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Spring 2025 UConn ECE Educational Psychology Workshop

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On Wednesday, March 19th, our ECE Educational Psychology Instructors met virtually for their annual professional development, thanks to the efforts of our ECE Faculty Coordinator for EPSY, Dr. Joseph Madaus.

Instructors had the chance to connect with the Dean of the NEAG School of Education, Dr. Jason Irizarry, before our keynote discussion led by Jonathan Mooney: entrepreneur, activist, and author of The Short Bus: A Journey Beyond Normal.

We encourage you to check out the link above for more information about Mooney’s journey to write his fascinating book.

Thank you to all who donated your time and energy to help make this an incredible opportunity for our instructors to connect and engage!

Educational Psychology courses available through UConn Early College Experience.

Spring 2025 UConn ECE Asian and Asian American Studies Workshop

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On Thursday, March 13th, UConn Early College Experience and the faculty from Asian & Asian American Studies (AAAS) welcomed certified ECE AAAS instructors to the annual professional development workshop held at UConn’s Benton Museum of Art. The day began with registration and a warm welcome on the museum’s second floor, where participants discussed both individual and collective goals for the workshop. Attendees then explored the Minnie Negoro exhibit, followed by a reflective session focused on pedagogies related to Japanese American WWII incarceration. After a midday lunch break, the afternoon featured interactive sessions including a pair-and-share syllabus review, discussion of Asian American Studies frameworks, and strategies for incorporating inquiry-based learning into the classroom The workshop provided a meaningful space for collaboration, critical reflection, and the exchange of ideas to enhance teaching practices in Asian and Asian American Studies.

UConn AAAS courses offered through UConn Early College Experience.

Spring 2025 UConn ECE Environmental Science Instructor Workshop

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On, Wednesday, March 12th UConn Early College Experience, in collaboration with the Environmental Sciences faculty, hosted the annual Professional Development Workshop for certified UConn ECE Natural Resources and the Environment (NRE) instructors. The event was held virtually via WebEx, allowing participants from across the state to join remotely.

The conference began with a warm welcome and introductions led by Morty Ortega. The highlight of the morning was a presentation by Dr. Rick Relyea, Professor and David M. Darrin ’40 Senior Endowed Chair at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Dr. Relyea shared valuable insights on freshwater salinization and its ecological impacts on animals, plants, and algae.

Following a short break, the session resumed with a practical segment focused on bringing environmental science into the classroom, equipping instructors with tools and strategies to engage students in real-world ecological issues.

The workshop concluded with final thoughts from Morty Ortega, wrapping up a morning of meaningful discussion and professional growth for NRE educators.

UConn NRE courses offered through UConn Early College Experience.

Spring 2025 UConn ECE European History Instructor Workshop

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On Wednesday, March 12, UConn Early College Experience and the faculty from HIST 1400 welcomed certified instructors to the annual professional development conference, held on the UConn Storrs campus in the Babbidge Library’s HBL 1102 Instruction Room.

The day began with a welcome session, followed by a presentation from Dr. Dexter Gabriel, who spoke on “Black People in the European World: From the Early Modern Era through the Age of Emancipation.”

Attendees then engaged in a group discussion centered on selected articles and a video, including:

  • “A Conversation on the Black Presence in Tudor England” (Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco)
  • Scholarly works by Mullen, Mundell, Newman, and Miguel Valerio, exploring Black lives in 18th-century Britain and Afro-Christian identity in Iberia.

After a short break, Mr. Richard Bleiler, UConn’s Collections & Humanities Librarian, introduced instructors to primary sources available in the UConn Libraries related to Black people in Europe.

Following lunch, Dr. Kaveh Yazdani presented on “Slavery, Anton Wilhelm Amo, and the Appraisal of Blacks in German Lands, 17th to 18th Centuries,” offering valuable historical context and classroom insight.

The conference concluded with an open discussion on how to incorporate race and diversity into the HIST 1400 curriculum, fostering a deeper and more inclusive understanding of European history among students.

UConn History courses offered through UConn Early College Experience.

Spring 2025 UConn ECE American Sign Language Instructor Workshop

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On Wednesday, March 12th, UConn Early College Experience and the ASL faculty welcomed certified ECE ASLN instructors to the annual Professional Development Workshop for a day of collaboration and learning. The day began with a with a campus tour, including a stop at the ASL Community Housing. Later attendees heard program updates from ASL faculty and staff, explored resources like the ASL Resource Center and language labs, and learned about ASL degree pathways and instructional support. Instructors observed live ASL classes and attended curriculum sessions. The day also highlighted student experiences, including Deaf Fest, ASL Club, and study programs in Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico. A group lunch provided time for networking before the workshop wrapped up with a visit to Mike Schlang’s ASLN 3306W: Advanced American Sign Language Level II class. Thank you to all who attended and contributed to this engaging and impactful event!

UConn ASLN courses offered through UConn Early College Experience.

Spring 2025 UConn ECE Animal Science Workshop

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ECE Animal Science welcomed their instructors to the UConn Storrs Campus on Tuesday, March 11 for their annual professional development experience.

The workshop included discussions on course proceedings and assignments, and review of sample syllabi. Additionally, instructors were given the opportunity to observe a life course section of ANSC 1602: Behavior and Training of Domestic Animals. The true highlight of the day was a trip to the UConn Dairy Bar, where instructors got to experience our world famous UConn ice cream, compliments of our UConn dairy cattle!

A special thanks to our faculty coordinators, Jenifer Nadeau, Ph.D and Amy Safran, Ph. D for all of their hard work to support our instructors and their students.

Animal Science courses available through UConn Early College Experience.

Spring 2025 UConn ECE Digital Media and Design Workshop

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This past Friday, March 7th, our ECE Digital Media and Design instructors met for an engaging professional development experience on the UConn Storrs Campus, under the guidance of ECE Faculty Coordinator and Assistant Professor Kenneth Thompson. Instructors got to experience a digital artistry workshop led by Dennis Recchia, followed by an ever-relevant discussion of AI usage in DMD classrooms facilitated by Luiza Dos Printes Santos. Finally, they were led on a tour of the Digital Media and Design facilities on campus.

A special thanks to our faculty and guest contributors for their hard work on this incredible day!

Digital Media and Design courses available through UConn Early College Experience.

Spring 2025 UConn ECE Kinesiology Workshop

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Welcome back to Storrs, UConn ECE Instructors!

Our first in-person professional development event of 2025 was held on Wednesday, February 26th, for our Kinesiology instructors, under the guidance of Instructor-in-Residence Allison MacKenzie, our ECE Faculty Coordinator for Kinesiology.

Our instructors talked assignment structure and course expectations, before an invigorating talk on social determinants of health and wellness.

Thank you to all who participated, and helped to create yet another enriching experience for our ECE instructors! We are glad to be back for the Spring semester.

Kinesiology courses available through UConn Early College Experience.

Spring 2025 UConn ECE Political Science Workshop

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Our ECE Political Science teachers convened virtually on Wednesday, February 26th, marking our first virtual professional development experience of 2025!

The theme of this year’s Political Science Workshop was Bringing Politics into the Classroom. Instructors were treated to two discussion sections, which are described below:

Faculty Discussions: Instructors heard from UConn Faculty from “comparative politics and international relations about the rise and effects of authoritarianism in world politics. With many democratic nations around the globe sliding slowly towards authoritarianism, it is important to help students understand these trends, their consequences, and what they can do.”

Guest Speaker: We extend our thanks to Denise Merrill, “a UConn alum, adjunct political science professor, and former Connecticut Secretary of State”, for serving as our keynote speaker for this event. Secretary Merrill provided an invaluable opportunity for our instructors to be in community with an individual whose career in local and state-level politics has been rich and storied.

A special thanks as well to our ECE Political Science Faculty Coordinators, Oksan Bayulgen, Ph.D. and Evan Perkoski, Ph.D., for their tireless work to support our ECE students and instructors.

Political Science courses available through UConn Early College Experience.

Fall 2024 UConn ECE Math Workshop

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On Thursday, December 12th, we hosted our final professional development workshop for Fall 2024! Certified ECE Math instructors met virtually this morning, under the guidance of ECE Faculty Coordinator for Mathematics, Dr. Anthony Rizzie.

For the beginning of the workshop, all instructors convened via Webex for some ECE and Math-related updates, before breaking into groups based on the specific Math courses that they teach. Finally, the workshop wrapped up with a discussion on student preparedness and readiness.

Thank you to all who participated, and helped to create yet another enriching experience for our ECE instructors!