PANEL & ROUNDTABLE: Teaching Introductory Identity Based and Social Justice Courses: Challenges and Successes (40 mins)

David Corwin; LaShonda Anthony; Courtney Diener; Sharrell Hassel-Goodman; Eric Ross

doi:10.13021/itlcp.2020.2760

Authors

David Corwin George Mason University
LaShonda Anthony George Mason University
Courtney Diener George Mason University
Sharrell Hassel-Goodman George Mason University
Eric Ross George Mason University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.13021/itlcp.2020.2760

Abstract

In this workshop, participants will have space and gain insight on best practices, challenges, and successes that faculty in interdisciplinary, social justice related disciplines have had in crafting basic level (100-200) courses. While larger disciplines have professional development opportunities and scholarship to look to in their curriculum development, there is very little SOTL work that focuses on the basic level social justice course. Faculty from Women and Gender Studies and Integrative Studies will discuss their experiences teaching 100 and 200 level gateway and Mason Core courses with class sizes of 20-40 and their challenges and successes in creating safe, engaging, inclusive and fun spaces for students. The faculty present will discuss their experiences teaching WMST 100: Global Representations of Women; WMST 200: Introduction to Women and Gender Studies; WMST 208: Introduction to LGBTQ Studies; and INTS 101: Narratives of Identity. Faculty will provide activities and assignments that have worked for them through multiple iterations of their courses as well as how some assignments are grounded in feminist pedagogies. Participants will have the opportunity to brainstorm and create specific activities for their students based on the content they are presented with from their facilitator team. This roundtable will also be a space for participants to discuss their own challenges and success in teaching these types of courses through dialogue and learning by doing activities.

Author Biographies

David Corwin, George Mason University

David holds a B.A. in English and Humanities from Milligan College and an MAIS in Women and Gender Studies and an MA in English literature, both from Mason. They are also currently a doctoral student in the Writing and Rhetoric Program at Mason, where their dissertation research looks at the rhetoric of trauma and friendships in Post 2010 television.

They began their role in Women and Gender Studies in 2013 where they served as the graduate assistant for the program. In addition to this role, they served in LGBTQ Resources from 2014-2015 and in 2016 was hired on full time as the program coordinator for Women and Gender Studies. Beginning in 2019, David accepted a full time faculty position in the program which includes being Associate Director. In their current role, they teach 6 courses a year, supervise all of the staff in the program, coordinate the course schedule and catalog revisions, keep the space open, and advise our undergraduate students. They have also taught composition courses at Northern Virginia Community College.

LaShonda Anthony, George Mason University

LaShonda Anthony began at George Mason University in July 2012 as an Assistant Director in Housing and Residence Life and currently serves as Director for Academic Integrity and Initiatives in University Life. Dr. Anthony has worked in higher education for over 18 years at many institutions, including Augustana College, Western Washington University, University of Wisconsin Green Bay, Grand Valley State University, and State University of New York at Oswego. Dr. Anthony's primary research interests include the intersection of spirituality and higher education environments and diversity in higher education.

She completed her BS in Psychology at Grand Valley State University, her MS in Counseling at Western Illinois University, and a PhD in Educational Leadership with a focus on Higher Education Administration from Western Michigan University.

Courtney Diener, George Mason University

Courtney Diener serves as an Associate Director in the Student Support and Advocacy Center at George Mason University where she oversees sexual and interpersonal violence prevention and response and Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs and Recovery. She received her master's degree in social work from Case Western Reserve University and dual bachelor's degrees in social work and education from Bowling Green State University. She is currently working towards her Ph.D. in Education with a specialization in Higher Education at Mason.

Sharrell Hassel-Goodman, George Mason University

Sharrell Hassell-Goodman is a full time PhD candidate at George Mason University pursuing a degree in Higher Education with a concentration in Women and Gender Studies and Social Justice. Sharrell has taught courses in the School of Integrative Studies on identity, social justice, and social science research. Her current research interests are first-generation college students, Black women in higher education, social justice advocates in higher education, identity and leadership, and critical participatory action research.

Eric Ross, George Mason University

Eric W. Ross is a PhD candidate in Cultural Studies at George Mason University. He holds a B.A. in English from Carthage College and an M.A. in American Studies from the University of South Florida. His research interests include: American Studies, museum studies, memory studies, political subjectivity, and cultural policy. He has been a graduate instructor with the School of Integrative Studies since 2017, primarily teaching introductory social justice courses.