Spring 2026 Faculty Development Day Program

Thursday, January 22, 2026

 

Breakout Sessions 1

Different Lenses, Shared Goals: Where Interdisciplinary Justice Meets  

Presenters: Pamela LiVecchi & Ana Pego

Abstract: How can the chemistry of evidence and the psychology of behavior inform one another in teaching justice? Distinguished Teaching Prize recipients Dr. Pamela LiVecchi (Psychology) and Dr. Ana Pego (Forensic Toxicology) demonstrate how intentional cross-disciplinary collaboration enhances student engagement, ethical reasoning, and applied learning across modalities.

Using a case-based example that links toxicological interpretation with behavioral analysis, the presenters model how empirical data and human experience can be taught together to deepen students’ understanding of justice as both evidence-based and human-centered. Participants will explore practical strategies for interdisciplinary “cross-pollination,” including structured co-teaching moments, shared case frameworks, and scalable collaboration models adaptable to diverse disciplines and course formats.

Attendees will leave with concrete tools and a replicable model for designing interdisciplinary teaching exchanges that strengthen critical thinking, student connection, and real-world relevance in justice education.

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Reaching Gen Alpha and Gen Z Students in the Digital and Social Media Age

Presenter: Utku Sezgin

Abstract: This workshop builds on a previous Faculty Development Day workshop with practical strategies, insights, and questions related to teaching our current generations of students.

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Active Learning and the John Jay Justice E-Reader: An Overview of a Faculty-Driven, Open Educational Resource

Presenters: Wynne Ferdinand & Michael Schoch

Abstract: Presenters will provide background on- and a brief overview of John Jay’s Justice E-Reader, a digital textbook created by John Jay Faculty for the course, Humanities 300: “Landmark U.S Supreme Court Cases”. The e-reader, created on the Pressbooks platform, is replete with openly accessible materials created by John Jay faculty, as well as materials culled from other institutions and educational organizations. Articles and assignments within the e-reader highlight ways, simple and sophisticated, to incorporate principles of Active Learning and Open Pedagogy in a way that helps students appreciate the connection between their academic career and the various tasks and ethical dilemmas they will encounter in their professional lives. Participants will have ample opportunity to ask questions, provide feedback, or share their own experiences creating accessible educational resources.

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Understanding the AI Landscape: A Conversation About Faculty AI Literacy

Presenters: Katherine Stavrianopoulos, Holly Davenport, & Patrizia Magni

Abstract: AI has sparked important conversations across higher education and strong feelings too. In this session, we will explore what AI literacy means for faculty, why understanding this technology matters regardless of how we choose to engage with it, and what resources are available.

We will look at early findings from our faculty pulse survey and discuss the AI professional development course on Brightspace. Come as you are: curious, cautious, or somewhere in between.

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COACHE Survey Updates and Discussion

Presenters: Angela Crossman, Yi He, Yeju (Chloe) Choi, & Gabriel Camacho

Abstract: In 2023, CUNY faculty again completed the COACHE survey of faculty satisfaction and the COACHE Working Group reviewed the findings and offered recommendations in response.  This session will revisit those recommendations and update faculty on progress to date on addressing those recommendations.  We will discuss the update as well as ideas for the next survey cycle, as it is likely to kick off this spring/summer. Please recognize the work of additional working group members not presenting at this time: Matthew Perry, Judy-Lynne Peters, and Christopher Shults.

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Community Discussion

Sustaining and Transforming Justice Education: John Jay, AI, & Emerging Technologies

Presenters: Gina Rae Foster, Penny Geyer, Raymond Rosas, Katherine Stavrianopoulos, Nancy Yang, & Jacob Adler

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Breakout Sessions 2

Decolonializing the Writing Class: Enabling Multiple Literacies for Intercultural Awareness

Presenter: Charissa Che

Abstract: What informs the ways in which we receive unfamiliar and perhaps conflicting cultural viewpoints? Consequently, what steps can be taken to develop awareness and empathy across differences? This interactive workshop will discuss the principles of Intercultural Communicative Competence (Byram, 2020; Kramsch, 2011) and its particular importance when it comes to teaching culturally and linguistically diverse students. I will model a classroom activity in which students create a discourse community “map” that challenges dominant discourses (Van Dijk, 2006; Gee, 2011). In composing maps of their own, participants will consider how they might enact this activity in their own teaching and evaluation of student writing. This workshop demonstrates through theory and praxis that when we move from having an open Attitude, to Critical Cultural Awareness, of an unfamiliar cultural practice, literacy, and tradition, we create the conditions for an antiracist, decolonialized writing ecology.

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Boosting Engagement: Strategies for Increasing Interactivity and Presence in Online Courses

Presenter: Karla Batres

Abstract: As the demand for online education continues to grow, understanding how to foster meaningful learner engagement in a modality that can feel isolating for students is essential. This presentation will demonstrate practical tools and techniques that help enhance instructor and student presence in the online classroom, creating a more dynamic and interactive learning experience. While the primary focus will be on strategies for synchronous online teaching, several of the approaches discussed will also be applicable to asynchronous environments.

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What Students Wish Faculty Knew: Learning, Belonging, and Engagement at John Jay 

Presenters: Hridita Islam, Justin Hamilton, & Mohammed Nsiah

Abstract: This student-led panel will feature three to four undergraduate students sharing candid perspectives on their academic experiences at John Jay College. Panelists will discuss their experiences in asynchronous and in-person courses, as well as student perspectives on effective ways faculty can connect with, support, and engage students. The goal of this panel is to foster meaningful dialogue between students and faculty by centering student voices and highlighting practices that promote engagement, clarity, and a sense of belonging across different learning environments. Through open discussion, the panel aims to offer constructive, student-informed insights that faculty can reflect on and potentially integrate into their teaching practices.

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Beyond the Prompt: AI Literacy for Student Research

Presenter: Marta Bladek

Abstract: AI tools now appear at every stage of the research process—from brainstorming and question formation to literature review, synthesis, and citation management. While faculty are increasingly aware of both the opportunities and risks of using AI in scholarly work, students are navigating these same tools without the benefit of deep disciplinary knowledge or extensive research experience. This workshop examines the research workflow in an AI-saturated environment and highlights the points at which faculty instinctively interrogate AI output—checking for accuracy, misrepresentation, or invented sources—while students often accept AI responses at face value.

By contrasting faculty and student use of AI, the workshop will identify skills students need in order to engage critically with AI during the research process. Participants will be invited to modify “traditional” research assignments in ways that would teach these skills intentionally and allow students to develop AI literacy competencies.

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Thinking Through AI Ethics: Toward a Responsible AI Framework 

Presenters: Penny Geyer & Raymond Rosas

Abstract: This workshop has two primary aims: it will (1) help familiarize participants with a framework for analyzing ethical questions surrounding generative AI, and it will (2) help participants generate pragmatic pedagogical approaches for leading students toward a post-critical stance (Selber, 2005) on AI technologies. A post-critical stance does not involve becoming an uncritical user or advocate of generative AI. Rather, this approach recognizes the growing influence of AI technologies and encourages applications that align with and productively challenge our respective disciplinary and institutional goals and ethics. Our work together will serve as a baseline for generating pragmatic heuristics for the upcoming semester. Collaboration will be encouraged through group activities and discussions. 

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Breakout Sessions 3

Who Are Our Bilingual Students and Why It Matters for Teaching and Learning

Presenters: Rosemary Barberet & Cristina Lozano Argüelles 

Abstract: Faculty across all disciplines teach bilingual students, whether or not language is an explicit focus of their courses. This presentation integrates research on bilingualism with original data from more than 200 Spanish–English bilingual undergraduates at John Jay to examine students’ language histories, proficiency profiles, and perceptions of institutional support. By addressing common misconceptions and highlighting links between bilingualism and a sense of belonging, the session is designed for all instructors (bilingual and monolingual alike) and invites faculty to reflect on how everyday teaching practices and curricular choices can better recognize and support students’ linguistic resources.

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Beyond the Essay: Engaging Students Through Video and Podcasting 

Presenters: Ashley Velez, Alan Winson, & Girard Tecson

Abstract: This session introduces faculty to John Jay’s new Digital Creation Lab and demonstrates how audio and video assignments can enhance learning across disciplines while maintaining academic rigor. As AI reshapes how students write and produce work, multimodal assignments offer opportunities for more original, personal, and creative engagement while still strengthening core literacies. Because students increasingly communicate, analyze, and create through multimodal formats, audio and video provide powerful tools for developing critical thinking, research skills, digital literacy, and authentic voice. Participants will explore assignment templates that use short-form video and audio to deepen engagement with course content. The session will also highlight Digital Creation Lab resources, including equipment lending, video and podcasting recording spaces, and support for editing or AI-informed workflows. Faculty will leave with practical, adaptable ideas they can incorporate into their courses this spring.

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Teaching With Intention: Engaging Students Beyond the Classroom

Presenters: Sharon Gandarilla-Javier, Yolanda Jones, & Gerliani Garcia

Abstract: This presentation demonstrates how a Police Use of Force course can be taught with intention to engage students beyond traditional lecture and prepare them for real-world decision-making in criminal justice. Using multimedia case analysis and the Graham v. Connor objective reasonableness standard, students learn to evaluate police encounters based on constitutional law, policy, ethics, and empirical evidence. The session walks attendees through a real police scenario and models the same structured method students use when determining whether force was justified and how to defend that conclusion using theory and research. By shifting students from personal opinion to evidence-based reasoning and professional articulation, this approach builds critical thinking, ethical awareness, and communication skills essential for justice-related careers. Attendees will leave with practical strategies to increase student engagement, deepen analysis of real-world policing issues, and create respectful dialogue in the classroom.

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Agentic AI in Practice: How I Use ChatGPT Plus to Supercharge My Research 

Presenter: Adam Wandt

Abstract: In this session, Professor Adam Scott Wandt will give a behind-the-scenes look at how he uses ChatGPT Plus as an “agentic” AI research assistant. Rather than focusing on abstract possibilities, this session walks through a real, working workflow that monitors fast-moving developments in technology law, information security, investigative technology, and related fields, and turns them into concise, actionable summaries for research and teaching. Participants will see how to define a faculty profile, scope information streams, structure recurring summaries, and refine the AI output while maintaining academic standards. We will also discuss accuracy, ethics, privacy, and practical guardrails, and attendees will leave with a template they can adapt to design their own discipline-specific AI assistant for research and course preparation.

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Teaching with AI (or Not): Faculty Decisions Informed by Student Perspectives

Presenters: Nancy Yang, Jennifer Insignares, & Student Panel

Abstract: AI is raising important questions for faculty about student learning, equity, academic integrity, and how best to prepare students for a world where AI is likely to be part of their future work. Educators across campus are navigating this uncertainty and finding themselves having to decide how, when, or whether to engage with AI in their courses.

 In this session, we will share recent student AI literacy survey data and draw on perspectives from students to ground the discussion. Participants will examine the benefits and risks of both adopting and opting out of AI and leave with practical strategies for addressing AI in their courses aligned with their own teaching values.

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