Workshops

Do students learn better when they are learning with others? Do they know more, or differently, when that knowledge comes through a collaborator or proxy? And how do we articulate such learning as disciplinary practice–from writing workshops to data-based courses? This workshop offers an epistemological approach to the growing trend toward collaborative or peer-assisted learning in college classrooms–asking what students gain by "vicarious learning," i.e., the acquisition of knowledge through the presence of the non-self. Joining social-cognitive theory to the presenter’s own work in theater and writing pedagogy, the session offers both a working paradigm and some hands-on practical guidance to instructors wishing to explore avenues for vicarious learning within their assignments and course design.

How can students become partners for your innovative course design? What does a conversational interview with students look like? How can student voice be translated into inclusive pedagogy practices? Student voice is a valuable tool for pedagogical innovation, but it can be difficult to engage these perspectives directly. This workshop will provide participants with a plan and a space to do so, through facilitated conversational interviews with undergraduate students. Participants will also learn more about the importance of building a student-faculty partnership, how to listen to student voices productively, and how to parse their conversations into action plans for their teaching.