My experience teaching Introduction to American Indian Studies as a Teaching Assistant and later Teaching Faculty was especially significant in allowing me to test my abilities and grow as an instructor. This course of first-year students offers an introduction to the historical and contemporary experiences of Indigenous peoples in North America. This course allowed me to further develop my abilities in facilitating class discussions, mediating sensitive issues, and guiding students through transformative learning experiences. Throughout the semester I was thrilled to see students grow in their ability to consider topics critically and apply deep thinking skills in regards to their own experiences with the material. This course reinforced for me the power of education as a means of promoting justice. Below are select lessons plans I developed for discussion sessions in this course, as well as sample materials from the online course I developed.
I developed an online version of this introductory course to expand student access. The curriculum is grounded in best practices in teaching and learning, with particular attention to effective online pedagogy. The course is intentionally structured around multiple mini-lessons, reflecting current research on attention and engagement in virtual environments. It is designed to be highly user-friendly, with built-in organization that supports navigation and ease of use. I also incorporated diverse and inclusive assessment methods, including reflection essays, quizzes, discussion posts, and applied activities. In addition to this asynchronous format, I developed a live online version of the course that integrates interactive, group-based learning experiences.
Students complete a Weekly Module that consists of Lesson A and Lesson B. Each Lesson includes: Course Content (mini-lecture and short clips), Readings and a Reading Quiz, Lesson Activities, and a Discussion board prompt with required peer response.
Each lesson begins with a brief overview video that orients students to the week’s content. The lesson landing page centralizes all materials and required activities, providing a clear and consistent structure. This design prioritizes ease of navigation, allowing students to focus their attention on engaging with the course content.
Designed for an 8 week intensive summer session.