Spring 2021

Tech Tuesdays & Thoughtful Thursdays
During the Spring 2021 semester, ACERT’s Lunchtime Seminars will still be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but sessions will only last from 12-1pm. Tech Tuesdays will introduce one or two tech tools during a short 15-20 minute presentation followed by Q&A and discussion. Thoughtful Thursdays will provide space for instructors to reflect on a range of topics related to distance learning and our experiences teaching during the COVID pandemic. There will also be a short 15-20 minute presentation followed by an open discussion on Thoughtful Thursdays. The opening presentations during Tech Tuesdays and some Thoughtful Thursdays will be recorded and posted on the ACERT website. No part of the Q&A or discussion will be recorded.
See recordings of Fall 2020 seminars
Tech Tuesdays - Spring 2021
Date & Time Title & Presenter/s Description Links
02/16/2021; Module available 12:00pm Async Done AsyncAn asynchronous module (a series of activities that students complete at their own pace) can be a great way to add variation and flexibility to your course, and save the day when the calendar is off (like this week!). Join us for our very first asynch lunchtime seminar, and learn about the tools you can use to create engaging and effective asynch materials for your courses. You can complete this asynch module, made available this week, at your own pace.Module
02/23/2021; 12-1pm Adding “Stop and React” Moments to Sync and Async

Laura Baecher (Curriculum and Teaching)

In this Tech Tuesday, we will explore a number of free and fun ed tech tools that allow you to create interactivity as you present either live or in an async session. These “stop and react” moments engage your students, provide them a chance to pause and reflect on their learning, and offer you formative assessment insights. Recording
03/02/2021; 12-1pm Using Social Media in the Classroom

Sarah Byosiere (Psychology); Michael Fisher (Women and Gender Studies); Kathie Cheng (English)

Join us as we discuss including social media based assignments in the classroom! In this Tech Tuesday Hunter College instructors will share their tips and suggestions for utilizing tools like Twitter and Instagram as a part of their course. Recording

Resource

03/09/2021; 12-1pm Assessment with Gradescope: getting the best out of old-school assessment with cutting-edge technology

Kelle Cruz (Physics & Astronomy); Partha Deb (Economics & Accounting)

Gradescope is a web-based tool that streamlines and standardizes assessment and grading in large and small classes, combining old school aspects of assessment and grading (pencil on paper, working / writing things out) with AI-assisted grading and computerized organization of submissions and grades. Instructors from different fields share how they are using this software in their courses.Recording
03/16/2021; 12-1pm Creating Podcasts for Research and Classes

Gina Riley (SPED); Kevin Currie Knight (ECU)

Podcasts are a fun and easy way to enhance your digital presence and make research accessible. You can also create podcasts for your classes! Join Gina and Kevin as they share the story of their podcast, Learning by Living, and discuss the tools needed to podcast from your home.Recording
03/23/2021 12-1pm Alternatives to Zoom for distance learning

Jeff Allred (English); Chris Wells (Environmental Studies/History (Macalester College); Allen Strouse (English); Andie Silva (English, York College + Digital Humanities, GC)

The appeal of Zoom is obvious: it’s easy to learn, allows for extras like chat and small group work, and, if you squint, it sometimes feels almost like real school. But there are problems as well: it’s not that flexible, it’s a bandwidth hog and therefore isn’t fully accessible to all students, and, like anything, it becomes a rut we get stuck in. Three panelists will describe their alternative approaches/platforms, including Slack, Google Docs, and Discord.Recording
04/06/2021 12-1pm Managing group work and presentations online

Sarah Byosiere (Psychology); Jack Kenigsberg (English & RWC)

Group work and presentations can encourage active learning, collaboration, and a sense of community among students. But already in in-person classes this could also require a fair amount of planning – for both instructors and students. In this session, instructors will share their tips and tricks and the tech tools used to successfully manage group work and presentations in their online courses – many of which should work in your future in-person courses as well.Resources
04/13/2021 12-1pm Playful Pedagogy

Jeff Allred (English) Laura Baecher (Curriculum & Teaching)

This panel will explore various ways of making learning more gamelike and/or playful. Integrating play into our teaching is a powerful way to increase student engagement and interaction. We will share examples of activities in which students play their way to mastery (and even design games themselves) using a variety of platforms and techniques.Recording

Presentation

Padlet

04/20/2021 12-1pm Alternatives to Blackboard for distant learning and beyond

Michelle Brochu (Curriculum & Teaching), Diana Melendez (Social Work, The Graduate Center), Julie Van Peteghem (Romance Languages)

For many of us Blackboard is the center of our online classes. And there’s much to like! But maybe there’s something else (less clunky, more visually inviting) out there? A panel of instructors who have used other learning management systems in their courses share their experiences.
04/27/2021 12-1pm First Annual Teaching with Technology Showcase @ Hunter College

Presenter(s): Laura Baecher (Curriculum & Teaching)--organizer

Today we will showcase the innovative teaching with technology happening across all departments, divisions, schools and units of Hunter College! Join us for some “lightning talks” that will spark new approaches for you and re-ignite our appreciation for our amazing faculty @ Hunter!Presentations
Thoughtful Thursdays - Spring 2021
Date & Time Title & Presenter/s Description Links
02/18/2021; 12-1pmStart-of-the-semester Check-in

Julie Van Peteghem (Romance Languages); Paul McPherron (English)

We made it through the first weeks of another semester teaching online! How are things going? How are you doing? For this first Thoughtful Thursday of the semester, join us for an open session to discuss what’s working, what’s not, and what support we need.
02/25/2021; 12-1pm The more things change, the more they stay the same: How adaptable research design can benefit you and your students

Stephanie Margolin (Libraries); Jennifer Newman (Libraries)

Research assignments that consider learning outcomes and scaffold students’ research experiences can help us adapt to the challenges of remote and hybrid learning. As collaborators, librarians and teaching faculty can not only address the content of assignments, but also guide how students approach each research task. This lunchtime seminar will include examples of adaptable research assignments, and will invite brainstorming on how to address challenges the attendees may be facing; e.g. lack of access to print materials, increased class sizes, time management, student engagement, Zoom fatigue.
03/04/2021; 12-1pm Ungrading

Austin Bailey (English); Paul McPherron (English)

A number of prominent voices in the academy have questioned not just how we grade, but why we grade altogether, arguing that we need to “ungrade” and move away from usual modes of grading that send the wrong message to students and discourage deep learning. In this seminar, Austin Bailey will discuss how he incorporates ungrading in his class syllabus and assignments, and we’ll open up a discussion about how, when, and where we might be able to ungrade in our own classes.Recording
03/11/2021; 12-1pm Learning online about online learning: Experiences from the ACUE workshop about Effective Online Teaching Practices

Michaela Soyer (Sociology); Deepsikha Chatterjee (Theatre); Ivana Stanisavljevic (Mathematics and Statistics)

In this seminar, we will discuss the potential impact of the course “Effective Teaching Practices” offered by ACUE (Association of College and University Educators) and its applicability across different disciplines. Having participated in an intensive online training course, we will also debate what kind of training is necessary to become an effective online teacher and whether or not the ACUE course fulfilled its promise.Resources
03/18/2021; 12-1pm Pandemic Productivity

Laura Baecher (Curriculum and Teaching)

Time to stop and take stock of our research agendas and scholarly productivity (remember those?!) Let’s share our tips for productivity mid-semester and during remote teaching/working from home challenges!Resources
03/25/2021; 12-1pm Leveling Up: Intermediate Assessment

Joel Bloom (Office of Assessment); Gina Riley (SPED)

Let’s take assessment to the next level. After a short intro to refresh our knowledge, Joel and Gina will discuss online assessment, hybrid assessment, and what assessment at Hunter will look like post-pandemic.Recording
04/08/2021; 12-1pmStrategies for Leading Classroom Discussion on Race, Identity, and Social Equity

Kahdeidra Martin (Urban Education, Grad Center); Melissa Schieble (SOE); Paul McPherron (English)

In their new book Classroom Talk for Social Change, Melissa Schieble and Kahdeidra Martin offer strategies for leading critical conversations on race, identity, and social equity. In this seminar, the co-authors will summarize these strategies and the talk moves they have identified in their analysis of classroom dialogues. We will then open up the discussion for all to think about ways we can lead critical conversations in our own courses.Recording

Book
04/15/2021; 12-1pm Book Talk: “Nice White Ladies”

Jessie Daniels (Sociology)

On May 25, 2020 a white woman in Central Park called 911 claiming that an African American man was threatening her life (he was not). Video of the encounter went viral and the woman quickly became known as “Central Park Karen.” The same day, and a thousand miles away, George Floyd was murdered as a cell phone video recorded his death under the knee of a police officer. How are these seemingly disparate events connected? Jessie Daniels (Sociology) connects these events, and more, in a conversation about her latest book, Nice White Ladies: The Truth about White Supremacy, Our Role In it, and How We Can Help Dismantle It (fall, 2021, Seal Press).Presentations

Nice White Ladies (Book)

04/22/2021; 12-1pmLooking towards Fall: Tech Takeaways

Gina Riley (SPED); Jennifer Newman (Library); Sarah Ward (Library)

The pandemic has given us all a taste of synchronous and asynchronous online learning. As we prepare for the future, and increased in-person learning, what tech tools and formats will you keep? Which didn’t make the cut?
04/29/2021; 12-1pm Finishing Strong: End-of-the-semester Check-In

Kate Pok-Carabalona (Sociology); Peter Tuckel (Sociology); Gina Riley (Special Education); Shiao-Chuan Kung (Center for Online Learning)

The end of the semester is in sight, and, for some of us, the end of teaching online. Join us for an open discussion as we look back and reflect on our experiences this past semester and celebrate our teaching successes!