The mission of the Pedagogy Arts Collective at Berklee is to foster a collaborative and dynamic community of educators in the pursuit of effective and innovative teaching. Through the pragmatic exploration of pedagogy, educational psychology, technology, student/educator demographics and self-evaluation, the Pedagogy Arts Collective fosters and maximizes holistic excellence in the science and art of education.
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Your Brain on Art
Susan Magsamen and Pedagogy Arts Collective
Neuroaesthetics, or neuroarts, studies how arts and aesthetic experiences impact the body, brain, and behavior, with implications for health and wellbeing. It explores changes in interconnected physiological systems, including neural, psychological, immune, endocrine, circulatory, respiratory, and higher-order brain functions. Susan’s talk will share research and practice about how this knowledge can be used to enhance learning, mental health, cognition and creativity. She will also share ways we can create and use neuroarts practices in our everyday lives.
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Teaching and Learning in the Arts, A Brain Science Perspective
Allison Posey and Pedagogy Arts Collective
We know that each student is unique - our brains are as unique as our fingerprints. This neurodiversity can be overwhelming for educators to plan for - yet is critical to ensuring rigorous academic learning and fostering a sense of belonging. In this session, we’ll explore brain science insights, including executive functions and the role of emotions, to enhance course design for all learners. We’ll apply strategies like the Unlearning Cycle and reflect on how a brain-based approach supports meaningful learning, particularly in the arts
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Bridging Traditional and Commercial Worlds and Music Together in the Music Theory Classroom
Jennifer Snodgrass and Pedagogy Arts Collective
This presentation will focus on several elements of teaching music theory to both traditional and commercial students. Focus will be placed on creative and pedagogically sound assessments, implementation of play and musical experiences, and how to use backwards design to make meaningful learning objectives for musicianship courses. Through my own journey as a classically trained opera singer and music theorist to my current position in Nashville where I interact with commercial writers, producers, and performers on a daily basis, I have developed a true appreciation on how to effectively blend these populations in a meaningful musicianship learning experience.
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Charisma in Education: What Role Does It Play...and Is It Really Necessary?
Roya Hu, Ross Bressler, Alicia Bower, Enrique Gonzalez Müller, and Pedagogy Arts Collective
Join us for an exploration of the role of charisma and enthusiasm in education! How essential, optional or inconsequential are they when we teach and lead teams? This panel of diverse, excellent communicators will delve into how charisma influences teaching effectiveness, student engagement, and learning outcomes, institutional progress and team building.
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Suffering Is Not a Pre-Req for Leading Teams
Mary Shapiro and Pedagogy Arts Collective
We all have horror stories about teams we have been on or have led; or have witnessed in our student teams. Often conflict arises because while we may have mapped what we will work on together, we have not discussed how we will work together. In this session we will explore the pragmatic, explicit steps you can take at the beginning of a team and throughout which will increase the likelihood of success.
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Active Learning And Universal Design For Music Courses
Reba Wissner and Pedagogy Arts Collective
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) aims to aid in accommodating learner differences but it is not often employed in music classes, especially those that use active learning. In this session, we'll look at different ways to incorporate UDL into hands-on lessons in music courses--both in person and online-- and using physical items and online tools to support all students' learning and mastery of material.
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An Educational Collision Course: Do Politics and Identity Collide In Higher Education?
Eric D. Hess and Pedagogy Arts Collective
Education has been at the forefront of many political arguments in the recent years. This is not new to American politics; the term indoctrination has been used rather liberally by those with a myriad of political beliefs. Of greater concern, politics has been used to police identity within educational systems, and politicians rarely have expertise in educational policies, politics, or student/educator identity. I will challenge attendees to consider past, present, and global perspectives and determine our own role as educators and the role of our institution in this important discussion.
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Struggling to Deepen the Student/Mentor Dialogue? Touchstones will do the Trick.
Madeline McNeely and Pedagogy Arts Collective
Creating the conditioning to maximize student engagement and learning is an art and science. Touchstones deepen dialogue, ground and guide students and professors as they cultivate a brave and safe space over the course of the semester. Touchstones inspire students and professors to live and express their deepest values in the classroom. In this workshop, we will unpack how touchstones are one of the foundational practices for a memorable class.
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What Happened to My Students? (The Psychology of Millennials and Zoomers)
Alicia Bower and Pedagogy Arts Collective
"I can barely get students to pay attention. I don’t think they are making it through the basic material and getting them to work in groups was like pulling teeth! I have so many students needing accommodations…” After a year of studying millennials and Gen-Zers, I've have gleaned incredible insight about our students! Let's explore the evolving culture, technology's influence, pandemic impacts, and learning research to understand our students better. Join me in brainstorming ways to meet them where they are and improve our learning environment.
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What Is It about the Internet That Makes Smart People Look...Well...Less than Smart?: A Story in Three Myths
Sam Wineburg and Pedagogy Arts Collective
We all use the internet but do we really know how to assess the credibility of what we find there? Drawing on research with thousands of students, as well as with PhD academics and professional fact-checkers at some of the nation's most esteemed publications, Sam will share techniques for making thoughtful decisions about what to believe in the ceaseless stream of information that flows across our screens.