Teaching + Learning Lab

Compass: An Experiment in Collaboration
2025-11-13 15:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
Lily Tsai, Ford Professor of Political ScienceAdam Albright, Professor of LinguisticsEmily Richmond Pollock, Associate Professor of Music.Leeland Fredlund, Senior Research Support Associate – Compass Course

Compass: An Experiment in Collaboration

Description

Last spring, the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (SHASS) launched the pilot of its new multidisciplinary offering, 21.01 Compass Course: Love, Death, and Taxes: How to Think–and Talk to Others–About Being Human. The course is designed to expose students with the tools of the humanities and social sciences to consider persistent moral and social questions central to the human experience, ultimately guiding them in shaping the kind of humans they want to be and the society they wish to help create. Compass is the result of a multi-year collaboration involving over 30 faculty from 19 departments, led by a core SHASS team and a student advisory board. Members of the Compass team, including Lily Tsai, Adam Albright, Emily Richmond Pollock, and Leela Fredlund, will discuss the challenges and rewards of large collaborations. They will show how collaborative design resulted in a Compass pedagogy that highlights the unexpected results of multidisciplinary conversations and fosters faculty vulnerability through the teaching of unfamiliar topics, transforming the class into a true collaboration between faculty and students.

All are welcome. Registration is required.

About the Speakers

Lily L. Tsai is the Director and Founder of the MIT Governance Lab (MIT GOV/LAB) and the Ford Professor of Political Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), as well as the former Chair of the MIT Faculty. Her research focuses on accountability, governance, and political participation in developing contexts, particularly in Asia and Africa. In 2014, she founded MIT GOV/LAB, a group of social and behavioral scientists and design researchers who develop and test innovations in citizen engagement and government responsiveness. By focusing on how and why citizens become active in engaging their governments, Tsai aims to bridge researcher and practitioner communities by developing learning collaborations that can respond to governance challenges using empirical evidence in real time. Tsai has written two books, When People Want Punishment: Retributive Justice and the Puzzle of Authoritarian Popularity, and Accountability Without Democracy: Solidarity Groups and Public Goods Provision in Rural China, as well as articles in The American Political Science Review, The Journal of Politics, Comparative Political Studies, Political Behavior, Comparative Politics, and World Development.

Emily Richmond Pollock is an Associate Professor of Music. Emily’s research focuses particularly on conservatism, the historicization of modernist musical value, operatic institutions, and the relationship between modern musical style and convention. Emily joined Music and Theater Arts in 2012 and regularly teaches 21M.011 Introduction to Western Music and courses on opera, the twentieth century, and the symphonic repertoire, as well as the Advanced Seminar for music majors. She is currently the music major advisor and has served in the past as a Burchard Faculty Fellow and as an advisor to first-years and music concentrators. She remains an active amateur oboist, performing with the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra and the Mercury Orchestra.

Adam Albright received his BA in linguistics from Cornell University in 1996 and his Ph.D. in linguistics from UCLA in 2002. He was a Faculty Fellow at the University of California, Santa Cruz from 2002-2004, and is currently a Professor at MIT. His research interests include phonology, morphology, and learnability, with an emphasis on using computational modeling and experimental techniques to investigate issues in phonological theory. Other interests include: Yiddish phonology and morphology; Lakhota phonology and morphology (and many other topics in Lakhota); and the proper treatment of historical change within Optimality Theory.

Application Period for the IAP 2026 Subject Design Track
2025-12-01 12:00 - 2025-12-07 23:59
About the Program

The Subject Design Track is a sequence of three interactive 2-hour workshops focused on course design. Participants will learn to build a course by first identifying goals and then organizing assignments and content to align with these goals. Over the course of the program, participants will develop a syllabus for a course of their choice with feedback from the instructor. All workshops will take place on Zoom.

Visit our page on Grad Teaching Development Tracks to learn more.

Workshop TitleIntended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)Date & TimeDefine Your Goals and ScopeDescribe the elements of the backward design process.Identify and articulate learning outcomes for a course you wish to teach.Identify evidence of a supportive learning environment in existing syllabi.Thu, Jan 15, 2:00 – 4:00 pm (ET)Plan Your AssessmentsOutline a unit from the course you wish to teach, including unit-level learning outcomes that align with course-level outcomes and a narrative description of the unit.Identify an appropriate summative assessment method that aligns with discipline priorities and the intended learning outcomes of the unit.Design assessments that support belonging and equity. Outline a unit from the course you wish to teach, including unit-level learning outcomes that align with course-level outcomes and a narrative description of the unit.Thu, Jan 22, 2:00 – 4:00 pm (ET)Draft Your SyllabusDescribe how a student-centered syllabus differs from a content-centered syllabus.Articulate course policies that align with learning outcomes and teaching philosophy.Write a student-centered syllabus based on components developed over the course of the Subject Design TrackThu, Jan 29, 2:00 – 4:00 pm (ET)FacilitatorBen Hansberry, Associate Director for Graduate Student Teaching, Teaching + Learning Lab

How to Apply

The application window will be open from 12:00 noon Monday, December 1, through 11:59 pm Sunday, December 7. Participants from previous workshop tracks are given priority. The remaining applications will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications must be received by the deadline to be considered.

Please note: The apply button will not work until the application window opens.

Apply

Application Period for the Spring 2026 Kaufman Teaching Certificate Program
2025-12-01 12:00 - 2025-12-19 23:59
About the Program

The Kaufman Teaching Certificate Program (KTCP) is an interactive workshop series intended for late-program graduate students and postdocs interested in academic careers or developing skills to support their teaching at MIT.

Application

The application includes these two short-answer questions. You may wish to draft your answers (1500 character limit for each) before beginning your application.

Describe your teaching responsibilities in the next two semesters (If applicable).

What are two teaching practices or skills you hope to learn by completing this program?

Priority will be given to applicants who are in their final year of graduate or postdoctoral studies.

The application window will be open from 12:00 noon, Monday, December 1, through 11:59 pm, Friday, December 19.

For more information about the program and frequently asked questions, please visit the KTCP page. If you have additional questions or encounter difficulty with the application, please contact Dan Nocivelli.

Please note: The button is not active until the application opens.

APPLY

Departmental Action Teams (DATs) Info Session
2026-01-16 11:00 - 12:00
Departmental Action Teams (DATs) support broad-scale and sustainable improvements in undergraduate education through either curriculum revision (what is taught) or pedagogical changes (how it is taught). This model is of particular interest to the selection committee for the Alex and Brit d’Arbeloff Fund for Excellence in Education.

In this webinar, Drs. Ruthann Thomas and Raechel Soicher will provide a brief overview of the goals, structure, and process for creating and sustaining Departmental Action Teams (DATs) to identify and implement curricular and/or pedagogical changes that improve undergraduate education. There will be ample time to ask questions and discuss potential proposals.

Additional information on the Departmental Action Team is available at https://tll.mit.edu/departmental-action-teams/. Reach out to tll-dat@mit.edu with any questions.

IAP 2026 Teaching Days
2026-01-26 08:00 - 2026-01-30 19:00
Registration is now open!

IAP 2026 Teaching Days: Monday, January 26 through Friday, January 30

Before the start of each semester, TLL offers a series of workshops for TAs and teacher trainees to help them prepare for the roles and responsibilities of teaching at MIT. Topics include giving feedback, presenting a class session, and facilitating office hours, among other practical subjects related to teaching. Please visit our Teaching Days page to view the full schedule and detailed descriptions of the workshops.

What Happens in the Classroom is the Main Event
2026-02-24 14:00 - 15:00
Photo: MIT Image Library

Dr. Carlo Rotella, Professor of English, American Studies, and Journalism at Boston College

Description

What happens in the classroom is getting more, not less, cutting-edge all the time. Face-to-face teaching and learning become rarer and more valuable with each advance in educational technology. At the same time, the higher-ed classroom is a black box in our culture. There’s no lack of strong opinions about what happens or doesn’t happen there, but not enough practical discussion of the details. This talk is about those details, especially the mechanics of classroom citizenship and the importance of building a community of inquiry.

About the Speaker

Dr. Carlo Rotella, Professor of English, American Studies, and Journalism at Boston College

Carlo Rotella is a professor of English, American Studies, and Journalism at Boston College. He writes regularly for the New York Times Magazine — most recently an essay on teaching English in the age of AI — and his work has also appeared in the New Yorker and Best American Essays. A recipient of a Guggenheim fellowship, U.S. State Department grants to lecture in China and Bosnia, and the Whiting Writers Award, he has written books about the postindustrial city, boxing, blues, and urban literature and film, among other subjects. His latest book, What Can I Get Out of This?: Teaching and Learning in a Classroom Full of Skeptics, is about what happens in the classroom.

Application Period for the Spring 2026 Inclusive Teaching Track
2026-03-02 12:00 - 2026-03-08 23:59
About the Program

The Inclusive Teaching Track is a sequence of two interactive workshops focused on cultivating equitable and welcoming classrooms in which all students can learn and reach their potential. Participants will reflect on their own experiences and perspectives and learn evidence-based strategies to design structured and relational learning experiences. By the end of the track, participants will be able to apply principles of inclusive teaching to plan a teaching practice or learning activity that will make classrooms more equitable in future teaching or education-related careers in higher education.

Workshop Schedule

Inclusive Teaching as a Mindset

Thursday, April 2, 1 – 3 pm

In the first workshop, we will define inclusive teaching and use it to evaluate common approaches to teaching in our disciplines. By introducing specific strategies, we will learn ways to invite students into the learning experience to be responsive to the diversity in the classroom. We will practice skills in evaluating a teaching practice to promote more inclusive classroom dynamics and to consider how your own identities impact your perspectives on teaching.

Principles and Strategies in Inclusive Teaching

Thursday, April 16, 1 – 3 pm

In this workshop, we will discuss research that informs students’ sense of belonging and delve into principles of inclusive teaching. We will work together to apply these principles by planning how to clearly communicate the purpose of learning, build a sense of community, and signal the importance of diverse perspectives. Through the application of key principles of inclusive teaching, participants will identify concrete strategies to create a structured and relational classroom in which all students can learn and reach their potential.

How to Apply

Any graduate student is welcome to apply. Applications must be received by 11:59 PM ET on Sunday, March 8, to be considered. If you have additional questions or encounter difficulty with the application, please contact Ben Hansberry.

Please note that the Apply button will not work until the application is open.

When and Why Do Students Read for Class?
2026-03-10 15:30 - 16:30
Note: Change in day and time from the announcement in the TLL newsletter.

Dr. Liz Norell, Associate Director of Instructional Support in the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) at the University of Mississippi.

Description

Drawing on survey data and focus group findings from a spring 2025 pilot project, this workshop will present the top reasons students say they skip readings in their undergraduate courses. Dr. Norell will then share strategies on how to make the goals of course readings more transparent and meaningful for students, with plenty of time for Q&A. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of students’ perspectives on course readings and ideas for how to frame the importance of the readings so students can engage with course materials more effectively.

Open to the MIT teaching community. Space is limited.

About the Speaker

Dr. Liz Norell serves as Associate Director of Instructional Support in the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) at the University of Mississippi. She has spent more than 20 years teaching in higher education, including stints in composition, journalism, new media, and political science — much of it as an adjunct faculty member teaching simultaneously at multiple institutions, including community colleges. She completed a PhD in political science at the University of Texas at Dallas. Liz’s first book, The Present Professor: Authenticity and Transformational Teaching, was published by the University of Oklahoma Press’s brand-new series, Teaching, Engaging, and Thriving in Higher Ed, co-edited by James Lang and Michelle Miller. Liz is passionate about equitable, inclusive teaching, constructive conversations across differences, and fostering meaningful learning. She is also dedicated to boosting awareness of disability in higher education. You can find Liz on social media (@liznorell) and at her website, liznorell.com.

Leveraging the Power of Feedback for Student Motivation and Equity: An Evidence-Based and Practical Perspective
2026-03-19 14:00 - 15:00
By Olena/Adobe Stock

Dr. Alison Koenka, Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Oklahoma

Description

Academic feedback–or messages provided to learners about their performance–is a powerful tool that instructors can leverage to boost student learning and motivation and to create more equitable college classrooms. High-quality feedback provides learners with valuable information about their current performance and guidance on how to improve. However, researchers have found that many students fail to engage with feedback or respond negatively to it, especially when it is negative or critical. Subsequently, feedback can either support or hinder students’ learning and motivation, as well as the overall rigor and equity of the classroom environment.

Dr. Alison Koenka will broaden our understanding of feedback, presenting it as a multi-level phenomenon that goes beyond comments on graded assignments. She will share research on how different forms of feedback shape students’ motivation and learning, and how students engage with feedback. The talk will conclude with actionable suggestions to enhance the effectiveness of feedback provided to students and to support students’ engagement with feedback.

About the Speaker

Dr. Alison Koenka is an Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Oklahoma. She holds a BA in Psychology from McGill University and a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from Duke University. Koenka completed her postdoctoral training in Educational Psychology at The Ohio State University. Her research explores students’ motivation in STEM across secondary school and higher education settings. Dr. Koenka’s lab pursues these interests through two interrelated lines of inquiry. First, she and her students investigate the motivational consequences of academic feedback, including spontaneous interactions occurring between teachers and students, grades and written feedback, and implicit, enduring feedback that often occurs at curriculum and/or policy levels (e.g., mathematics tracking). Second, her lab conducts work that centers on the motivational experiences of youth from understudied populations. This research has been funded by the William T. Grant Foundation, the American Educational Research Association, and the American Psychological Association.

Dr. Koenka was ranked as a top-producing early-career scholar in educational psychology journals from 2015-2021; she was also identified in 2024 as a Top-Cited Global Researcher by Stanford University and Elsevier Repository. Dr. Koenka is the 2025 recipient of the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education Early Career Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Mentoring and is the 2024 recipient of the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education Pre-Tenure Faculty Award.

Developing Judgment to Address Wicked Problems in Engineering
2026-04-07 15:00 - 16:00
Aaron W. Johnson, SM ’10, PhD ’15, Assistant Professor, Aerospace Engineering & Core Faculty member of the Engineering Education Research Program, University of Michigan

Special guest speaker co-hosted with Aero-Astro

Engineers constantly face “wicked problems,” ill-defined and complex sociotechnical problems with undefined and often-shifting constraints and requirements. Many students enter engineering to tackle these wicked problems in their future careers; however, the well-defined, closed-ended, and decontextualized problems prevalent in undergraduate engineering education do not allow students to develop the judgment and critical thinking needed to address them.

Dr. Aaron Johnson will discuss a method to help engineering students develop the judgment needed to address wicked problems. He will share design-based research that studies learning in the context of new educational interventions. Specifically, the talk will focus on his work designing group-based open-ended problems in engineering science courses and creating a related taxonomy of emerging engineering modeling judgment. This taxonomy outlines how engineering students make informed decisions when developing and using mathematical models to address open-ended problems in class and on student project teams. The talk will conclude with practical implications for engineering education, particularly as they relate to the ever-expanding availability and capability of generative AI, and future research directions.

About the Speaker

Aaron W. Johnson is an Assistant Professor in the Aerospace Engineering Department and a Core Faculty member of the Engineering Education Research Program at the University of Michigan. He leads the SHUTTLE Lab, which conducts Studies of Holistic Understanding, Thinking, Teaching, and Learning in Engineering. The lab’s NSF-funded design-based research focuses on how to re-contextualize engineering science courses to better reflect and prepare students for the reality of ill-defined, sociotechnical engineering practice. Their current projects include studying and designing classroom interventions around macroethical issues in aerospace engineering and the productive beginnings of engineering judgment as students create and use mathematical models. Ph.D. students in the SHUTTLE Lab are also studying students’ perceptions of professional skills and the social-class worldview and experience of engineering students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds. Aaron holds a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Prior to re-joining Michigan, he was an instructor in Aerospace Engineering Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder.
