Author: Stefanie Malinoski

2025 UConn ECE New Instructor Orientation

Posted on by

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.

Posted in PD

Spring 2025 UConn ECE LLAS Instructor Workshop

Posted on by

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

Posted on by

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

Posted on by

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.

Spring 2025 UConn ECE Asian and Asian American Studies Workshop

Posted on by

On Thursday, March 13th, UConn Early College Experience and the faculty from Asian & Asian American Studies (AAAS) welcomed certified ECE AAAS instructors to the annual professional development workshop held at UConn’s Benton Museum of Art. The day began with registration and a warm welcome on the museum’s second floor, where participants discussed both individual and collective goals for the workshop. Attendees then explored the Minnie Negoro exhibit, followed by a reflective session focused on pedagogies related to Japanese American WWII incarceration. After a midday lunch break, the afternoon featured interactive sessions including a pair-and-share syllabus review, discussion of Asian American Studies frameworks, and strategies for incorporating inquiry-based learning into the classroom The workshop provided a meaningful space for collaboration, critical reflection, and the exchange of ideas to enhance teaching practices in Asian and Asian American Studies.

UConn AAAS courses offered through UConn Early College Experience.

Spring 2025 UConn ECE Environmental Science Instructor Workshop

Posted on by

On, Wednesday, March 12th UConn Early College Experience, in collaboration with the Environmental Sciences faculty, hosted the annual Professional Development Workshop for certified UConn ECE Natural Resources and the Environment (NRE) instructors. The event was held virtually via WebEx, allowing participants from across the state to join remotely.

The conference began with a warm welcome and introductions led by Morty Ortega. The highlight of the morning was a presentation by Dr. Rick Relyea, Professor and David M. Darrin ’40 Senior Endowed Chair at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Dr. Relyea shared valuable insights on freshwater salinization and its ecological impacts on animals, plants, and algae.

Following a short break, the session resumed with a practical segment focused on bringing environmental science into the classroom, equipping instructors with tools and strategies to engage students in real-world ecological issues.

The workshop concluded with final thoughts from Morty Ortega, wrapping up a morning of meaningful discussion and professional growth for NRE educators.

UConn NRE courses offered through UConn Early College Experience.

Spring 2025 UConn ECE European History Instructor Workshop

Posted on by

On Wednesday, March 12, UConn Early College Experience and the faculty from HIST 1400 welcomed certified instructors to the annual professional development conference, held on the UConn Storrs campus in the Babbidge Library’s HBL 1102 Instruction Room.

The day began with a welcome session, followed by a presentation from Dr. Dexter Gabriel, who spoke on “Black People in the European World: From the Early Modern Era through the Age of Emancipation.”

Attendees then engaged in a group discussion centered on selected articles and a video, including:

  • “A Conversation on the Black Presence in Tudor England” (Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco)
  • Scholarly works by Mullen, Mundell, Newman, and Miguel Valerio, exploring Black lives in 18th-century Britain and Afro-Christian identity in Iberia.

After a short break, Mr. Richard Bleiler, UConn’s Collections & Humanities Librarian, introduced instructors to primary sources available in the UConn Libraries related to Black people in Europe.

Following lunch, Dr. Kaveh Yazdani presented on “Slavery, Anton Wilhelm Amo, and the Appraisal of Blacks in German Lands, 17th to 18th Centuries,” offering valuable historical context and classroom insight.

The conference concluded with an open discussion on how to incorporate race and diversity into the HIST 1400 curriculum, fostering a deeper and more inclusive understanding of European history among students.

UConn History courses offered through UConn Early College Experience.

Spring 2025 UConn ECE American Sign Language Instructor Workshop

Posted on by

On Wednesday, March 12th, UConn Early College Experience and the ASL faculty welcomed certified ECE ASLN instructors to the annual Professional Development Workshop for a day of collaboration and learning. The day began with a with a campus tour, including a stop at the ASL Community Housing. Later attendees heard program updates from ASL faculty and staff, explored resources like the ASL Resource Center and language labs, and learned about ASL degree pathways and instructional support. Instructors observed live ASL classes and attended curriculum sessions. The day also highlighted student experiences, including Deaf Fest, ASL Club, and study programs in Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico. A group lunch provided time for networking before the workshop wrapped up with a visit to Mike Schlang’s ASLN 3306W: Advanced American Sign Language Level II class. Thank you to all who attended and contributed to this engaging and impactful event!

UConn ASLN courses offered through UConn Early College Experience.

Spring 2024 UConn ECE Classics Workshop

Posted on by

Spring 2024 UConn ECE Classics Workshop

On Wednesday, June 5th, UConn Early College Experience hosted a professional development workshop for approximately 20 certified ECE Classics teachers, under the guidance of Professor Sara Johnson, our  ECE Faculty Coordinator for Classics.

Following a collegial conversation and opening remarks from Professor Johnson, the group delved into a discussion concerning the current climate surrounding UConn Classics courses at the university.

Later participants engaged in an insightful exploration of "Cloud Cuckoo Land" by Anthony Doerr, a text distributed to all attendees prior to the workshop which fostered an enriching dialogue among the group.

UConn Classics courses offered through Early College Experience.

Spring 2024 UConn ECE Art Workshop

Posted on by

Spring 2024 UConn ECE Art Workshop

On Tuesday, June 4th UConn Early College Experience, and the UConn ECE Faculty Coordinator from Art, Professor Emerita of Illustration, Department of Art & Art History, Cora Lynn Deibler met with a group of 16 UConn ECE certified Art Instructors for a professional development workshop.

After welcoming comments from Prof. Deibler, the teachers joined for a roundtable discussion regarding the fundamentals of drawing. They acknowledged the fundamentals of drawing can initially be "boring" for today's young student artists as their usual visual world is fast, colorful, and immediate. While educators recognize the value of foundational work, they also know they are competing with TikTok, anime, and drawing apps. They shared strategies and insights into captivating Drawing I students, discussing impactful assignments and classroom activities that yielded enthusiastic responses from their students.

Later in the day, the group was privileged to gain insights from Professor Deibler and guest speakers Kathryn Myers, Professor of Art at UConn, and Jeanne Ciravolo, a distinguished faculty member of UConn's Department of Art and Art History, who also serves as the Director of the Alexey von Schlippe Gallery. Together, they explored portfolio preparation and admission criteria, providing valuable guidance to support students contemplating applications to collegiate-level art programs.

UConn Art courses offered through ECE

Spring 2024 UConn ECE Statistics Workshop

Posted on by

Spring 2024 UConn ECE Statistics Workshop

On Monday, May 20th UConn Early College Experience, and the UConn ECE Faculty Coordinator from Statistics, Prof. Nalini Ravishanker met with a group of 44 UConn ECE certified Statistics teachers for their annual professional development workshop. The day included a presentation by James O’Donnell, Prof. Marine Sciences Department, UConn, and Director of Connecticut Institute for Resilience & Climate Adaptation (CIRCA): “Analyzing Coastal Flooding in CT and Climate Resilience”. Prof. O’Donnell spoke about the impacts of sea level rise, and more technically about the changing risk of flooding at the shoreline.

Later Elizabeth Schifano, Prof. and UG Program Director, Statistics spoke about data science programs at UConn. After a short break, the group reconvened to discuss a variety of topics including:

  • Homework assigning and grading at UConn (Amie O’Brien).
  • Mixture of traditional lecture & working problems in class vs. doing more hands-on investigations and labs, experiments where students use inference procedures (Amy Bigelow).
  • Switching from traditional textbook problems to one more involved free response problem set each week (Amy Bigelow).
  • Combined AP/ECE classes - finishing the entire curriculum by the beginning of May (before AP exam), what do the ECE students do in May-June? (Marcjanna Lungarini).

UConn Statistics courses offered through ECE.

Spring 2024 UConn ECE Latino and Latin American Studies Workshop

Posted on by

Spring 2024 UConn ECE Latino and Latin American Studies Workshop

On Monday, May 20th. UConn Early College Experience, and the UConn ECE Faculty Coordinator from Latino and Latin American Studies, Prof. Anne Gebelein, met with a group of 20 UConn ECE certified LLAS 1190: Introduction to Latin America and the Caribbean Instructors for a professional development workshop on the Hartford campus. The day included a presentation and discussion with special guest Lorenzo Martinez Ruiz about challenges to indigenous sovereignty in Nicaragua.

Lorenzo Martinez Ruiz is an indigenous leader of the Rama-Kriol peoples in southeastern Nicaragua, Lorenzo Martinez Ruiz, who helped unpack the two biggest issues for indigenous today: sovereignty and land rights. Lorenzo has been an activist for indigenous rights, whose community was involved in an InterAmerican Court case in which the Nicaraguan government was required to give the indigenous of the zone land titles. However, the government has ignored the many illegal settlers that have been encroaching and clearcutting the land to create cattle ranches; the indigenous have been documenting these breaches to prepare for a future return to the courts. In the meantime, Nicaraguan politician, Daniel Ortega banned Lorenzo from the country and stripped him of his citizenship. Lorenzo currently resides in Manchester, CT and he has applied for asylum.

After lunch the group discussed teaching indigenous studies today and later ECE Instructor Elise Weisenbach (Branford High School) led a discussion on college teaching challenges in the high school setting.

UConn LLAS courses offered through ECE.

Spring 2024 UConn ECE EDLR1162 and EDCI Workshop

Posted on by

Spring 2024 UConn ECE Education Workshop

On Friday, May 17th UConn Early College Experience, and the UConn ECE Faculty Coordinators from Education, Dr’s DeRosa and Levine met with a group of 20 UConn ECE certified Educational Leadership and Educational Curriculum and Instruction teachers for a joint professional development workshop.

After welcoming remarks from leadership in Neag, the teachers took time to introduce themselves and discussed Making College Level Reading Accessible. Later they broke into small groups to discuss problems of practice.

 

UConn Education courses offered through ECE.

Spring 2024 UConn ECE U.S. History Workshop

Posted on by

Spring 2024 UConn ECE U.S. History Workshop

On Monday, May 13th UConn Early College Experience, and the UConn ECE Faculty Coordinator from U.S. History, Prof. Matt McKenzie met with a group of 50 UConn ECE certified U.S. History Instructors for a professional development workshop.

After welcoming comments from Prof. Mckenzie the teachers took time to introduce themselves and listened to Prof. McKenzie’s talk titled “Using Experience as an Archive for Historical Research: Methods and Examples".

After a short break the group broke into a large discussion about the differences between AP and UConn courses through ECE and what kinds of support and resources they would like more of to help promote UConn courses in their high schools.

UConn U.S. History courses offered through ECE

Spring 2024 UConn ECE HDFS Workshop

Posted on by

Spring 2024 UConn ECE HDFS Workshop

On Tuesday, May 7th UConn Early College Experience, and the UConn ECE Faculty Coordinator from Human Development and Family Sciences, Shannon Weaver met with a group of 32 UConn ECE certified HDFS Instructors for a professional development workshop.

The day began with introductions and welcoming remarks and ECE program updates. Later, Dr. Weaver spoke about “The New Reality of Aging: Impact on Families” and the teachers broke into small groups to discuss course objectives for Later Adulthood

After a short break there was an open instructor forum and more group conversations and later a student showcase. The group broke for lunch and later heard from Student Success and Engagement Librarian, Ery Caswell, who provided teachers with an overview of resources available to instructors and students. The teachers also reviewed Microsoft Teams & HuskyCT.

UConn HDFS courses offered through ECE

Spring 2024 UConn ECE Biology Workshop

Posted on by

Spring 2024 UConn ECE Biology Workshop

On Tuesday, April 30th UConn Early College Experience, and the UConn ECE Faculty Coordinator from Biology, Dr. Tom Abbott met with a group of 34 UConn ECE certified Biology Instructors for their annual professional development workshop.

After opening remarks the teachers embarked on a campus trail walk led by Dr. Abbott. The theme for the day was “In the “Heat” of the Moment, Forests Move Center Stage” and the group took a campus field walk through small forest stands. After the walk, teachers reconvened for lunch and additional conversation about their UConn BIOL 1107 and 1108 courses with Dr. Abbott.

UConn Biology courses offered through ECE

Spring 2024 UConn ECE English Conference

Posted on by

Spring 2024 UConn ECE English Conference

On Friday, April 26th UConn Early College Experience, and the UConn ECE Faculty Coordinator from English, Prof. Scott Campbell and Graduate Assistant Adam McLain met with a group of almost 80 UConn ECE certified English Instructors for an in person professional development workshop on UConn’s Hartford campus.

The theme for the Spring 2024 conference was “Inquiring About Writing: Syllabi and Texts in the ECE English High School Classroom”. The conference brought together ECE English teachers to reflect on how to improve syllabi, use different texts with teaching, and implement first-year writing in high school classrooms for the next school year.

Sessions included:

"Barbie, Literary Theory, and Art" Course Unit Discussion

Advisory Board Member Kevin Barbero provided an example of a course arc focused around Barbie, literary theory, and art, showcasing his assignments and syllabus architecture for this unit. Teachers engaged in a workshop discussion about course inquiry and teaching units in the ECE English high school classroom with Kevin's example as the jumping off point.

Wadsworth Atheneum: Engaging with Inquiry, Identity, and Writing

Arri Weeks took a group to the Wadsworth Museum in downtown Hartford. The group thought about inquiry, texts, identity, and writing as it relates to an exhibit in the museum.

New(er) Teacher Intensive Workshop

Kyle Candia-Bovi and Alexa Kydd works with new(er) ECE English teachers thinking about the yearlong ENGL 1004 or 1007 classroom in the high school setting. They provided examples from their syllabi about how to turn the usually semester-long ENGL 1007 into a yearlong course.

Group Working Room

Emily Genser and Ramona Puchalski-Piretti hosted a session for those looking to have some quiet time to work on course materials in an hour-long guided working session.

"The Good Place, Literary Theory, and Philosophy" Course Unit Discussion

Kristen Rotherham provided an example of a course arc focused on The Good Place, literary theory, and philosophy, showcasing her assignments and syllabus architecture for this unit. Teachers engaged in a workshop discussion about course inquiry and teaching units in the ECE English high school classroom with Kristen's example as the jumping off point.

 

UConn English courses offered through ECE

Spring 2024 UConn ECE Italian Workshop

Posted on by

Spring 2024 UConn ECE Italian Workshop

On Thursday, April 4th UConn Early College Experience, and the UConn ECE Faculty Coordinator from Italian, Prof. Tina Chiapetta Miller met with a group of 10 UConn ECE certified Italian Instructors for their annual professional development workshop.

After opening remarks and an announcement of the multimedia content winners, the group heard from, UConn current PhD candidate, Danielle Pieratti on “"Traduttore / Traditore? Translation Pedagogies for ECE Italian".

Danielle Pieratti is an educator, poet, translator, and PhD candidate at the University of Connecticut. She has taught in secondary and post-secondary settings for more than twenty years. She is the author most recently of Approximate Body (Carnegie Mellon University Press 2023), and her first book, Fugitives (Lost Horse Press 2016), won the 2017 Connecticut Book Award for poetry. Transparencies, her translated volume of works by Italian poet Maria Borio, was released by World Poetry Books in 2022. She currently serves as poetry editor for the international literary journal Asymptote, and her latest manuscript is a collection of hybrid works inspired by translations of Dante's Purgatorio.

*Image is San Girolamo nello studio, c. 1475, di Antonello da Messina (1430-1479)

 

UConn Italian courses offered through ECE

Spring 2024 UConn ECE Library Media Specialists Training

Posted on by

Spring 2024 UConn ECE Library Media Specialists Training

On Wednesday, March 26th, UConn Early College Experience, and the UConn ECE Liaisons from the Babbidge Library met with participating ECE library media specialists for a professional development training. The group met virtually and heard from content specialists from the library.

After a brief welcome with ECE Staff and Kate Fuller, from the library, the group heard from different library staff members:

 Laura Smith : Finding Primary Sources.

 Terry Palacios : StAIying Informed: Quick Overview of Generative AI, Pitfalls of AI, and Exploring AI Tools

Rob Walsh Fundamentals of Strategic Searching 

 Greg Colati CT Digital Archives (CTDA)

Materials from the training are available to for reference at: https://guides.lib.uconn.edu/ECE.

Spring 2024 UConn ECE Spanish Workshop

Posted on by

Spring 2024 UConn ECE Spanish Workshop

On Monday, March 25th UConn Early College Experience, and the UConn ECE Faculty Coordinators from Spanish,Profs. Gustavo Nanclares and Eduardo Urios-Aparisi met with a group of more than 60 UConn ECE certified Spanish Instructors for their annual professional development workshop.

Prof. Maria Acosta Cruz, Professor of Spanish in the Language, Literature & Culture Dept, Clark University shared her presentation "Ecocrítica, cultura y nación: La cultura puertorriqueña a través de cinco siglos" ("Ecocriticism, Culture, and Nation: Puerto Rican Culture Through Five Centuries") with the teachers. After lunch the instructors engaged in a group activity sharing their creativity and resources with one another. 

UConn Spanish courses offered through ECE.

Spring 2024 UConn ECE Allied Health Workshop

Posted on by

Spring 2024 UConn ECE Allied Health Workshop

On Thursday, March 12th UConn Early College Experience, and the UConn ECE Faculty Coordinator from Allied Health, Dr. Bruce Blanchard met with a group of more than 30 UConn ECE certified Allied Health Instructors for a virtual professional development workshop.

The group introduced themselves and took time to speak about each course: AH 1100: Introduction to Allied Health Professions, AH 2001: Medical Terminology and AH 4092: EMT Training  Veteran Instructors  shared insight with some of the newly certified ECE AH Instructors as well.  Time was spent sharing course resources and discussing possible improvements to the courses.

UConn Allied Health courses offered through ECE.

Spring 2024 UConn ECE German Workshop

Posted on by

Spring 2024 UConn ECE German Workshop

On Thursday, March 7th UConn Early College Experience, and the UConn ECE Faculty Coordinator from German, Prof. Anke Finger met with a group of 6 UConn ECE certified German Instructors for a professional development workshop.

The theme was "Blue Humanities, the Baltic Sea and Log Island Sound" which included some hands-on practice with ChatGPT.

UConn German courses offered through ECE.

Spring 2024 UConn ECE Educational Psychology Workshop

Posted on by

Spring 2024 UConn ECE Educational Psychology Workshop

On Wednesday, March 6th UConn Early College Experience, and the UConn ECE Faculty Coordinator from Educational Psychology, Prof. Joseph Madaus met with a group of 6 UConn ECE certified EPSY (Special Education) Instructors for a professional development workshop.

Instructors heard from author Terry Trueman, who spoke about his life and course text “Stuck in Neutral”. The book is about a teenage boy named Shawn who has cerebral palsy. Unable to communicate with the outside world and feeling trapped in his body, "Stuck in Neutral" explores Shawn's complicated relationship with his father.

After hearing from Terry the Instructors had a spirited discussion sharing ideas and resources that people are using in their courses.

UConn Education courses offered through ECE.

Spring 2024 UConn ECE French Workshop

Posted on by

Spring 2024 UConn ECE French Workshop

On Friday, March 1st UConn Early College Experience, and the UConn ECE Faculty Coordinator from French, Florence Marsal met with a group of 30 UConn ECE certified French Instructors for a professional development workshop.

Joëlle Vitiello, Professor of French and Francophone Studies, Macalester College shared her presentation “Enseigner les trésors d'Haïti” (Teaching the Treasures of Haiti).

Later Mary Catherine Decoteau, Career Consultant from UConn’s Career Services spoke to teachers about enhancing and highlighting career competencies in ECE French classes. Completing the morning, ECE Instructor from Avon High School Geneviève Brand discussed “L'eau dans la littérature”(Water in Literature). All Instructors who registered also received a free e-copy of  "Laquelle de nous était Eurydice".

UConn FREN courses offered through ECE.

Spring 2024 UConn ECE Political Science Workshop

Posted on by

Spring 2024 UConn ECE Political Science Workshop

On Wednesday, February 28th UConn Early College Experience, and the UConn ECE Faculty Coordinators from Political Science, Oksan Bayulgen and Evan Perkoski met with a group of 14 UConn ECE certified Political Science Instructors for a professional development workshop.

Instructors heard from a panel of two political science professor and two undergraduate students who  are active in student organizations on  how to address electoral issues and partisanship in political science courses and how to encourage in student civic engagement. After a short break, Sandra Sirota (Director of Human Rights and Close to Home program) shared her talk "The importance of civic action in order to strengthen democracy and respect for human rights in our Connecticut communities and beyond."

 

UConn POLS courses offered through ECE.