We're pleased to present the latest issue of The Prospect (Issue 8), a CNDLS publication designed to highlight innovative teaching practice at Georgetown.
Download PDFs of past issues of The Prospect:
illustration by Clare Reid We’re in a historical moment where creativity is sorely needed from as many people as possible so that we can effectively confront the challenges of our time. And yet, for the most part, we have become accustomed to the idea that creativity is a characteristic of the individual; some individuals have… Read more »
illustrations by Clare Reid As a student, graduate associate, social justice advocate, daughter, and friend, I’ve considered the importance of antiracism from all facets of my life. Because I am in a privileged position working and studying at Georgetown, I find myself reflecting on my responsibility to educate myself and those around me, share resources,… Read more »
illustration by Clare Reid So many of us are doing rigorous individual work to become more effective antiracists in our relationships and in our courses. As we do so, we also need to examine the crucial role that institutions play in the perpetuation of racism. That includes institutions of higher education; we know that very… Read more »
illustration by Clare Reid It’s obvious enough that we’re living through difficult times. We see those difficulties in the news, in the streets, on social media, in our families and friend circles, and in our (virtual) classrooms as well. For teachers, one of the questions at hand is how this fact is supposed to shape… Read more »
illustration by Clare Reid I created a growing antiracist reading list because of a desire to be engaged in the movement for social equity and an end to institutionalized racism and violence. General anti-racist reading lists are helpful, but there is also a need to examine and challenge institutionalized racism in specific fields, and to… Read more »
illustration by Clare Reid I often talk to faculty about the importance of explaining what they’re looking for in the tests, papers, and projects they assign to students—and sometimes I get pushback. “Doesn’t that just give them the answers?” they ask. In other words, “Doesn’t that just amount to spoon feeding?” Well, as Balloo and… Read more »
illustration by Clare Reid Whether we find ourselves in face-to-face classrooms or unexpectedly virtual ones, teaching well involves a lot of on-the-job, and frequently self-directed, training. Very few of us who teach in colleges and universities were given formal pedagogical instruction in our graduate programs. Fewer still were given any help thinking through the way… Read more »
illustration by Clare Reid As we continue to move our courses online for the summer semester (and beyond, perhaps), we have an opportunity to think about the various tools and technologies that are at our disposal in order to enhance our students’ learning experience. But it can be overwhelming—with so many tools with so many… Read more »
illustration by Clare Reid In light of the challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Georgetown will not be using this semester’s student evaluations of teaching to help make merit decisions—which actually makes the current moment a good, less-fraught moment to look thoughtfully at this kind of student feedback.
illustration by Clare Reid What we are facing in these times is monumental: moving what we are doing into a distance delivery format online. The task at hand feels in a lot of ways insurmountable; we all know and have read that a regularly-scheduled and planned online course takes 6-12 months to properly design and… Read more »
