Month: May 2025

2025 UConn ECE New Instructor Orientation

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UConn ECE Welcomes 290 Newly Certified Instructors This Spring

This spring, UConn Early College Experience (ECE) celebrated the certification of 290 instructors, including 224 new partners who completed New Instructor Orientation. These educators earned certification in 242 courses, expanding access to UConn courses across Connecticut high schools.

Led by Program Director Chris Todd and the ECE staff, the day-long orientation introduced instructors to key aspects of the program, including teaching responsibilities, student registration, and alignment with NACEP standards. Breakout sessions covered UConn instructional resources, program operations, and student enrichment opportunities such as Pre-College Summer.

Afternoon discipline-specific meetings connected instructors with Faculty Coordinators and peers, fostering collaboration and community. With over 40 Faculty Coordinators participating, the event underscored UConn ECE’s commitment to supporting its growing network.

As the academic year concludes, UConn ECE celebrates this milestone and remains focused on enriching educational opportunities for both teachers and students statewide.

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Spring 2025 UConn ECE LLAS Instructor Workshop

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On Friday, May 16th, UConn Early College Experience and the faculty from Latino and Latin American Studies (LLAS) welcomed certified ECE LLAS instructors to their annual professional development conference, held at the UConn Hartford campus in the Hartford Times Building. This year’s theme, “Contextualizing the Present in the Past: Lessons from Latin America to Help Us Understand Today’s World,” invited participants to reflect on how historical patterns in Latin America—such as authoritarianism, populism, and censorship—can help illuminate current global political challenges.

The day began with program updates, followed by a compelling presentation from Dr. Rodolfo Fernandez, Assistant Professor in Residence, El Instituto who explored how Latin American history offers critical insights into contemporary threats to democracy and the ways individuals have historically resisted them. After lunch, ECE Instructor Bonnie Nietupski presented “Digital Humanities: Empowering Students to Explore and Compare Justice & Law, Memory & Hope in Latin America,” highlighting innovative approaches to student engagement and research. The afternoon concluded with a collaborative session on teaching in times of fear and the role of emerging technologies like ChatGPT. Instructors shared strategies for navigating challenging classroom discussions while equipping students with the tools to connect past and present. The conference offered valuable perspectives, practical resources, and a renewed sense of purpose for educators teaching at the intersection of history, politics, and social justice.

UConn LLAS courses offered through UConn Early College Experience.

Spring 2025 UConn ECE Statistics Instructor Workshop

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On Wednesday, May 14th, UConn Early College Experience (ECE) and the Department of Statistics hosted their annual professional development workshop for all certified UConn ECE STAT instructors. The day was filled with insightful discussions and academic exchange. The workshop began with  short welcome and preliminary announcements, setting a collegial tone for the day. Later Prof. Nalini Ravishanker led a dynamic discussion focused on teaching strategies and course materials, encouraging instructors to share their experiences and ideas for enhancing student learning.

Following a short break the group reconvened for a presentation by Professor Kun Chen from the Department of Statistics. Attendees appreciated the opportunity to hear directly from a leading faculty member on current developments in the field.

UConn Statistics courses offered through UConn Early College Experience.

Spring 2025 UConn ECE HDFS Instructor Workshop

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On Tuesday, May 13th, UConn Early College Experience (ECE) and the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences (HDFS) hosted their annual professional development workshop for all certified UConn ECE HDFS instructors. The event brought together educators from across the state to reflect on the past year, share best practices, and engage in meaningful professional learning.

The day began with a warm welcome and program updates from Dr. Shannon E. Weaver, Faculty Coordinator of the HDFS 1070 and Naomi Inman, Graduate Assistant. Attendees also heard from ECE Program Director, Chris Todd, who provided an important update about all things UConn ECE. Morning sessions included discussions on syllabi requirements and yearly evaluations, led by Dr. Weaver. A keynote presentation on Emerging Topics in Developmental Science followed, offering insights into current trends in the field/ After lunch, instructors participated in a session on evaluating textbooks and engaged in breakout roundtable discussions to share their reviews. The afternoon concluded with a larger group discussion and closing remarks from Dr. Weaver and Naomi Inman. The workshop provided a valuable space for collaboration, reflection, and continued growth within the ECE HDFS teaching community.

UConn HDFS courses offered through UConn Early College Experience.