Introduction to Gender Studies

Authors

  • Kathryn Linder Suffolk University

Keywords:

gender, intersectionality, introductory course, universal design, multimedia

Abstract

As a full-time administrator who directs a Center for Teaching and Learning, I do not get to teach as often as I would like.  At my institution, I teach as an adjunct and will, on occasion, fill in for faculty members who are on sabbatical.  When I can teach I take the opportunity to try out new ideas, pedagogical methods, and new curriculum in my courses.  In spring 2012, I was offered the opportunity to teach Introduction to Gender Studies, which is a twice-weekly, face-to-face course taught at the 100-level.  The course is capped at 30 students and is comprised of a mix of students from all of the undergraduate levels.  In this essay, I describe three ways I chose to innovate in my course design: (1) structurally, I wanted to move beyond a course that was organized around weekly topics; (2) I wanted to embed more multimedia elements alongside reflective activities throughout the course; and (3) I wanted to create a course using principles of universal design.

Author Biography

Kathryn Linder, Suffolk University

Dr. Kathryn E. Linder is the director of the Center for Teaching Excellence at Suffolk University in Boston.  She earned her MA and PhD, both in Women's and Gender Studies, from The Ohio State University.  Her research interests include cultural studies of education, academic writing development, and faculty development.

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Published

2014-11-02

Issue

Section

Syllabi