffrey D. Klock, Secretary; Jae Ki Lee, Representative to the Executive Committee; Sharon Brickman, Ainoa Íñigo, Silvia Roig, George Stevenson and Shalva Tsiklauri.
“BMCC Faculty Development Day is 100% faculty-run and faculty-organized,” said Professor Carson. “Over the years it’s become an invaluable forum for faculty and staff to discuss classroom strategies we’ve developed and insights we’ve gained from our shared experience of working with BMCC students.”
Pedagogy Unbound: Innovative Strategies
This panel featured presentations by Angeles Donoso Macaya, Modern Languages: “Tumblr, Film and Conversation”; Benjamin Haas, Speech, Communications and Theatre Arts: “Existential Persuasion: Open Educational Resources and Open Access Pedagogy”; Caroline Pari-Pfisterer, English: “Accelerating Developmental Writing at BMCC: The ENG 100.5 Model” and Kathleen Offenholley, Mathematics: “Game-Based Learning.”
Contemplative Practices and Pedagogy
Presentations in this panel were delivered by Rifat Salam, Social Sciences, Human Services and Criminal Justice: “Contemplative Pedagogy: Promise, Practice and the Inner Life of a Teacher”; Lisa Rose, Social Sciences, Human Services and Criminal Justice: “Contemplating ‘Intention’: How to Mindfully Reclaim ‘Assessment”; Precious Sellars-Mulhern, Counseling Center: “Exploring Contemplative Practices to Improve Faculty and Student Life” and Lesley Rennis, Health Education: “Turning Student Groups into Effective Teams: The Puzzle.”
The Teaching Academy
This panel presented talks by Judith Yancey, Master Teacher, Academic Literacy and Linguistics: “The Big Impact of Small Changes”; Meryem Zaman, Teaching Fellow, Social Sciences, Human Services and Criminal Justice: “An Interdisciplinary Engagement Towards Learning and Teaching”; Anastassios Rigopoulos, Teaching Fellow, Media Arts and Technology: “The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Teacher” and John Beaumont, Director, BMCC Teaching Academy, Academic Literacy and Linguistics: “The BMCC Teaching Academy: Advancing a College Culture of Teaching and Learning.”
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Faculty present three panels exploring pedagogical best practices and strategies to improve student learning
- Event takes place in Fiterman Conference Center
- Event organized by BMCC Faculty Development Committee led by Professor Margaret Carson
