Community, inclusion, and perseverance are essential for student success in STEM. To promote these values, we developed two discussion-based activities for implementation in introductory college STEM courses. Both activities incorporate watching videos that portray scientists telling the stories of their career trajectory, in-class discussions,…

Every college and university has as one of its clear purposes to develop students' critical thinking. This is, of course, essential. However necessary critical thinking is as a goal of higher education, it is not sufficient on its own. Critical reflection is a vital complement to critical thinking. Critical reflection enables students to…

This paper considers utilising the sociocultural concept of learning activity to understand parents' learning about young children's play in the context of community playgroups and social media use. Parents' knowledge about children's play influences the provision of parental-provided play experiences for young children and can be enhanced through…

This paper explores how students connect meaningfully with theory through the aesthetic experiences of problem solving together in the context of a workshop. It can be challenging for students studying design in university programs to understand how theory is relevant, when applied in practical design studio activities. In the colour workshop…

This essay reevaluates the role of reflection in experiential learning programs, contrasting traditional solitary ref lection methods with contemporary approaches that integrate collaboration and multimodal expression. These new approaches highlight a shift toward more flexible and interactive methods, reflecting the influence of new technologies…

Integrating authentic research practices into introductory laboratory courses to prepare tomorrow's scientists has become increasingly prevalent over the past decade. However, an incomplete understanding of the nature of science (NOS) and authentic scientific inquiry (SI) precludes higher-level learning in undergraduate research experiences. In…

Post-pandemic exigencies such as isolation, technology fatigue, and financial pressures can be embraced as opportunities to return to, and strengthen, core values in honors involving student agency and community. This essay considers the pedagogical benefits of receding from technology in the classroom. Drawing on recent empirical research…

Colorblind ideology provides individuals with numerous ways to minimize racism. This poses a challenge for instructors who teach about race and racism as students deploy this ideology to derail classroom discussions. Student resistance may be amplified when discussing microaggressions because students often characterize focusing on…

This article outlines a secondary analysis of two European studies on innovative teacher professional development, through the lens of the Personal, Social and Learning to Learn European key competence. The 2018 European Recommendation describes it as being resilient, reflecting upon oneself, working with others, and managing time, information,…

The professional formation of new graduates and their ability to perform well at the start of their career depends on the development of both technical skills and professional competencies. Whilst the latter aspects have become increasingly considered within engineering programs, they are often learnt within an academic context rather than a…

This paper describes the oral assessment activity we designed and used as a culminating activity for faculty participants in a professional academic development program. The program offers multiple certificates, and the goal of each certificate is to enhance participants' abilities to design and deliver exceptional student learning experiences. We…

In this article, we, as 3 faculty members in the English for Speakers of Other Languages Program at the Community College of Baltimore County, reflect on our experiences of transforming online and remote classrooms into a community during the pandemic and examine the literature that underscores how classroom community and belonging contribute to…

In the following paper, the author identifies two overarching challenges in developing effective online learning courses and provides an easy to implement framework to address them. The first challenge is that social activity, a key aspect to learning, often falls short in the development of online learning courses. The second challenge is student…

The song 'La ballata dell'amore cieco (o della vanità)' (1966), by Italian singer-songwriter Fabrizio De André (1940-1999), offers students opportunities to practise their language skills, stimulate their cultural appreciation, and expand their knowledge of a musical and poetic form (the ballad), while reflecting on the close connection between…

A literature review on approaches to a final course session reveals a dearth of attention to the issue. Options for last-day activities fall into three categories: professor-centered, activity-focused, and student-driven. Using the criterion that meaningful course closure calls for last-day activities that engage students in reflection not only…