Open Teaching Initiative: Fall 2017

The Open Teaching Initiative: Class Visit Exchange

The Graduate Center’s Teaching and Learning Center’s Open Teaching Initiative (OTI) fosters cross-disciplinary dialogues about teaching among Graduate Center student instructors. In the Fall of 2017, the OTI offers the Class Visit Exchange which pairs GC instructors for reciprocal classroom visits and conversations about teaching. In the Spring, experienced GC instructors will open their classrooms to GC instructors during Open Classroom Week.

The Class Visit Exchange pairs GC student instructors who are interested in exploring and discussing instructional methods for a reciprocal classroom visit with another GC student. Observing how other instructors develop and implement lessons, manage discussions, utilize classroom space and technology, and mix instructional methods can be inspiring and help an instructor learn new pedagogical approaches. The OTI creates a forum to build cross-disciplinary pedagogical exchange among GC instructors while offering instructors an opportunity to strengthen their teaching community as well as discuss the advantages and challenges of various methods within the CUNY Classroom.

The TLC will select and pair applicants in order to expose GC students to new teaching practices and methodologies. The pairs will participate in a reciprocal classroom visit, participate in a workshop to discuss their experiences, and write a collaborative entry with their partner reflecting on the exchange for the Teaching and Learning Center’s blog, Visible Pedagogy. Reflections from last year’s Open Teaching Initiative can be found here.

Following the Class Visit Exchange, participants will attend a workshop to discuss their experiences and write a collaborative entry with their partner reflecting on the exchange for the Teaching and Learning Center’s Visible Pedagogy. Participants will receive $250 for their participation and reflection.

Requirements
All Graduate Center students in good standing and currently teaching at CUNY during the Fall 2017 semester are eligible to apply to participate in the Class Visit Exchange. Participants must be able to open their classroom and visit their partner’s class between Nov. 1st-Nov. 22nd.

To Apply
Application Deadline: Friday, October 20th

Please submit the following materials as a single PDF to tlc@gc.cuny.edu. Please name your PDF attachment β€œLastnameFirstname.OTI.pdf”

  • Applicant Information: name, program at the GC, contact information (email, mailing address, and phone number).
  • A 250-word statement that explicitly indicates the type of instructional methods you use in your courses (discussion, group work, visual aids, lecture, etc) and those you’d like to learn more about.
  • Syllabus for current course
  • A short CV (no longer than two pages)

Criteria for Evaluation
Applications for the Class Visit Exchange will be assessed based on:

  • clarity of articulation of instructional methods
  • specificity of goals for visiting a colleague’s class and opening your classroom
  • Schedule flexibility