STRENGTHENING GUIDES: Resources for Supporting LAS Implementation

LAS Collab has funded a diverse collection of open-access Liberal Arts and Sciences Strengthening Guides. Each guide delves into the best practices and lessons learned in various aspects of LAS administration, curriculum, and pedagogy. These guides are crafted with the intention of being adaptable and applicable by LAS education practitioners globally.

Lists Of Guides

Title	Author/s	Summary	Upload Date
Scaffolding the Academic Writing Process https://2ly.link/21K6E	Dr Dale Mineshima-Lowe Faculty, Division of Social Science and Humanities Parami University	This guide is motivated by two questions: “How do I engage students in their learning?” and “What assumptions have I made about students’ starting points and their capabilities coming into the classroom?” Throughout my teaching career, I have noticed that student engagement in their learning is not just about their ability and desire to learn, but also about developing students’ confidence in their ability to learn. This strengthening guide intends to provide pedagogical understanding about using scaffolding and writing-based activities to engage students in learning. Part I highlights the pedagogical underpinnings that define and support scaffolding learning activities. Part II describes some learning activities and tools that can be used to foster critical thinking and engagement across a variety of courses and topics.	26.11.2024
Our Seminar Story: Building First-Year Seminar From The Ground Up Episode 1 – https://2ly.link/20kEI Episode 2 – https://2ly.link/20kEw Episode 3 – https://2ly.link/20kF2	Guy Risko Dean of Studies Bard High School Early College	These three podcast episodes trace the development of a four-semester-long first-year seminar program at Bard High School Early College in Cleveland. Speaking with current students, alumni, and current and former faculty and hosted by a founding faculty member currently in an administrative role, this podcast series offers a narrative look at how to build a seminar sequence into a variety of institutions.	8.11.24
Education for Students with Disabilities https://2ly.link/201vf	Fahmida Rahman Senior Lecturer and Program Coordinator BRAC University	The guide is designed to assist university administrators, faculty members, and students in understanding the process of integrating individuals with disabilities into their educational framework. It aims to foster a culture of acceptance and support for students with disabilities, thereby establishing a structured support system. It outlines the foundational principles for admissions practices, academic assistance, and the provision of services to ensure that these students have equal access to the university’s programs and activities, enabling them to succeed in their studies.	1.10.24
Socratic Conversations at USFQ https://2ly.link/1zTeQ [Spanish]	Alejandro Cathey-Cevallos and María Dolores Idrovo Universidad San Francisco de Quito	These videos consist of a series of interviews with professors at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) in which they discuss the practice and philosophy of the Liberal Arts, as well as its relevance to the contemporary Latin American context. Most of these videos are in Spanish, with English subtitles forthcoming.	8.9.24
Methodology Toolkit for Participatory Student Surveys https://2ly.link/1zQqc	Rusudan Margiani and Anna Sebestyén PhD Candidates ELTE Institute of Political and International Studies	This guide represents participatory action research conducted by students, into student opinions. It describes the research stages and contains an appendix with the tools used: a questionnaire, a SWOT analysis, and small focus group interviews. The survey covered various topics and the research approach used participatory action approaches.	27.8.24
Implementing Student-centered Learning in Larger Classrooms in ESL Contexts https://2ly.link/1zOhs	Chathuri Weerasinghe Lecturer & Resource Unit Coordinator, School of General Education, BRAC University	This strengthening guide sheds light on how student-centered learning in larger classrooms with diverse ESL proficiencies can be implemented through systems change in higher education institutions. Insights are built on the collective experience of faculty at the School of General Education at BRAC University.	23.8.24
Scaffolding Learning for Student Success in the Liberal Arts & Sciences Classroom https://2ly.link/21K6E	Jennifer Browdy (Professor of Comparative Literature & Media Arts, Bard College/Simon’s Rock)	In the age of Artificial Intelligence, it is essential to break down writing assignments into stages that can be assessed individually, so that as teachers we have an opportunity to intervene early if we see students getting off track in any way. This resource unpacks the scaffolding necessary to guide students in producing high-quality writing based on textual analysis.	4.8.24
Cosmos Toolkit: resources for teaching natural sciences from a liberal arts perspective https://2ly.link/1zFcM [ English ] https://2ly.link/1zOhh [ Spanish ]	Jorje Ignacio Zalles and Alexis Hidrobo Professors Universidad San Francisco de Quito	This book distills the experiences of professors who teach a university course on natural sciences as part of a liberal arts curriculum. It is a compendium of lesson plans and activities that have been successfully put to use in the classrooms of Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), the first private university in Latin America whose educational philosophy is specifically focused on the liberal arts.	31.7.24
Enhancing Pedagogy with Artificial Intelligence https://2ly.link/1zFcQ	Inesa Stolper (Lecturer, European Humanities University)	This guidebook provides an introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and pedagogy for beginners. It explains fundamental AI concepts and essential tools for teachers, addressing key challenges at the intersection of teaching and technology. It outlines various methods for incorporating AI into curriculum design and classroom activities to develop critical thinking skills and modernize teaching practices.	30.7.24
An Introductory Guide to Developing Liberal Arts and Sciences Education https://2ly.link/1zFc9	Azamat Sakiev Santa Rosa College	There is no one-size-fits-all approach to learning because individuals have unique needs, different preferences, and varying aptitudes. Because of this, there are several approaches and philosophies to education, of which liberal arts and sciences is one. The task in this guide is to define what this approach is, outline its characteristics, and identify prospective areas for its development to which anyone could contribute.	17.7.24
A Liberal Arts Guide to Academic Writing in the Age of AI: Crafting Meaning, Empowering Students https://2ly.link/1zFcH	Tara Keenan and the Writing and Pedagogy Working Group John Cabot University	This guide provides modular lesson plans for a course that focuses on the teaching of critical reading, writing, and information literacy. It provides (i) practical lessons that address Generative Artificial Intelligence and Large Language Models, and their interaction with liberal arts approaches to teaching and learning; (ii) tools to use and suggestions about when to use them in class; (iii) assignments and assessment rubrics.	8.7.24
Storytelling in the Liberal Arts & Sciences Classroom https://2ly.link/1zFc5	Will Buckingham Faculty of General Education, Parami University and Wind&Bones	A practical guide for putting storytelling to work in the liberal arts and sciences classroom, to build community, confidence and connection. The guide offers a robust framework for thinking about storytelling and communication in the classroom and provides a practical toolkit, giving clear instructions for how to reimagine the classroom as a space for storytelling, with an array of practical exercises to get instructors started.	4.7.24
Ecomedia Literacy & SDGs: A Handbook for Higher Ed https://2ly.link/1zFby	Antonio López Professor of Communication and Media Studies, John Cabot University	A handbook for integrating the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals into liberal arts and sciences curricula through the framework of ecomedia literacy. Ecomedia literacy investigates the relationship between media, information and communication technology, and environmental sustainability, considering both the ecological impacts of media systems and the role of media in shaping environmental awareness and actions.	23.6.24

Title	Author/s	Summary	Upload Date
Scaffolding the Academic Writing Process	Dr Dale Mineshima-Lowe Faculty, Division of Social Science and Humanities Parami University	This guide is motivated by two questions: “How do I engage students in their learning?” and “What assumptions have I made about students’ starting points and their capabilities coming into the classroom?” Throughout my teaching career, I have noticed that student engagement in their learning is not just about their ability and desire to learn, but also about developing students’ confidence in their ability to learn. This strengthening guide intends to provide pedagogical understanding about using scaffolding and writing-based activities to engage students in learning. Part I highlights the pedagogical underpinnings that define and support scaffolding learning activities. Part II describes some learning activities and tools that can be used to foster critical thinking and engagement across a variety of courses and topics.	26.11.2024