Meet the Innovators

Across the CMC curriculum, members of our faculty are meeting the challenge of these unprecedented and historic times, delivering exceptional coursework in a fully online modality for the fall semester. In our Academic Innovations series of faculty Q&As, professors share their curricular highlights, best practices, and how students are helping to shape virtual learning for a memorable, collaborative academic experience.

Angela Vossmeyer digs into data for one-of-a-kind fall learning opportunities

Angela Vossmeyer, assistant professor of economics and a faculty research fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), is teaching two courses this fall, “Econometrics” and “Advanced Projects in Data Science.”

What learning opportunities are you seeing as a result of this crisis?

This pandemic is a one-of-a-kind learning opportunity. There is no better time than now to understand data and statistical modeling and their implications for shaping health and economic policies. Every day, we are looking at infection spread data and case counts. We read in the news about predictions and forecasts of where these data are headed. Applying econometrics will give students a better understanding of why some predictions are more accurate than others and why some models are failing.

Because we’ll be meeting in smaller groups in the new format, one of my goals is to find out which specific elements and fields of economics interest my students. Then I can tailor the applied exercises to their particular interest.

The smaller student group setting in “Econometrics” will also allow me to introduce data science competitions where students can win extra credit. The students will get their hands dirty with data and construct statistical models for out-of-sample prediction, allowing them to better understand the implications of econometric methodologies.

What are some ways you are reimagining your courses for the fall?

I’ve modified to a flipped classroom strategy, prerecording my lectures and meeting separately with students. One nice outcome of the student meetings will be that I’ll get to know my students more intimately and get to work with them more closely on the applied data exercises.

vossmeyer — Angela Vossmeyer teaching remotely during the spring 2020 semester.

There are aspects of this revamped approach that I’m looking forward to. For instance, because I’m recording my lecture materials beforehand, I can broaden the amount of topics I can cover in a semester. Also, students can revisit my lectures as they prepare for exams, pause them or even accelerate them, depending on what they need. Students are going to have a lot more control over how they absorb the material.

Additionally, the way I will assess students will change. There will be no more big exams. We’ll do a lot more team projects, small group discussions, and mini quizzes, which are less intimidating.

In teaching “Econometrics,” we do a lot of statistical theory and applied data exercises. When we are in-person in the classroom, I need to have a computer screen and so does the student. Now, it’s going to be easier because we are already going to be on our computers. It will be very easy for me to screen-share and give additional direction on those exercises. That’s something that’s going to be a lot more fluid in the online format versus the in-person format.

What discussions are you having with students and colleagues? Has that shaped or influenced how you are thinking about your courses?

My spring semester students gave me a lot of feedback. My research assistants also provide me with insights into student life, and share with me what students are concerned about. I learned that students are stressed about their home environment and finding space that is quiet and uninterrupted. This semester, I’ll work to reduce this stress by switching to shorter assignments and shorter synchronous meetings.

I’ve also gained a lot from conversations with faculty. The pandemic hit the spring semester so fast that we all implemented different methods to get through our courses. Doing that, we learned things that worked and those that didn’t. We can implement what worked well. As we push toward the fall, I’m learning quite a bit from my colleagues.

Click here for a full list of curricular innovations from CMC faculty in the fall.

—Anne Bergman

Albert L. Park redesigns courses with Legos, spray paint, and a splash of K-Pop

Albert L. Park, Bank of America Associate Professor of Pacific Basin Studies, is teaching two courses this fall: “Design Activism” and “Modern Korean History.” He is also the co-principal investigator for EnviroLab Asia at The Claremont Colleges.

What are some ways you are reimagining your “Design Activism” class for the fall?

My “Design Activism” course looks at the intersection between social activism and design. First, in response to the pandemic and the protests against racism, I have expanded my syllabus to include more weeks on diseases and how to create effective designs to deal with pandemics and how design can tackle and overcome racism. This class has always tackled racism in the U.S. and globally—especially through topics like housing discrimination against African Americans and embedded racism within the design of buildings. This semester, we will cover how design can take on systems that have created and maintained racism. To help students approach these subjects in ways that are tangible and hands-on, I am sending out design kits with craft materials that students can use to design and build objects each week in class. I am also sending each student a box of Legos for building, chalk spray paint for our exercise on spray painting and activism, and an organic herb starter kit. The herb starter kit will be a way for students to grow their own herbs, which they will use to make their own food dish for class. Growing herbs and making a dish will be a way for students to think about the source of their food and how to redesign the food system in ways that overcome inequality and environmental racism.

Are you using the same approaches for “Modern Korean History”? EnviroLab Asia?

For “Modern Korean History,” I have included weekly group projects and a recorded lecture (this is especially to help my international students). Each week students will be put in groups, and they will be asked to come with designs to the most serious issues on the Korean peninsula based on their historical knowledge of modern Korea. For example, students will work together on drawing up plans to de-nuclearize the Korean peninsula and how to achieve reunification. Students will also take what they have learned about Japanese colonialism, imperialism, and racism to design new international systems that are inclusive and respect differences. Finally, as a way for students to learn more about Korean culture and the intersection between capitalism and culture, students will form a K-Pop group and come up with songs, logos, and fan gear. It is optional if they want to sing!

With EnviroLab Asia, I will invite guest speakers—an architect, art curator, and an organic farmer—to talk about how to connect design with social activism to create fundamental changes. Even though we won’t be physically together, we will still design and build collectively through the online format.

What are you most excited for students to experience in the fall?

For me, whether it be online or in person, what matters the most is constructing a community of reflective learners who work together to figure out how to approach and study the past and how to apply history toward tackling pressing problems in the present. Constructing this type of community depends on building the appropriate intellectual context. It is my responsibility to make sure that I introduce a learning environment where a diverse range of views and perspectives are presented and respected. I plan to do this by using appropriate subjects, methodologies, and readings that will lead to deep reflection; issuing intellectually-rigorous assignments that connect knowledge and practice; and developing in-class exercises and projects where students learn from each other, depend on, and respect one another.

I think students will enjoy these new ways for building community and mutual help, especially through project-based learning exercises. I also think students will enjoy the challenge of how to work together virtually to create new designs. It will force them to come up with new ways to communicate and express themselves. Finally, the students will appreciate the opportunity to use the classes as incubation labs where they will be asked to use history and design to come up with approaches and solutions to problems and issues in their everyday lives and communities.

What learning opportunities are you seeing as a result of this crisis?

As a historian, I would call the pandemic a rupturing event that has jolted us from our routines and forced us to design new ways of carrying out everyday life. For a professor, this event has pushed me to reflect on my teaching styles and the way I have engaged students. In particular, it has caused me to go back to the basics and think about the goals of teaching and how to deliver effective learning outcomes. For instance, the crisis has led me to think about how I can use history, design, and EnviroLab Asia to prepare students for a world where new pandemics will emerge in the future—there are serious threats to our environment and there is massive racial injustice and discrimination. Living in this type of world requires us to help students to become more empathetic, resilient, flexible, and well-grounded people in terms of morals and ethics—and I am transforming my online classes to help those in my classes to become this type of student.

What discussions are you having with students and colleagues? Has that shaped or influenced how you are thinking about your courses?

I am having a lot more one-on-one meetings with students via Zoom, which has led to creative planning sessions on how to help them with their research and elevate their experiences in an online class. The students have told me that they want more meaningful community via Zoom, and I have hopefully redesigned my classes to give them more of these experiences.

I have really enjoyed my conversations with students, especially on their summer projects and how to prepare for the senior thesis. For EnviroLab Asia, we will be giving students more outlets where they can express their experiences of the pandemic and their responses to the protests over the summer. In particular, EnviroLab Asia plans to offer more workshops for students and faculty on environmental racism and how the sciences, social sciences, and the humanities can work together on overlapping issues.

The heroic efforts of faculty and the Dean of the Faculty’s office throughout the summer has given me a tremendous amount of confidence in our abilities to deliver a rich and dynamic learning experience for our students this year and onward.

Click here for a full list of curricular innovations from CMC faculty in the fall.

—Thomas Rozwadowski

Essays for calculus? Sam Nelson is turning math sideways

Sam Nelson, professor of mathematics and a Faculty Scholarship Award winner, is teaching “Multivariable Calculus” this fall.

What do you think students will enjoy most about your fall course? What will they gain the greatest benefits from virtually?

Multivariable Calculus (Math 32) is always a fun class to teach—for me personally, it was where math started to get interesting. It's the first time students get to think about how things work, not just in the 2-D plane, but in 3, 4, and even arbitrary numbers of dimensions. I'm often asked questions like "Are there really four dimensions?" or "Is time the fourth dimension?" A dimension is just a variable, and there are absolutely real functions—for example the stock market—that depend on hundreds or thousands of variables. In this course, we learn how to understand functions of many variables as they interact and change over time.

We understand you plan to replace traditional exams with essays, in which students select and write their own explanations and examples of key course concepts. How did you come up with this and how will it work?

This past spring, I tried giving my second midterm and final exams in this format. It's a bit like an oral exam in written form—somewhere in between "write and solve your own exam problems" and "write a short expository paper on these topics." An exam is intended to measure how well a student understands a topic, so I figured why don't I just ask students to explain the topic? This way, students can show how they are thinking about a concept and what example they think illustrates the idea best. This format really makes the point that mathematics is not about computation and calculation, but about patterns and concepts. It gives students a chance to show some creativity, which is vital in real mathematics but too often absent in lower-level math classes. The exams last semester were harder to grade—each problem was unique, after all—but more enjoyable and rewarding at the same time, certainly for me and I think for the students as well. I like this essay-exam format well enough that I may not go back to regular in-class exams once we have returned to the classroom.

What are some specific adjustments or additions you are making to your fall classes?

I am using a form of "flipped classroom" for my courses this fall—students will read detailed lectures in the form of slides and then join me on Zoom for discussion during the normal lecture time. This asynchronous model means the students can go through the lectures on their own schedule, in whatever time zone they may be in, and have the flexibility to ask questions during the appointed class time or in individual Zoom appointments. The replacement of in-class exams with essay-exams means more time for covering topics and discussion, as well as less stress from test anxiety.

What kinds of learning opportunities are you seeing as a result of this crisis?

I have an insane number of active research projects with collaborators all over the world, including several projects with 5C students. This summer I have active research collaborations with two HMC students, one Scripps student, and one CMC student, all of whom took classes with me recently. In each case, we aim to publish a paper in a professional journal. Of my approximately 80 publications so far, about half have undergrad student co-authors. The current impossibility of travel to visit my collaborators in Europe, Japan, and South Korea has meant more time spent in Zoom and Skype meetings, exploring various platforms for virtual collaboration. The methods I have developed through this experience have informed my methods for online teaching, as well as collaborative research with students.

We understand you are a DJ and compose electronic music? Have you been composing over the summer? How did you get into this? Any way you are going to connect this to your course?

I started DJing as a grad student at Louisiana State University back in the goth-industrial music scene in Baton Rouge and New Orleans in the late 1990s. As DJ Absinthe Minded, I spun at legendary venues such as the Shim-Sham (now One Eyed Jack's, just off Bourbon Street), the State Palace Theatre, and The Crystal. After coming to SoCal in 2003, I DJed to full dance floors at clubs throughout the area, including Clubs Empire, Skandal and Discord in Riverside, Necropolis in Orange County, and 7969 in Hollywood.

In recent years I've not had as much time for DJing, and a while ago I had some ideas about ways to make music using the mathematics of Knot Theory, my research field. My music is electronic, with a strong dance beat featuring basslines and melodies sequenced from algebraic invariants of knots, as well as other knot theory-based musical ideas of mine, e.g., Yang-Baxter chord progressions and link/braid arpeggiation. I call it Experimental Knot Music by analogy with the Experimental Noise Music of bands like Einsturzende Neubauten and Throbbing Gristle. In January, I decided to start releasing my music as independent artist Modulo Torsion on Bandcamp, where I have two albums (Experimental Knot Music vol.s 1 and 2) and two EPs (Short Exact Symphonies No.s 1 and 2) available with free streaming. I am currently working on a new album to be released sometime this Fall—check facebook.com/ModuloTorsion for more details as the time approaches.

Click here for a full list of curricular innovations from CMC faculty in the fall.

—Gilien Silsby

Janet Sheung is ready to launch virtual learning with at-home catapults

Janet Sheung, assistant professor of physics, is teaching “Principles of Physics Laboratory” this fall.

What are some ways you are reimagining your “Principles of Physics” class for the fall?

My science colleagues and I are sending a special box to each of our lab students. It doesn't get more interactive than a hands-on learning experience! I think students will probably be drawn most to the catapult kit they will find in their box. Our physics lab coordinator, Tom Dershem, came across this kit (just under a foot-by-foot in size, can fire ten feet) while researching new labs. Every student I've mentioned this to has been excited. For one of the experiments, the students will work in groups to optimize their catapults for firing distance, and we will see which team does the best. Full disclosure though—I am personally more of a fan of trebuchets, and in fact, am building a small model of one to compare with the winning catapult. There is a lot of physics to be learned from throwing heavy objects.

What are you most excited for students to experience in the fall?

A class set of state-of-the-art scientific equipment to teach an experiment is very expensive. This means that, normally, a lot of the lab curriculum we teach is dictated by what we have. Opportunities to reimagine a lab curriculum come very rarely, and this is one of those times.

When first preparing to teach a class, one question I often ask myself—and any willing colleague—is: “What are the valuable, transferrable skills our students need?” The American Institute of Physics surveyed new physics PhDs on what skills and knowledge they use most in their jobs. Some of the most highly ranked responses come as a surprise to many students: working with a team, technical problem solving, technical writing, and programming. In preparation for this fall, we’ve outfitted our teaching labs with widescreen HD cameras and studio quality lighting to improve the quality of the broadcast. I’ve also made a conscious effort to steer away from shoehorning lessons meant for in-person teaching into a Zoom session, and instead will teach some of the aforementioned skills and knowledge using equipment we can ship to our students. Fortunately, modern technology makes a lot possible. For example, one component we are including in the box for each student is a combination acceleration and rotation sensor often used in drones as a crucial part of their on-board flight control. This electronic module costs under ten dollars and is about the size of a finger. Technical problem-solving, here we go!

What learning opportunities are you seeing as a result of this crisis?

The global scientific community is engaged in an unprecedented effort to develop vaccines in months, a process which normally takes a decade. The rate of advancement of scientific knowledge has been so high that even basic official guidance, such as the recommendations around wearing of masks, has U-turned. For many lay-people, it has become difficult to comprehend which statements are opinions and which are scientific statements. I hope to clarify for my students how an experiment leads to data, leads to a statistically significant conclusion, and leads to a scientific statement. I also believe that a major goal of a liberal arts education is to produce well-informed leaders and citizens. Communicating science is definitely something that has come up repeatedly during check-ins with my research students this summer. This pandemic has put into relief how being scientifically literate is an important part of being well-informed.

What discussions are you having with students and colleagues? Has that shaped or influenced how you are thinking about your courses?

At the end of our first class (“Electronics Lab”) after spring break, I asked my students what worked well and what did not work. Many of them commented that they missed working with their classmates. This made me realize how important it is to create opportunities for students to engage with each other.

janet — Janet Sheung is assembling boxes for hands-on lab learning at home.

Multiple students also told me that they lack a good, quiet place to work at home, have unreliable Wi-Fi, or have uncertain living arrangements. A lab session is normally a solid three-hour block to allow for completing a full experiment. Given the current situation, I am working to make more of the teaching asynchronous. For experiments where students will have the equipment at home, I intend to give the instructions and do a demo, then be flexible if a student needs to miss a part of class because they can complete the assignment on their own schedule.

I’ve registered for an online appointment booking system to make it easier for students to meet with me. I’m also using Gradescope to make grades more transparent now that it is more difficult to sit down together to go over an assignment.

What gives you the greatest confidence  in this virtual semester? 

The work of CMC’s Dean of Students Office—the way they’ve continued to support our students even after they’ve all gone home—is one reason I am confident. I’ve heard they have gone as far as to help students arrange for good internet connections at home. Also, I am inspired by my colleagues' good humor, dedication, and creative ideas. Implementing so many changes to the curriculum so quickly would have been impossible if attempted without the community of teacher-scholars I am privileged to work with. Moving forward, students can continue to help us by being communicative about their individual situations and needs.

Click here for a full list of curricular innovations from CMC faculty in the fall.

—Thomas Rozwadowski

Rima Basu: A Philosopher Levels Up

Rima Basu, assistant professor of philosophy, is teaching "The Challenge of Evil," "Advanced Seminar: Belief Evidence, and Agency," and "Structural Injustice."

What are you most excited about reimagining in terms of a fall teaching experience for students?

I’ve never been one to follow the “sage on the stage” model of standing at the front of the room and lecturing to students. All of my classes are seminar-style and discussion-heavy, and I’ve found that Zoom can be a great equalizer in setting up students to be comfortable speaking up and contributing their own thoughts. My box is the same size as everyone else’s and given the small class sizes at CMC, everyone is literally on the same page. This puts us all on equal-footing in treating the class as a collaborative exercise in learning. One of my classes, The Challenge of Evil, is structured like a role-playing game, and I’m excited about incorporating more role-playing game elements. The goal is to build community through overcoming the trials and tribulations of a campaign, and also explore topics of human nature, the conflict between good and evil, and structural impediments to living a flourishing life. I’m also teaching a new and experimental interdisciplinary class called Structural Injustice. The course addresses the critical questions of our time. It will be team-based, interdisciplinary, student-driven, and disseminate findings in non-traditional formats, including podcasts, videos, and artwork. There will be guest speakers, and at least one role-playing game. I’m most excited about the actual syllabus - including determining readings and assignments – because it will be the first group project for the class.

What do you think students will enjoy most about your fall course? Gain the greatest benefits from virtually?

I’ve structured my freshman humanities seminar in the style of a tabletop role-playing game. Every student fills out a character sheet at the start of the semester, and it gets updated each time their stats improve and they level up. I don’t assume familiarity with any of the mechanics of a role-playing game, but the framework of skills, experience points, and leveling up is familiar to most students. Such a structure offers more freedom with respect to what assignments and what type of assignments students complete. Instead of final papers, students have in the past created podcasts, explainer videos, rap battles between philosophers, artwork, etc. As the professor (or the Dungeon Master in the D&D analogy), I set the structure and put some obstacles in their path, but like in a role-playing game, how they choose to overcome those obstacles is up to them and limited only by what they can imagine (within reason, i.e., within the mechanics of the world). I have also incorporated creative assignments as alternatives to the traditional paper in my other courses and as I’ve been rethinking things for an online-only environment these sorts of alternative assignments are a way to break the monotony of life during a pandemic. You can’t go anywhere and every day is more of the same. For this reason, I’m also incorporating more opportunities for collaborative projects. Also, since we’ll be virtual, my dog will probably make an appearance in every class.

What kinds of discussions are you having with students? Has that shaped or influenced how you are thinking about your courses?

People are really afraid right now, and with good reason. COVID-19 is no joke. My conversations with students have been honest. We are all struggling. Just as I’ve asked students to be flexible with me, I’m implementing greater flexibility to make what may seem overwhelming feel more manageable. But, I should also note, that we all feel a bit unmoored right now, in a state of unease. That’s the feeling that sparks philosophical thinking. Our institutions have failed, so now how do we imagine something better? That’s what inspired me to create the new course Structural Injustice, that explores these questions of structural injustice.

How do you think CMC and its students are best prepared to adjust to virtual teaching? What gives you the greatest confidence in this semester?

CMC is the kind of school that really puts value on education and in hiring faculty who are not only excellent researchers but also excellent educators. All summer, faculty have been having discussions about pedagogy and what worked and didn’t work in the Spring for preparation for the Fall. We’ve been going to workshops and talking with consultants, and sharing best teaching practices. If I had to be facing the prospect of online-only instruction during a pandemic, I’m glad I get to do so at CMC where our class sizes are small so we can have in-depth synchronous discussions, and where I can get to know each and every one of my students.

Click here for a full list of curricular innovations from CMC faculty in the fall.

—Gilien Silsby

David Bjerk uses analytic toolkit to foster collaboration, interaction

David Bjerk, the Russell S. Bock Professor of Public Economics and Taxation, is teaching “Economics of Poverty, Inequality, and Discrimination” this fall.

What learning opportunities are you seeing as a result of this crisis?

The twin social issues of the past six months---COVID-19 and the social activism and unrest related to race and policing---have thrust the topics of the class I’m teaching this fall to the front of the national discussion. The underlying issues of inequality in health outcomes between the rich and the poor—and racial inequality in not only policing but across almost every aspect of American society— are not new and solving them will not be easy. Providing background on these issues, as well as a toolkit for analyzing the underlying causes and possible remedies, will hopefully equip my students to be informed leaders in this important ongoing discussion.

What are some specific adjustments or additions you are making to your classes this fall?

I’m much more aware of the importance of facilitating interaction and collaboration between my students. In a normal semester, such interaction happens naturally, both in class and around campus. Obviously, this semester, such interactions won’t be as natural. I’m hoping to engage them much more—not only with a very interactive class time, but also by converting many assignments into collaborative group exercises. My hope is that this will translate beyond just the actual assignments to creating more trust and openness in class discussion. I hope it will also foster a broader discussion outside of class that will continue into future semesters.

What do you think students will enjoy most about your fall course and gain the greatest benefits from virtually?

In addition to the greater emphasis on group collaboration, I hope my students really engage with the material. While some of the material will be complicated and push them a bit, I hope this work will provide them the skills and knowledge to feel confident engaging and leading discussions of poverty and racial inequality issues long after they leave the classroom. I am also taking advantage of the virtual format to invite one or two of the authors we are reading in class to present their work and engage directly with the students.

How do you think CMC and its students are best prepared to adjust to virtual teaching? What gives you the greatest confidence in this semester?

I think CMC has a long history of a personal, engaging, and collaborative learning environment. Given this, I think moving to online instruction this semester will not prove to be the interruption it will be at other institutions. Faculty and students are used to engaging with each other on a personal level, which I think will facilitate an engaging online environment. Moreover, as someone who has been at CMC for a dozen years, I have been continually impressed by the commitment and ability of my colleagues in my department and across the college to deliver an exceedingly high-quality and engaging education. I feel confident our whole faculty will rise to the challenge of figuring out how to continue this mission as we move online.

What is your hope for your students this fall? 

While online learning is not the CMC experience any CMC student would necessarily hope for, it is a lesson that life will be full of adversity. Figuring out how to successfully respond to adversity is what makes people, and the population more broadly, resilient and successful. My hope is that our students will rise to this challenge, making a personal effort to engage and learn in this challenging environment, helping not just themselves keep their education on track, but also their classmates. In this way, I hope to continue to learn from them, as well.

Click here for a full list of curricular innovations from CMC faculty in the fall.

—Gilien Silsby