Ethics/Values – L4: Living Lab Learning Library

May 29, 2026

The Community Impact Campaign

Amera-Rime Lulu

Tech and Design

COMD 2400 Communication Design 2

Activity Description: Provide a brief description of the activity

Project Goal:
Students work in groups of three to identify a local community problem or partner with a non-profit to advocate for change.

The Process:
Students visit a specific location in their community to document a community problem via photography and fill out a creative brief on how they will advocate for this problem

Creative Execution:
Students develop a cohesive campaign including posters, billboards, and sustainable merchandise (ex. T-shirts) to advocate for the issue.

Learning Goals: What do you aim to achieve with this activity?

Core Competency: Integrative Learning—bridging field research (social reality) with design execution (creative skill sets).

Course Objective: To introduce creative strategy and divergent thinking to solve complex social and business problems.

Timing: At what point in the lesson or semester do you use this activity? How much classroom time do you devote to it? How much out-of-class time is expected?

This activity served as the final project for the course and occupied the final month of the semester. It kicks off right after Spring Break on Tuesday, April 14th, and culminates in the final presentations on Tuesday, May 26th.
Placing it at the end of the term ensured that students have already mastered core design principles, software basics, and conceptual thinking before they are asked to execute a full, multi-touchpoint campaign.

Over this 6-week period, a substantial portion of each class session is dedicated to the project.
* Total Class Sessions: ~12 sessions (assuming a twice-a-week schedule).
* In-Class Structure: Class time is split between brief lectures on campaign strategy/sustainable design, peer critiques, and structured workshop time.
* Instructor Milestones: Specific studio days are locked in for creative brief reviews, initial layout crits, and pre-flight checks for the merchandise and poster mockups.

Because this project involved fieldwork and high-fidelity asset creation, the out-of-class expectations where rigorous, averaging 4–6 hours per week per student. This time is divided into distinct phases:

Phase 1: Research & Briefing (Week 1-2) Group coordination, visiting the local community site to document the issue via photography, and collaborating on the creative brief.

Phase 2: Execution & Asset Creation (Weeks 3-5)Individual asset design (typesetting posters, building billboard layouts, and sourcing sustainable merchandise templates).

Phase 3: Production & Pitch Prep (Week 6) Finalizing the cohesive campaign presentation deck and rehearsing the group pitch for the final presentation on May 26th.

Logistics: What preparation is needed for this activity? What instructions do you give students? Is the activity low-stakes, high-stakes, or something else?

To prepare for the April 14th launch, my backend prep focuses on establishing the core infrastructure: setting up shared Dropbox folders, publishing our custom presentation outline template on OpenLab, and curating a solid bank of clean design templates (billboards, tote bags, and apparel) so students can focus on visual strategy rather than hunting for assets. Because this project is multi-layered, I intentionally build strict interim milestones into our schedule—forcing early deadlines for site photography and creative briefs—to keep our design trios moving smoothly toward our May 26th deadline.

When I pitch this to the class, I frame it as a professional creative agency challenge rather than a typical classroom assignment. My instructions are explicit: "Form your groups of three, instantly delegate roles based on your strengths, and get out into the community to document a real problem." I push them to look beyond making "pretty things" and to map out a clear community user journey—ensuring that their social assets, OOH posters, and sustainable merchandise function as a single, cohesive visual identity system that drives measurable advocacy. I remind them that their final delivery is a high-fidelity, live team pitch accompanied by a beautifully formatted PDF presentation deck uploaded to Dropbox, where every member has an equal voice.

Because this project serves as the definitive final project for the class that synthesizes everything we’ve covered all semester—from complex visual hierarchy to target audience strategy—it is a high-stakes assessment. It accounts for a major portion of their final grade because it assesses their readiness for the industry and requires them to produce a comprehensive, integrated portfolio piece. To respect those high stakes, my assessment criteria don't just look at execution in a vacuum; the rubric explicitly grades them on creative innovation, strategic alignment, seamless visual cohesion across all channels, and the vital professional soft skills of collaboration and presentation delivery.

Assessment: How do you assess this activity? What assessment measures do you use? Do you use a VALUE rubric? If not, how did you develop your rubric? Is your course part of the college-wide general education assessment initiative?

I developed our project rubric by adapting those exact institutional standards—specifically drawing from the Teamwork, Creative Thinking, and Oral Communication VALUE Rubrics—and blending them with industry-standard design agency expectations.

Because this is a multi-channel advocacy campaign, I grade the project across five core pillars, balancing technical execution, strategy, and professional soft skills:

* Strategic Alignment: How well does the campaign strategy align with the core community problem and the target audience identified in the Phase 1 Creative Brief?

* Creativity and Innovation: The originality, visual impact, and conceptual strength of the overall integrated campaign concept.

* Integration and Cohesion: The seamless continuity of the visual identity system. The social media posts, large-scale OOH billboards/posters, and sustainable merchandise must feel like they belong to the exact same brand experience.

* Collaboration and Teamwork: Peer and instructor evaluations of how effectively the trio collaborated, communicated, and equitably shared the out-of-class production workload.

* Presentation Skills: The clarity, persuasiveness, and professionalism displayed during the live team pitch, ensuring all members contribute equally.

Reflection: How well did this activity work in your classroom? Would you repeat it? Why or why not? What challenges did you encounter, and how did you address them? What, if anything, would you change? What did students seem to enjoy about the activity?

Looking back at how this final month played out, this final campaign was an incredibly rewarding experience. Seeing my students realize that design isn’t just about making commercial assets, but a powerful tool for civic engagement and social good, was the absolute highlight of the semester.

I would absolutely repeat this project. It worked exceptionally well because it gave students a profound sense of purpose. By stepping out of the classroom and onto the streets of New York to document real-world issues firsthand, they weren’t just working for a grade—they were working for their communities.

Students genuinely loved the ownership and creative freedom this project offered. They thrived on building a cohesive visual identity across multiple touchpoints, and they were incredibly proud to showcase how their creative thinking could spark measurable change. Watching them work together to deliver their final pitches / Presentation with genuine passion proved that connecting design theory to local advocacy completely shifts their investment in the work.

Since City Tech is a commuter campus, coordinating 5 to 7 hours of weekly out-of-class collaboration in trios was tough. Some groups struggled to schedule site visits or distribute the production workload equitably.

I addressed it by requiring an explicit role-delegation sheet during the Phase 1 Creative Brief phase. We also utilized our OpenLab digital space and dedicated significant portions of our weekly class sessions to internal group workshops, minimizing the scheduling friction.

Additional Information: Please share any additional comments and further documentation of the activity – e.g. assignment instructions, rubrics, examples of student work, etc. These can be links to pages or posts on the OpenLab.

Link to Students' final project work https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/vasp2oeo8c9noyyacxh8m/AOYkkjozMmIRcMcspqWdtDE?rlkey=x7gl3csayingxkn20jkor8fcx&st=yivsdeh0&dl=0

Please share a helpful link to a pages or post on the OpenLab

May 18, 2026

Term-Long Case Report

Daniel DeBonis

New York City College of Technology

PSY 1101

Activity Description: Provide a brief description of the activity

A case study is an in-depth, detailed investigation into a single person, small group, or specific event. Choose ONE of the following options:

1. Create a FICTIONAL person and tell me a bit about them — their age, where they are from, what some of their family and friends are like, and what their general vibe is.

2. Find a small group (3–10 people) from history that you find interesting. Tell me a bit about the group members and what this group does. This group can be anything: a music group, a small sports team, a cult, etc.

3. Choose a specific event from history and tell me about the event. What happened? Who was involved? Who was impacted? Is this event seen as positive, negative, or are there shades of gray? Examples include: the COVID-19 pandemic, a music festival, the Great Depression, Woodstock, etc.

Each week of the term, students will apply the concept discussed in that week's chapter to their topic of choice. At the end of the term, the students will combine the writings from each week to create one, comprehensive case study.

Learning Goals: What do you aim to achieve with this activity?

Creative Thinking. By tying the case study to a topic that the student finds interesting, my hope is that creativity can take center stage. Half of the assignments are informal, allowing students to use their voice in connecting their topic with course content.

Timing: At what point in the lesson or semester do you use this activity? How much classroom time do you devote to it? How much out-of-class time is expected?

This project spans the entire semester and 1-3 hours each week will likely be dedicated to this project outside of class.

Logistics: What preparation is needed for this activity? What instructions do you give students? Is the activity low-stakes, high-stakes, or something else?

Each weekly writing assignment is worth 6% of their total grade, and the final case study is worth 16%. This makes each assignment low-stakes, while allowing room for experimentation and creativity. The final case study is ultimately the high-stakes assignment. Each week, detailed instructions are given regarding what is to be written and the style in which to do so.

Each activity is graded on a rubric, with 2 points being dedicated to quality of course information, 2 points being dedicated to the intersection of course information and the student's topic, and 2 points dedicated to meeting the requirements of the assignment (word count, formatting, etc.). The specifics of this vary from assignment to assignment, and each has it's own specific rubric.

I didn't implement this activity in Spring 2026, but spent the term preparing it. I look forward to implementing it in the Fall 2026. The main challenge I predict is student's relating the prompts to their specific topic. My plan to remedy this challenge is through open and frequent communication. My hope is that students enjoy the creative and iterative nature of the activity.

Final Case Study Assignment Prompt:

Write a 6–10 page case study on the subject you have been investigating all term. Your paper should be organized as follows:

Introduction: Briefly introduce your subject and explain why it is worth studying. (Revised and expanded from Week 1)

Background & Context: Developmental, historical, and situational context. (Drawing from Weeks 8, 9)

Biological Factors: Neurological, genetic, and physiological dimensions. (From Week 3)

Psychological Factors: Learning, cognition, memory, emotion, motivation, and personality. (From Weeks 5, 6, 7, 9, 10)

Social & Environmental Influences: Social psychology, organizational context, and health. (From Weeks 11, 12, 13)

Clinical Picture: Psychological disorders, DSM-5 criteria, and diagnostic considerations. (From Week 14)

Treatment & Interventions: What evidence-based treatments or interventions are relevant? What would you recommend, and why?

Conclusion: What did you learn? What questions remain? What was most surprising or meaningful?

References: Minimum 6 peer-reviewed sources, APA format.

Please share a helpful link to a pages or post on the OpenLab

May 31, 2025

Food, Culture, and the Body: Exploring Physiology through Place-Based Learning

OLUWAKEMI KADIRI

BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES/CITY-TECH

ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY II

Activity Description: Provide a brief description of the activity

This semester-long project invites Anatomy and Physiology students to connect course content with real-world food practices by investigating the intersection of nutrition, culture, and human physiology. Using place-based learning inspired by a field visit to the Museum of Food and Drink (MOFAD) or a virtual equivalent, students will research how cultural dietary practices affect body systems such as digestion, metabolism, cardiovascular health, and endocrine function. Students will present their findings through an OpenLab post integrating scientific analysis, cultural context, and visual/creative components (infographics, diagrams, videos, or photo essays).

Learning Goals: What do you aim to achieve with this activity?

• Apply foundational knowledge of human anatomy and physiology to real-world nutritional and cultural contexts.
• Apply anatomy and physiology knowledge to real-world nutrition and cultural contexts.
• Develop research, scientific writing, and public-facing communication skills.
• Engage in metacognitive reflection through drafting and peer feedback.
• Investigate health disparities related to nutrition and cultural practices.
• Foster a collaborative learning community via OpenLab, reinforcing a sense of community learning.

Timing: At what point in the lesson or semester do you use this activity? How much classroom time do you devote to it? How much out-of-class time is expected?

• Introduced early in the semester (Weeks 2–3).
• MOFAD visit or virtual resource in Week 5.
• Milestones: topic proposal (Week 7), annotated bibliography and outline (Week 9), draft post (Week 11), final post (Week 13).
• Reflection and optional class discussion in Week 14.
• Estimated total workload: 10–12 hours outside class.

Logistics: What preparation is needed for this activity? What instructions do you give students? Is the activity low-stakes, high-stakes, or something else?

Preparation:
• Set up an OpenLab course site with space for student publishing.
• Introduce and scaffold the use of OpenLab early in the semester.
• Coordinate MOFAD visit or offer virtual museum resources, video tours, or interviews.

Instructions to students:
Students will:
• Select a cultural food tradition or cultural dietary practice.
• Research how that practice impacts one or more body systems, physiologically.
• Connect the practice to current public health issues, access, or disparities.
• Create a post combining narrative, scientific explanation, and visuals (multimodal post).

Type of assignment:
• The activity is low- to medium-stakes and graded in stages with formative feedback and peer review.

• I will assess this activity using the Oral Communication VALUE Rubric developed by the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), adapted to reflect the specific goals of the Anatomy & Physiology OpenLab project.
• This rubric evaluates student performance in six categories: organization, language, delivery, supporting material, central message, and disciplinary relevance.
• Each criterion is scored on a 1–4 scale, providing a clear and structured way to assess oral communication skills within a scientific context.
• In addition to the rubric, I will provide formative feedback during class discussions, peer review sessions, and project milestones. This layered assessment approach ensures students receive both quantitative scores and qualitative input to guide their growth.
• This course is part of the college-wide Gen Ed assessment initiative, and this assignment supports key Gen Ed learning outcomes such as critical thinking, communication, and civic engagement.
• This project promotes integrative learning and deeper engagement with anatomical and physiological concepts by connecting course content to students' communities and lived experiences.

• This fall, I plan to implement this activity for the first time to replace the traditional Written Assignment.
• Before the semester begins, I will share the project plan with the course coordinator to ensure alignment and gather feedback.
• I anticipate the activity encouraging deeper student engagement by connecting course content to personal lives, cultural backgrounds, and future healthcare careers.
• By examining food, nutrition, and physiological health through a place-based perspective, students will likely engage more deeply and think critically, particularly as they relate the material to their communities.
• To support their success, I will include in-class workshops on research skills, scientific citation, and navigating the OpenLab platform.
• I also plan to offer a sample project to clarify expectations and encourage creativity. Understanding that some students may have limited digital literacy or may initially produce surface-level reflections, I will scaffold the assignment with guided discussion prompts, exemplar models, and opportunities for peer feedback to enhance depth of analysis.
• I am excited to see how this project fosters integrating scientific content with personal and real-world relevance, strengthening students’ writing, collaboration, and digital communication skills.

I plan to share:
• A sample student post (with permission)
• Slide deck introducing the project
• Library guide to credible sources for health-related research
• Peer review worksheet
• Full assignment sheet and grading rubric (available on OpenLab)

Please share a helpful link to a pages or post on the OpenLab

May 26, 2025

Reading To Support Architectural Design

Elizabeth Parks

Architectural Technology

ARCH2412 Design IV

Activity Description: Provide a brief description of the activity

The reading activity is part of the Lecture portion of the Design IV studio (Lab) class. Students are formed into groups of three or four to analyze and share a selected reading with the class. The activity has three parts: reading with annotation, completion of a Frayer Method Template to clarify a particular concept or vocabulary word, and presentation to the class with discussion. All students in the class are expected to read all of the readings to facilitate discussion.

Learning Goals: What do you aim to achieve with this activity?

The goad of the activity is to engage students with reading about architecture, architects, and the concepts that underlay the design process.

Timing: At what point in the lesson or semester do you use this activity? How much classroom time do you devote to it? How much out-of-class time is expected?

The activity is completed over four class sessions throughout the semester.
Session 1 in Week 2: Introduction to the activity, selecting or assigning readings to the groups. This is timed to coincide with the research and concept development work the students are doing in the Lab portion of the course.
Session 2 in Week 5: Presentations and class discussion for half the student groups
Session 3 in Week 6: Presentations and class discussion for half the student groups
Session 4 in Week 11: General class discussion of all the readings and their impact on student design projects.
Students are expected to meet with their group members outside of class to prepare the Frayer Method Template for their selected reading. They are also expected to read all the other readings for discussion. The total time required outside of class is expected to be at least 4-8 hours, depending on the number and difficulty of the readings.

Logistics: What preparation is needed for this activity? What instructions do you give students? Is the activity low-stakes, high-stakes, or something else?

For the Spring 2025 Semester, ten (10) readings were selected from "Imagining the Future Museum: 21 Dialogues with Architects", edited by Andras Szanto, published in 2022. Each reading is a dialogue between the editor and a currently practicing architect, specifically about that architect's approach to museum design. This material was chosen because the students are each designing their own version of a museum in the Studio portion of the class, but the focus of the readings could be adapted to suit other courses.
Students were given access to a shared Miro board with blank Frayer Method Templates, a list of concepts and vocabulary words pulled from the readings by the instructor, as well as space for the students to write a summary of the reading.
Part of the introduction to the activity was a discussion of how to read for comprehension and how to take notes while reading. The instructor's annotated readings were shared with the class as examples.
The following is a link to the completed templates from one of the Lecture sessions for Spring 2025:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/j4opnnl1snk3pyzrj0440/ARCH2412-Lecture-Reading-Session-1.pdf?rlkey=p3k2lplksc2p5dfu95pobd67d&st=8vmuzxb1&dl=0
In the fourth and final session, students were asked to write a brief statement describing how the activity impacted their design process and the design of their project.
The groups present a summary of the reading and a more detailed explanation of the concept or vocabulary word they chose and then lead a class discussion on the reading, ideas and how the information is applicable to the studio activities.

The activity was not formally graded, but the results were shared with all instructors. The lecture classes are shared between four instructors, each also teaching a discrete section of the studio. A mixed set of students attend one of two lecture sessions. All instructors were given access to the Miro boards and to scans of the written reflections.
The Studio environment is inherently a High Impact Impact Educational Practice, incorporating Common Intellectual Experiences and Collaborative Assignments and Project. This reading activity was designed to broaden and deepen the students' understanding of the design process by familiarizing them with the words and work of a broad range of current practitioners.

We will repeat the activity and are considering adding a graded rubric to formalize assessment. The degree of engagement with the readings varied between groups and it was clear that very few students had read any of the readings other than the one they were assigned, limiting their ability to contribute in a meaningful way to class discussions. Formally grading the activity may improve attendance and encourage them to read more.
The students were allowed to form their own groups, so generally felt comfortable working and sharing with one another.
It was clear from some of the students' written reflections that the readings did have an influence on their thinking. Students always struggle with the leap from their initial ideas to a building proposal that manifests those concepts, but the more comfortable they become with abstract ideas, the clearer their conceptual work is. And that leap to a "real" building becomes more possible and the ideas more legible.

Some written reflections from students, written in class in Week 11 of the semester (edited for clarity):
"The readings provided different ideas and perspective in regards to museum design…they made me think about my design choices more thoroughly." Adrianna Dilillo
"These readings helped me with my design process by understanding 'elevation by context'. Understanding the importance, meaning or status based on its surroundings/context." Daria Tourkova
"One of the ideas [from] the reading was for the museum to be a place for people to escape reality." Bryan Zamora
"Our reading helped me create a narrative for my project." Kelvin Jarama
"The reading helped me get a better understanding of what a museum is and how the museum is an extension of what is being shown in the exhibition. It taught me that circulation plays an important part in the story the building is trying to tell. Lastly the chapter I read defines a museum as a bridge that connects people with art. It is a response to a certain conflict and/or community." Diccia Castro
"The readings have influenced my design by integrating the site with my building by including a plaza that is embedded underground." Marti Tapia
"The readings helped with my design process by demonstrating ways to include everyone. … blending public space and exhibition areas [together makes the museum] engaging for visitors. This idea encouraged me to design my my museum with space for visitors to create something of their own" Thais Garcia

Please share a helpful link to a pages or post on the OpenLab

January 30, 2025

In the Pursuit of Knowledge: Focusing on ‘Lifelong Learning’

Sergio Belich

Computer Systems Technology / NYC College of Technology

Web Programming I (Lecture) & (Laboratory)

Activity Description: Provide a brief description of the activity

The activity centers on teaching CST2309 (Introduction to Web Programming) through a structured split format, dividing the 3.5-hour class into equal parts of lecture (1¾ hours) and lab (1¾ hours). During lectures, the instructor presents course topics using overhead projectors and whiteboards, works through practical examples, and actively solicits student feedback to ensure comprehension.

The lab portion focuses on collaborative learning, where students work in groups using a shared Google document to compile course-related resources, including linked definitions and training videos. Students contribute their thoughts and questions while also creating potential exam questions. This dual approach combines traditional instruction with hands-on collaborative work to enhance the Student Learning Outcome of "Reading," specifically targeting students' abilities to interpret, evaluate, gather, and apply information from online sources.

Learning Goals: What do you aim to achieve with this activity?

My goal is to create an engaging learning environment that promotes "Lifelong Learning" through a balanced approach of structured instruction and collaborative work. The primary goal is to enhance students' ability to interpret, evaluate, gather, and apply information from various online sources while fostering an interactive atmosphere that encourages students to actively participate in their learning process. This is designed to not only help students master the current course material but also develop skills and learning templates they can apply to their future academic pursuits.

Timing: At what point in the lesson or semester do you use this activity? How much classroom time do you devote to it? How much out-of-class time is expected?

The activity will start from the second class till the end of the semester. The first day includes discussing the this new class outline to students, and setting expectations. ] It represents the core structure of the entire semester for CST2309 (Introduction to Web Programming). Each original class session (from last semesters' 3.5 hour length) is now being divided into:
Lecture portion: 1¾ hours
Lab portion: 1¾ hours
Total in-class time per session: 3½ hours

Students will spend some time outside of class reviewing and contributing to the shared resources, including adding definitions and training videos, though the specific time requirement has not been specified, the results of participation will be graded.

Logistics: What preparation is needed for this activity? What instructions do you give students? Is the activity low-stakes, high-stakes, or something else?

The preparation needed for this activity is as follows:
Setting up shared Google documents for class readings and topics
Preparing lecture materials and practical examples
Creating overhead projector/whiteboard content
Organizing students into working groups for labs

The student instructions is as follows:
During lecture: Students are expected to engage with the material and provide feedback
During lab: Students work in groups to:
Access and contribute to shared Google documents
Add linked definitions and training videos
Share thoughts, ideas, and questions
Create potential exam questions
Collaborate with group members

This activity is relatively low-stakes, focusing on collaborative learning and continuous engagement rather than high-pressure assessment. The approach emphasizes building an "enjoyable environment to learn" where students can:
Get constant feedback
Receive multiple explanations if needed
Build on existing knowledge
Create study materials collaboratively
Develop templates for future learning

The structure is an ongoing evaluation while also leading to assessments via exams and a class project. Students' contributions will factor into their overall course performance.

Assessment Components:
Use VALUE rubric specifically focused on reading
Student contributions to Google documents (20% of final grade) measured by:
1. Number of definition links added
2. Number of video links contributed
3. Number of potential exam questions provided

Implementation Details:
Continuous feedback during lectures ensures ongoing formative assessment
Google document contributions provide measurable evidence of students' ability to "interpret, evaluate, gather and apply information from various online sources"
VALUE rubric on reading provides standardized assessment criteria
The activity supports the "Lifelong Learning" student learning outcome

Integration with Broader Assessment:
Course is part of the college-wide general education assessment initiative
Will be evaluated by AIRE in Fall 2025
Uses standardized VALUE rubric for reading to align with institutional assessment frameworks

This structured assessment approach combines quantitative measures (contribution counts) with standardized evaluation criteria (VALUE rubric) while supporting broader institutional assessment goals.

This activity is structured to work well in a classroom environment because:
It divides class time equally between lecture and hands-on lab work
It incorporates both traditional teaching methods and modern collaborative tools
It creates an "enjoyable environment to learn" through constant feedback and group interaction

Here is the organizational structure:

Initial Structure:
Each of the 5 groups is assigned specific sections of lecture material
Groups have primary responsibility for their assigned sections
Groups can still contribute to other sections they find important

This approach:
Ensures comprehensive coverage of all lecture material
Creates clear group responsibilities
Prevents excessive overlap in initial research
Allows for cross-section insights and contributions
Maintains flexibility for additional perspectives

For each lab session, groups would:
1. Focus primarily on their assigned sections to provide:
5 definition links
5 topic training video links
5 potential exam questions
2. Have freedom to add insights to other sections
3. Monitor and build upon other groups' contributions

This balanced structure combines focused responsibility with collaborative flexibility, helping create a comprehensive learning resource while encouraging broader engagement with all course material.

Please share a helpful link to a pages or post on the OpenLab

August 2, 2024

A Museum of Culture/ Assignment 1A: Museum Research

Jieun Yang

Architectural Technology

ARCH 2412/ Architectural Design IV

Activity Description: Provide a brief description of the activity

Part A: Understanding “What is a Museum”

Each student will read articles and/or watch videos focused on Museum design. Additionally, each student will visit a Museum in New York City, document it through photography and sketching, and answer a series of questions to catalog their observations.

A. Learn:

– Read Chapter 01: The History and Theory of the Museum Building from the book Museum Buildings: Construction and Design Manual By Christian Schittich. (see Blackboard)
– Choose one short article (see Blackboard)
– Choose one video or podcast from the below list:
– John Oliver's Last Week Tonight episode on Museums
– Freakonomics Podcast "Stealing Art is Easy. Giving It Back is Hard."

– Deliverables: For each, write a short summary and outline a series of five bullet points identifying the most meaningful takeaways. Be prepared to discuss this in class.

B. Experience:

– Visit a museum in New York from the list provided in class.
– Document your visit through photography, sketching, and diagramming.
– Consider the following questions during your visit:
a. Who are museum users? Consider both visitors and staff. How do they use and move through the museum differently?
b. How does the entry sequence work? How visible is the museum entrance from the street? What is the first thing you see and do when you enter the museum? How do you orient yourself?
c. How are the entry and exhibition spaces arranged? In a linear sequence, clustered, or arranged around a central space? Does the visitor travel from space to space directly or are there areas devoted to circulation?
d. What is displayed in the museum? How is the art/information displayed? How many different types of exhibition areas are there and how are they the same or different?
e. How many people were in the exhibition area while you were there? Was the space crowded? Approximately, what is the area of the exhibition space? What were its proportions? How tall are the ceilings? How far away did the visitors need to stand to view or interact with the works?
f. What were the lighting conditions like? Were there windows or skylights in exhibition rooms? If yes, how were they considered in the placement of the works?
g. Were the exhibition spaces ornate or simple? How does the architecture relate to the content, is there a consistency or a contrast between the two?

Deliverables: One 11×17 sheet, beautifully and thoughtfully layout of document your museum visit and observations, to Include:
– Name and location of the Museum you visited.
– Photographs, Diagrams, and sketches
– Question responses

Learning Goals: What do you aim to achieve with this activity?

The assignment focuses on how to think critically about Museum Design and develop an understanding of this building typology.

The assignment prepares students for Part B: Topic Research and Concept Development, where each student selects a research topic, reads articles, and documents important information related to that topic to develop an overall theme for their proposed museum and develop their concept.

The assignment asks the students to meet the following objectives:
– Ability to research, gather, and study information to gain an understanding of a building typology.
– Ability to research, gather, and study information to derive an informed project concept.
– Communicate ideas and information both verbally, graphically, and through writing. (Gen Ed)

Timing: At what point in the lesson or semester do you use this activity? How much classroom time do you devote to it? How much out-of-class time is expected?

This is the first assignment in the semester. During the first class, we watch a museum scene clip from Black Panther, discuss the topic of repatriation through current news articles, read one of the assigned readings together, and share student reflections in class.
The students are then asked to complete the rest of the homework assignments outside class time. They present their completed assignments in the second class for peer discussion and feedback.

Logistics: What preparation is needed for this activity? What instructions do you give students? Is the activity low-stakes, high-stakes, or something else?

See the note under Timing for the preparation and instructions on this assignment.
This is a low-stakes assignment designed to be used as an icebreaker and to prepare students for the critical thinking, analysis, and documentation required for the upcoming assignments.

The assignment is assessed on the following rubric, incorporating some of the gen-ed assessment categories.

1. Ability to research, gather, and study information to derive an informed project concept (35%)
2. Ability to translate concepts into graphic visual and physical representations (40%)
3. Communicate ideas and information both verbally and through writing (10%)
4. Assignment requirements and deliverables were met (10%)
5. On-time completion (5%)

The assignment helped students think deeply about the role of a museum, its historical conception, and how it may have led to problematic pasts (such as stolen cultural objects). It also set up a discussion on how we can reimagine a museum. Students engaged in lively debates with a wide range of viewpoints. We plan to repeat this assignment/ activity in the upcoming semester.
Students enjoyed different media forms (videos and podcasts) and did not rely solely on reading. Most readings are short articles, which makes the materials accessible to the students.
I want to try the missing links method by assigning specific readings to students, having different article readers come together to teach others through summarizing their lesson, and reporting their summaries to the whole class as a group.

Student Examples on Dropbox:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/n9xxp95mpi9gmzct7y1oy/ARCH2412_Assignment-1_Examples.pdf?rlkey=yikae381871d7dwmk7vy7qjkd&dl=0

Please share a helpful link to a pages or post on the OpenLab

May 30, 2024

Coping with Stress

Roriann Smith

Social Science

Intro to psychology

Activity Description: Provide a brief description of the activity

This was a two-part assignment where students had to first write a self-reflection essay detailing a personal experience with stress. They were required to describe the specific situation, discuss their emotional responses to the stressful event, and the coping mechanisms they employed to manage the stress, providing details on which strategies were effective and which were not. Additionally, students needed to analyze how psychological theories and concepts discussed in class aligned with or differed from their personal experiences. They were also asked to consider how cultural practices, traditions, and/or historical events may have contributed to their response to the stressful situation.

For the second part of the assignment, in groups of 4-5 students, each group had to select and discuss two anonymous students' stressful experiences from part one. The groups were then tasked with brainstorming a range of applicable coping mechanisms, drawing from both personal experiences and researched strategies, including local resources geared towards stress management. Using the information gathered, students were asked to create a compelling podcast episode, television show segment, or radio show where they engaged in a reflective dialogue concerning the assigned reflection essays, encouraged alternative coping mechanisms, and presented local resources as viable solutions. The show could be prerecorded or live.

Learning Goals: What do you aim to achieve with this activity?

The main goals of this assignment were to:
• Understand Stress and Emotional Responses:
o I want students to develop a deeper understanding of personal emotional responses to stress and the factors that trigger these responses.
• Critical Reflection and Analysis:
o This assignment would allow students to cultivate critical reflection skills by analyzing personal experiences and comparing them with established psychological theories and concepts.
• Public Speaking and Presentation:
o Students would improve public speaking and presentation skills through the creation and delivery of the podcast or show.
• Empathy and Support:
o Another goal was to encourage empathy and support within the group by discussing and reflecting on peers’ stressful experiences and suggesting helpful coping mechanisms.

Timing: At what point in the lesson or semester do you use this activity? How much classroom time do you devote to it? How much out-of-class time is expected?

The first part of the assignment was done within the first month of the beginning of the semester. Part 2 was due on the last day of classes. Students were given 30 minutes on three separate days to work with their groups on the project. Depending on the scope of students’ projects, the out-of-class time varied.

Logistics: What preparation is needed for this activity? What instructions do you give students? Is the activity low-stakes, high-stakes, or something else?

Due to the complexity, the depth of knowledge and skills required, and its impact on students' grades this assignment is high stakes. The assignment requires a detailed self-reflection that involves personal introspection, analysis of emotional responses, coping mechanisms, and alignment with psychological theories which requires significant effort and understanding. The second part involves group work involving a collaborative element that requires coordination, communication, and cooperation among group members. Creating a podcast episode, television show segment, or radio show involves content creation, technical skills, creativity, and public presentation abilities which demands substantial time and effort. The assignment integrates various skills such as critical thinking, research, public speaking, empathy, and cultural awareness. The comprehensive nature of the task suggests a higher level of difficulty.

The first part of the assignment was assessed using the Writing VALUE rubric. For the second part of the assignment, I developed a custom rubric by incorporating elements from the Information Literacy, Critical Thinking, Creative Thinking, Integrative Learning, and Oral Communication VALUE rubrics.

This assignment was quite successful in my class, so I plan to repeat it. Although I didn’t encounter any major challenges, providing students with an example to follow could help them generate ideas more easily. Additionally, I would allocate more class time for students to work on their projects, as some groups had difficulty coordinating due to conflicting schedules. Students seemed to enjoy the production part of the assignment, and some groups wished they had been more creative after seeing other groups’ projects.

Please share a helpful link to a pages or post on the OpenLab

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Hzqc8nbFOwKpua0U1uBd1y1mH1GLwuMR?usp=drive_link

May 30, 2024

Peer Evaluation

Cristina Masino

Dental Hygiene

Dental Radiology Lab

Activity Description: Provide a brief description of the activity

In groups, the students did presentations to explain different scenarios for patient management while taking digital radiographs. I created a peer evaluation for the students to complete for each team.

Learning Goals: What do you aim to achieve with this activity?

I aimed to achieve learning the interrelationship between critical thinking and civic engagement with the use of feedback among the students.

Timing: At what point in the lesson or semester do you use this activity? How much classroom time do you devote to it? How much out-of-class time is expected?

The group presentations happened in the third week of the semester. During the presentations I had each student fill out the evaluation. I also gave them a few minutes after each presentation for them to gather their thoughts and complete the evaluation for each group.

Logistics: What preparation is needed for this activity? What instructions do you give students? Is the activity low-stakes, high-stakes, or something else?

The evaluations did not need much preparation from the students. I explained to them that in order for us to grow as individuals and promote critical thinking, that honest and kind feedback is necessary. The students were very kind to each other while answering the evaluation forms while giving constructive feedback as needed.

This qualitive assignment was assessed using the critical thinking rubric. Reviewing the evaluations and discussing the feedback anonymously with the class, demonstrated how they were all receptive to what each other had to suggest. The assessment of the evaluations created an awareness of their presentations and how the other students learned from them. The evaluations also allowed them to realize how their communication skills are and what they can do to improve by comparing themselves with the other students.

The peer evaluations and assignment promoted critical thinking that led to civil engagement. It allowed the student to apply their knowledge and ability to analyze a social issue while rendering treatment for patient care. This activity worked extremely well in the class. I would repeat it every semester because of the positive impact it created. This assignment gave the students an opportunity to not only promote growth among each other, but also within themselves.

This was the assignment handed to students to complete and hand in to me:

Den1218 Group Presentation Peer Evaluation Spring 2024
Student Who is Evaluating:________________________
Group Members’ Names and the
Topic:______________________________________________

Was the assigned topic fully addressed and discussed?
Was there more information that could have been included or discussed?
Do you agree/disagree with how the group handled the management of the patient
care?
What was your favorite part of the presentation and why?
Did the presentation need improvement and what could have been done to improve?
Please list positive feedback for the group to look back on and carry with them
throughout the semester.

Please share a helpful link to a pages or post on the OpenLab

May 22, 2024

Noticing as a Means of Detailed Writing

Adin Dobkin

English

ENG1101 – Composition I

Activity Description: Provide a brief description of the activity

This is a two-class session activity, with a short homework assignment acting as a bridge. On the first day, each student is given one of three photographs from a moment in NYC history. No context is provided to the students, only the photograph itself. They're given twenty minutes to write down as many details as possible from this photograph, taking note of what is there as well as what isn't. Then, they're asked to select from those details the five that they believe best capture that image, and describe why they believe those are the most significant.

Students are then put into groups according to which photos they were given (these groups will be static throughout the semester, but students haven't yet worked in them). Together, the group selects the five details that they agree are the most significant. Next, they put those details into relation to one another. This is open, and can either be written out in paragraph form, relations can be drawn with arrows, etc.

For homework, the group's task is to collectively come up with a description, using these details, of what they believe the photograph shows. I emphasize the importance of deriving this understanding through the details, not by attempting to find the photograph.

The next class session, the photograph is displayed at the front of the classroom. The group shares their description, how they decided upon it, and any struggles they encountered along the way. Then, to each group individually, I pass them a bit of historical information about their photograph: what it actually shows. As the last part of this assignment, I ask them to reflect on any details they see anew, or anything they missed without having that proper context.

Learning Goals: What do you aim to achieve with this activity?

This assignment started with an understanding that attention is something students often struggle with, particularly when reading. The most notable consequence of this is writing that doesn't include details. But I had a hunch that by using visual texts, and by describing this process that I think can be replicated in readings, students might get it.

I hope that students internalize the act of paying attention -> noticing details -> putting those details into relation to one another -> seeking an explanation for that synthesis -> reflecting on their accuracy. This assignment also works to embody a process of engaging with NYC history, working in groups to debate and synthesize details, and think about the ethics of writing.

Timing: At what point in the lesson or semester do you use this activity? How much classroom time do you devote to it? How much out-of-class time is expected?

This assignment took place in the second and third classes of the semester, with about two hours of total time, plus maybe 30 minutes to one hour with homework.

Logistics: What preparation is needed for this activity? What instructions do you give students? Is the activity low-stakes, high-stakes, or something else?

This is a low-stakes assignment, but a key one in embodying the process that they will hopefully use for their first major assignment. Most work went into identifying photos that weren't too obvious, were detail rich, and spoke to moments of city history. Students don't have the full picture, as it were, until the assignment is through, but each individual step is more or less intuitive and guided by instructions.

As a low-stakes assignment, this assignment is primarily participation-based. I look to see students writing as many details as possible in the time allotted, but also that they get in the habit of answering why to as great of a degree as possible.

This assignment was consistently cited by students as one of their favorites this semester, I think due to its detective-like nature, the environment it quickly brings about in groups, and in the real-world history that it engages with. For these reasons, I would repeat it, though I don't think it as readily translated to their reading assignments (but this is a far bigger problem than any one assignment).

Please share a helpful link to a pages or post on the OpenLab

May 21, 2024

LOOKING BEYOND THE OBVIOUS

JONNEL MORTLEY

DENTAL HYGIENE

Principles of Dental Hygiene Care III

Activity Description: Provide a brief description of the activity

Students are tasked with developing two case studies in their final semester (DEN 2400)on their E-Portfolio. This assignment is a precursor to what they can use for their final project . Students will use all the information gathered from a Clinic Patient and develop a case study that meets the following criteria for vulnerable population: The patient must have had no dental care in past two years or limited access to dental care. The ideal patient has no dental insurance. The patient must be from an underserved community within the Borough . The students will use the following assessments -Medical history, Social history , dental history , Intra and Extra oral examination, Dental examination , Periodontal examination , Calculus detection ,Radiographs and Intra oral photos to create a case study and develop a comprehensive care plan. They will focus specifically on the management , compliance and health outcomes for this assignment.

Learning Goals: What do you aim to achieve with this activity?

The students with use Critical thinking and Ethical reasoning when developing their care plan . They will use investigative questioning to gather pertinent information to meet their vulnerable population criteria . The students with learn key strategies for managing patient outcomes when limitations are involved . Students are expected to make the correlation between access and health outcomes. Students will consider cost as a barrier to compliance and make necessary recommendations .Students will learn how to compose a case study before their final semester's E-portfolio requirements.

Timing: At what point in the lesson or semester do you use this activity? How much classroom time do you devote to it? How much out-of-class time is expected?

This assignment can be started at any time in the Fall Semester as there are specific criteria to fulfill the assignment objectives. It will be an out of classroom assignment and students have until the end of semester to complete. This may take from 2hours – 4days to compose.

Logistics: What preparation is needed for this activity? What instructions do you give students? Is the activity low-stakes, high-stakes, or something else?

Students first have to first identify the ideal candidate (patient) to study. They have to complete the in clinic assessments on the patient and the case study is only completed after that patient's treatment has been completed in our dental hygiene clinic .
Students will be instructed to carefully access the patient for treatment needs. This is a high stakes activity.

The AAC & U Value Rubric will be used to evaluate. ETHICAL REASONING VALUE RUBRIC
Definition
Ethical Reasoning is reasoning about right and wrong human conduct. It requires students to be able to assess their own ethical values and the social context of problems, recognize ethical issues in a variety of settings, think about
how different ethical perspectives might be applied to ethical dilemmas, and consider the ramifications of alternative actions. Students’ ethical self-identity evolves as they practice ethical decision-making skills and learn how to describe and
analyze positions on ethical issues.
We will use a sliding scale from 0-4 .
O for a case study that does not meet the benchmark.
1 for minimally reaching objectives
2 for stating pertinent information but fails to meet all requirements
3 meets the requirements with some room for improvement
4 meets all requirements and satisfies the objectives

This assignment has not yet been adopted. It will be proposed in the Fall 2024 Semester. This assignment can prepare students to complete their Case study requirements in the E- portfolio .

This assignment is a modification of the following assignment completed in the Spring 2024 in Principles of Dental Hygiene Care IV.
The link below shows the current E-portfolio requirement https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/den2400sp2024/eportfolio/

Please share a helpful link to a pages or post on the OpenLab

https://www.aacu.org/initiatives/value-initiative/value-rubrics

Category: Ethics/Values

The Community Impact Campaign

Reading To Support Architectural Design

In the Pursuit of Knowledge: Focusing on ‘Lifelong Learning’

A Museum of Culture/ Assignment 1A: Museum Research

Peer Evaluation

Noticing as a Means of Detailed Writing

LOOKING BEYOND THE OBVIOUS

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