My teaching work throughout my years in graduate school took two tracks: traditional teaching work, including sections of composition and literature surveys and gender studies classes; and fellowship work through the CUNY Writing Fellows program and Instructional Technology Fellowship. In both of these fellowship positions, I received intensive training in pedagogical approaches to writing across the curriculum. The two fellowships have worked in tandem to help me build instructional skills that apply not just to English but across disciplines, especially in practical construction of discrete and scaffolded assignments that enhance students’ engagement with class material. My work has been situated at the crossroads of digital humanities and the scholarship of teaching and learning.
As an Instructional Technology Fellow, and now as the Postdoctoral Digital Learning Fellow, I have been part of a learning community at the Macaulay Honors College working to integrate digital projects in our core curriculum of honors seminars. The position has afforded me the opportunity to work with students and faculty not only on technical issues, but to assess tools—including blogs, wikis, movies, photo essays, timelines and more–and tailor projects to their specific needs. I conduct workshops for students, meet with them individually, provide drop-in help for seminar assignments, and help student groups with special projects, such as the Macaulay Messenger, our online student newspaper. I work with faculty to help them articulate class goals, match their needs with existing tools, and give them and their students confidence to build successful multimedia projects. These unique fellowship positions have given me a chance to learn the craft of teaching from experienced professors, and immersed me in a community devoted to exemplary undergraduate education.
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