2022 General Education Academy
Charting a New Course in General Education
2022 BYU General Education Academy Review
After not being allowed to meet for two years, General Education Academy resumed once again on June 14 after a week of unsettled weather. Nearly 100 faculty members in the GE community gathered on the lawn of the Historic Maeser Building under clear skies for a light breakfast where they received the first edition of the Academy collector pin. The theme “Charting a New Course” was evidenced in the plenaries, workshop sessions, and décor.
The 2022 academy focused on preparation for new developments in the General Education program at BYU. Plenary and breakout session speakers focused on elements of the new GE proposal and provided suggestions for participants to consider about how to improve student learning and sense of belonging in GE classes.
Though the new GE proposal is not official, Dean Susan Rugh expressed thanks to the many faculty members who contributed to the process. During the morning plenary, Associate Dean Chip Oscarson shared his vision for the prospect of a new program.
Jake Rugh, Sociology, presented thoughts about diversity, unity, and belonging in GE and led a panel discussion. Panel members included Lori Spruance, Public Health; DJ Gonzalez, History; and Mike Taylor, English.
The four-morning breakout sessions included:
- Ed Martinelli, BYU accessibility office director, reviewed best practices and tips for working with students who need accommodations.
- Mikaela Dufur, FHSS associate dean, offered practical advice and helpful suggestions to address social dynamics in the classroom.
- Ben Gibbs, Sociology, led a conversation about the learning experience of BYU first-generation students.
- Julie Swallow, CTL, facilitated a fruitful discussion about fostering inclusive pedagogy.
Attendees enjoyed Beehive catered lunches as they mingled outside. A few brave instructors participated in the airplane throw contest (congratulations to Mac Wilson, Spanish and Portuguese, for his win in both accuracy and distance)!
The afternoon offered another set of breakout sessions, including:
- Carolyn Andrews, associate dean of Continuing Education, and Kelli Ritter, CE Course Development, offered instructions and directions about BYU online and hybrid teaching.
- Jenny Pulsipher, History Department and Faculty GE Council (FGEC) member, explained the what, how, and why of designing a GE Explorations course.
- Joseph Hanks, Undergraduate Education, and Shiloh Howland, Enrollment Services, shared ideas about rethinking effective classroom assessment.
- Jon Ostenson, English, discussed information literacy across the curriculum.
Seven faculty members shared five-minute teaching tips and tricks to wrap up the day-long workshop.
All academy sessions were recorded and can be viewed here as well as presenter slides. GE Academy is an annual event held at the Maeser Building every June. The purpose is to build a sense of GE community, share ideas, and network. We hope to see you next year!