Teaching with Technology: Using a Virtual Learning Community and Peer Mentoring to Create an Interdisciplinary Intervention

Authors

Rebecca Mazumdar, CUNY New York City College of TechnologyFollow
Nadia Benakli, CUNY New York City College of TechnologyFollow
Pamela Brown, New York City College of TechnologyFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Winter 2019

Abstract

This paper describes the development and implementation of engaging and supportive experiences to promote student engagement, persistence and success at a commuter, open enrollment, public, minority serving institution. Project components included faculty development at the SENCER Summer Institute (SSI) 2016, attended by a team comprised of an academic administrator, full-time faculty from English and math, and part-time faculty in chemistry; creation of a virtual learning community of freshmen enrolled in chemistry, English, and math linked by the specific theme of the environmental impacts of deicing roads with salt and the overarching theme of the impacts of human activities on the environment; and peer mentoring in chemistry. Faculty reflections and grade distributions indicate this is a promising approach and suggest strategies for overcoming challenges.

Comments

This work was originally published in Science Education & Civic Engagement: An International Journal,, available at http://new.seceij.net/articletype/winter-2019-from-the-editors/