Teaching in Action: Open Classroom Series

In the spirit of fostering a culture of open discussion and continual improvement of teaching, experienced teachers across campus invite you to observe them at work in their classrooms.

This year’s participants are the first graduates of the Maroon Academy for Teaching Excellence, having recently earned their certificates. Many of them will be showcasing best practices they learned or refined during the program, providing an inspiring opportunity to observe evidence-based teaching strategies in action.

Katie Doughty

Class Title and Number: EN 1113-01 English Composition II
Days, Time, and Location: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11-12:15pm, in Allen 268
Open Classroom Dates: February 6th-27th any day, excluding February 4th, February 20th, and the week of March 4th.
About the Class: English Composition II is an introductory general education course emphasizing the expanded study of and practice in stylistics and critical thinking with focus on analysis, argument, and multi-modality through research. This course aims to incorporate strategies in inclusive teaching, scaffolding, active learning, and self-reflection to aid student motivation through the research project process.

Cody Fondren

Class Title and Number: FLG 1123 German II
Days, Time, and Location: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 1-1:50pm in Swalm 205
Open Classroom Dates: February 3rd-March 4th any day, excluding February 6th, February 10th and February 27th.
About the Class: German II enhances communication skills and cultural awareness with an emphasis on real-world applications. Observations will include lessons on recycling and childhood experiences, incorporating active learning, collaborative group work, and cultural discussions to engage students.

Jeanette Fontaine

Class Title and Number: TBA
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Amy Fountain

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Abigail Good

Class Title and Number: MA 1413 Structure of the Real Number System
Days, Time, and Location: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 11-11:50am in Allen 17 and/or Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:30-10:45am in Allen 18
Open Classroom Dates: February 10 – 24 any day
About the Class: This mathematics course, specifically designed for Elementary and Special Education majors, incorporates active learning techniques like think-pair-share, group discussions, and educational activities to engage students in learning how to teach mathematics to young children through the development of the structure of the real number system.

Evan Kaplan

Class Title and Number: BIO 1134 Biology I
Days, Time, and Location: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 12:30-1:45pm in Harned 102
Open Classroom Dates: February 4-March 4 any day, excluding February 18th

Class Title and Number: BIO 2103 Cell Biology
Days, Time, and Location: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 11-11:50am in Harned 102
Open Classroom Dates: February 3rd-March 5th any day, excluding February 12th.

About the Classes: BIO 1134 (Biology I) and BIO 2103 (Cell Biology) are foundational STEM courses that introduce key concepts in general biology and cell biology, respectively. BIO 1134 is designed for BIO and pre-health students with little prior background, covering a broad range of topics. BIO 2103, on the other hand, is intended for students who have already gained a basic understanding of cell biology through BIO 1134, and delves deeper into these concepts. Both courses follow a traditional lecture format but incorporate engaging and relatable teaching methods, including analogies and visual aids, to help students grasp complex material.

Matthew Kilpatrick

Class Title and Number: MA/ST 2113 Introduction to Statistics
Days, Time, and Location: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11-11:50am in McCool 124, or Wednesdays and Fridays 11-11:50am in McCool 100
Open Classroom Dates: February 11th through February 28th
About the Class: Introduction to Statistics is a one-term course that is required for many majors across campus. The goal of the course is to teach students introductory statistics measures (mean, median, mode, standard deviation), organization of data, probability basics, normally distributed data and interpretations, and the applications of these topics for solutions in one population mean. This course incorporates learning techniques such as group examples for probability concepts, in class examples of problem solving, and methods for visualization of statistical problems.

Aswathy Rai

Class Title and Number: TBA
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Kim Smith

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Emily Stinson

Class Title and Number: EN 2990 Crime and Culture
Days, Time, and Location: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11-12:15pm in Old Main 3030
Open Classroom Dates: February 4th-March 4th any day, excluding February 11th and February 13th.
About the Class: In EN 2990: Crime and Culture, students will become familiar with the genre of crime and mystery writing, assess the influence of historical events on the genre, and examine how the genre intersects with and is influenced by the social, political, and literary cultures of its time. Examples of active learning in EN 2990 might include self-assessments, large-group and small-group discussions, think-pair-share activities, author presentations, games, and in-class activities.

Sean Stokes

Class Title and Number: CH 4523 Organic Chemistry 2
Days, Time, and Location: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 10-10:50am in Hand Lab 2231
Open Classroom Dates: February 5th-February 26th any day, excluding February 10th and February 12th for exam review.
About the Class: CH 4523 (Organic Chemistry 2) is an advanced undergraduate course that builds on foundational organic chemistry principles to explore more complex reactions, mechanisms, and synthetic strategies. The course emphasizes critical thinking and problem-solving in organic synthesis, reaction mechanisms, and the interpretation of spectroscopic data. Observers in CH 4523 will witness active learning practices, such as the regular use of a document camera for in-class problem-solving, which promotes interactive discussions and collaborative learning. Additionally, scaffolded problem-solving techniques are employed that will guide students through a gradual progression from simpler to more complex problems related to organic synthesis and reaction mechanisms.

J. Bryan Whittenton

Class Title and Number: PSS/ABE 2543 Precision Agriculture I
Days, Time, and Location: Mondays and Wednesdays, 1-1:50pm, in Ag. & Bio Engineering 141
Open Classroom Dates: February 3rd-March 5th any day, excluding February 19th and February 24th for exams.
About the Class: This course is an exploration of technology driven decision-making in agriculture through a blend of traditional lectures, case studies, and class discussions.