Co-Working March 15th

The weather is getting better, but there’s always more work to do! Let’s get together to work and check things off the to-do lists we all have–or take some time to make to-do lists!

The OpenLab Team is hosting a co-working session on Friday, March 15th, 10:00-11:00AM. Join us to cowork in what we hope is a welcoming space that helps as you focus on accomplishing what you need to finish. Bring whatever you want to work on, OpenLab related or not. We’ll bring bring work, too, plus some good energy for checking things off to-do lists.

You can work silently in the main Zoom room or move into a breakout room to talk with a collaborator or with an OpenLab team member if you have specific questions we can help you with. 

Please share this opportunity with colleagues and students–all are welcome. We hope this co-working session is useful for you–and let us know how else we can help!

Photo credit: “Three is a charm (26/365)” by Chung Ho Leung via Flickr is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0 Deed

Innovation – Open Educational Practices for Good

From our colleagues at Lehman College:

The Leonard Lief Library, Office of Online Education, School of Education, and Office of Library Services are pleased to invite you to an in-person event around Open Educational Practices on Thursday, May 9th from 12-2pm. They write: “Join us to discuss trends in open education, as we explore innovative practices that enhance teaching and learning. Lehman colleagues will share ideas, strategies, best practices, and success stories. Whether you’re new to open education or a seasoned practitioner – this event promises valuable insights and networking opportunities.”

International scholar Catherine Cronin will be providing the keynote and Lehman faculty will be speaking about their experiences teaching with OER.

Thursday, May 9, 2024
12:00 – 2:00 PM
Library Periodicals Room – Concourse level

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Catherine Cronin, Co-Editor
Higher Education for Good: Teaching and Learning Futures

Facilitator: Stacy Katz, Open Resources Librarian, Library
Welcome: Jorge Silva-Puras, Interim Provost, Lehman College

Presenters

Short presentations on how faculty are using Open Educational Practices in their courses

  • Tailisha Gonzalez, Health Equity, Administration, Technology
  • Juan Jesús Payán, Languages and Literature
  • Jennifer Van Allen, Education

Open for Anti-Racism Panel

Sherry Deckman, co-facilitator of the Open for Anti-Racism Workshop, will moderate a panel of past participants on how the workshop has impacted their teaching

  • Moderator: Sherry Deckman, Education
  • Panelists: Cindy Bautista-Thomas, Social Work; Harriet Fayne, Education; Jennifer Jolley, Music; Sara Kotzin, Social Work; Stefanos Milkidis, Earth, Environmental, and Geospatial Sciences; Maria Plochocki, English

RSVP by May 6th
Information: Stacy.Katz@lehman.cuny.edu

Light Refreshments will be served.

Androids, Spirits and Chatbots: Historicizing AI Writing

March 14, 2024 | 4:30pm | MA in Digital Humanities Lounge Rm 5307 & online

“Androids, Spirits and Chatbots: Historicizing AI Writing”

Annette Vee, Associate Professor of English, University of Pittsburgh

Poster for Annette Vee, "Androids, Spirits and Chatpots: Historicizing AI Writing"

Generative AI platforms such as ChatGPT have suddenly thrust the automation of writing into the public spotlight. The machine learning techniques behind Large Language Models such as the GPT series may be new; however, for centuries, humans have attempted to automate writing using mechanical, spiritual, and logical means. The automation of writing parallels a longer history of automation, yet with a twist: each of these attempts to automate writing also implicated a kind of artificial human intelligence. Writing is uniquely human, and as such, it has served as a touchstone for scientific and literary imaginations focused on replicating human intelligence. This presentation puts current conversations about AI writing in historical context with 18th century androids, 19th century spiritualism, and 20th century computer scientists to probe both what writing meant in previous eras as well as dominant assumptions of what it meant to be human in these eras. Attendees of the talk will come away with an understanding of: current Large Language Models driving generative AI writing plus how they do and don’t replicate human intelligence; historical contexts for the attempts to automate writing; and open research questions and pedagogical challenges and opportunities surrounding writing in the age of generative AI.

Co-Sponsored by the MA Program in Digital Humanities, the Teaching and Learning Center, and the Ph.D. Program in English

Online registration: http://cuny.is/annettevee

Co-Working December 7th

As the semester winds down, let’s work together to check things off the to-do lists we all have–or take some time to make to-do lists!

The OpenLab Team is hosting a co-working session On Thursday, December 7th, 2:30-3:30PM. Join us in what we hope is a welcoming space that helps as you focus on accomplishing everything you need to finish. Bring whatever you want to work on, whether it be OpenLab related or not. We’ll bring bring work, too, plus some good energy for checking things off your to-do list.

You can work silently in the main Zoom room or move into a breakout room to talk with a collaborator or with one of our team members if you have specific questions we can help you with. 

Please share this opportunity with colleagues and students–all are welcome. And save the date for our next co-working session, on Friday, December 15th at

We hope this co-working session is useful for you–and let us know how else we can help!

Photo credit: “Working together again” by Nick via Flickr is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Deed

Co-Working August 18

Triplets” by JillyAnnaJoy via Flickr CC BY-NC 2.0

Fall semester begins on August 25th. One week before, on Friday, August 18th from 12:30 P.M. to 1:30 PM, join us join us for a pre-semester co-working session. We’re hoping this welcoming space helps as you focus on accomplishing everything you need to prepare for the start of the semester. Bring whatever you want to work on, whether it be OpenLab related like course prep or getting your portfolio in order, or other work-related tasks like reading through all the emails, filling out forms, or completing a required training . We’ll bring bring work, too, plus some good energy for checking things off your to-do list.

You can work silently in the main Zoom room or move into a breakout room to talk with a collaborator or with one of our team members if you have specific questions we can help you with. 

We hope this co-working session is useful for you–and let us know how else we can help!

Co-Working May 23

Twins” by Todd Petit via Flickr CC BY-NC 2.0

On Tuesday, May 23rd from 1:30 P.M. to 3:30 PM, join us join us for the final co-working session of the Spring. We’re hoping this welcoming space helps as you focus on finishing everything for the end of the semester. If you’re teaching, bring your grading! Or invite a student to join so you can co-work as they finish their project or study for that last exam. You bring the work, we’ll bring the friendly presence in the Zoom session (plus we’ll bring work, too).

You can work silently in the main Zoom room or move into a breakout room to talk with a collaborator or with one of our team members if you have specific questions we can help you with. 

Finals end on Tuesday, May 23, and grades are due Friday, May 26th. We hope this co-working session is useful for you–and let us know how else we can help!

More Co-Working Sessions!

springtime” by willi_bremen via Flickr CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

The OpenLab team, under the umbrella of Open Pedagogy on the OpenLab, is hosting co-working sessions each Tuesday through the end of the semester.

This week, like last week’s, is open to anyone: students, staff, and faculty. Join the co-working session via Zoom anytime in the 1:30-3:30 co-working hours. We will work together silently, and can open breakout rooms for conversations or questions.

Next week’s session, on Tuesday, May 16, 1:30-3:30, is focused on students, in anticipation of finals week beginning. Please spread the word!

In the final week, faculty are invited to join for some time to work on responding to student work, grading, and finishing the work of the semester.

Like the idea of coworking and the related idea of body doubling but can’t make it on a Tuesday? Suggest a date and time for other sessions by adding a comment on this post or by reaching out via email to OpenLab@citytech.cuny.edu.

Co-Working Tuesday!

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Pollination Hypnosis” by Wayne S. Grazio via Flickr CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Reminder: this co-working session is tomorrow, Tuesday, April 18th!

The last few weeks of the semester are hard not only for both students but also for faculty members, and we believe we can get through this together. Join the OpenLab team and other colleagues to work together on whatever is still on your plate on April 18th. The Zoom room will be open from 1:30 P.M. to 3:30 P.M. Drop in for a little while or stay for the full 2 hours: use the space as you need and enjoy being supported by faculty members who are also working to push through and finish the semester. 

We will have spaces available for small group discussions if anyone wants, while the main room will stay open as the silent co-working space. 

No registration is needed: when it’s time, join the co-working session

Like the idea of coworking and the related idea of body doubling but can’t make it on Tuesday? Suggest a date and time for our next session by adding a comment on this post or by reaching out via email to OpenLab@citytech.cuny.edu.

Co-Working Session – April 18th, 2023

Pollination Hypnosis” by Wayne S. Grazio via Flickr CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Do you need a push to get through the rest of the semester? Join us on April 18th for the first OpenLab co-working session! 

The last few weeks of the semester are hard not only for both students but also for faculty members, and we believe we can go through this together. Join the OpenLab team and other colleagues to work together on whatever is still on your plate on April 18th. The Zoom room will be open from 1:30 P.M. to 3:30 P.M. Drop in for a little while or stay for the full 2 hours: use the space as you need and enjoy being supported by faculty members who are also working to push through and finish the semester. 

We will have spaces available for small group discussions if anyone wants, while the main room will stay open as the silent co-working space. 

No registration is needed: when it’s time, join the co-working session

March events CUNY-wide

Crocuses” by Peter Stenzel via Flickr CC BY-ND 2.0

The CUNY-wide group of leaders from the centers for teaching and learning, call CITA (CUNY Innovative Teaching Academy) shares the following upcoming events for the month of March. If you attend any and want to share information or ideas with colleagues here at City Tech, please consider adding them to this Open Pedagogy on the Open Lab site.

You can also find out more about these events and others in the CITA Newsletter.