AUA General Education Faculty Participate in a Professional Development Workshop

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YEREVAN, Armenia — The American University of Armenia (AUA) wrapped up one academic year and kicked off the new academic year with a two-day professional development workshop on Improving Course Design and Instructional Strategies. Led by Anna Gevorgyan, adjunct lecturer in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS), the workshop assembled new as well as veteran General Education faculty to share their experiences, address challenges, and discuss effective teaching methods to improve student learning. 

Gevorgyan set the tone for the workshop, saying, “I usually start the first session with the following words: ‘This workshop is a great opportunity for me to practice what I preach.’” She views the event as a chance to share with faculty her own experiences and to foster candid discussions on the challenges and rewards of teaching. Focusing on the significance of collaboration among faculty, she maintains, “AUA faculty are a great resource for one another, and it is through the creation of a collaborative community that successes can be celebrated and solutions found to complex pedagogical challenges.”

The workshop revolved around the core concept of student-centered active learning and teaching, encompassing instructional design, pedagogical strategies for meaningful learning, and meeting the diverse needs of students. On the first day, participants explored the key principles of course design, with a focus on curricular alignment. Subsequently, they reviewed various course design frameworks and considered enhancing their own courses accordingly. 

The second day provided an opportunity for participants to explore various theories that promote active learning. Afterward, faculty had the opportunity to practice a variety of strategies and techniques that would enhance student engagement in and beyond the classroom. 

At the end of the workshop, Dr. Molly Freeman, an adjunct assistant professor in CHSS who teaches the new Critical Thinking for the Digital Era course, reflected: “The workshop was stimulating and deeply engaging. Despite four decades of teaching experience at the graduate and undergraduate levels, online and in person for four decades, I learned a great deal from the workshop that will enable me to nurture student creativity and critical thinking.” 

Tzovinar Artzrouni, who recently joined AUA as an adjunct lecturer of Music Appreciation, commented, “I am very happy to have started my work at AUA on such a positive note. As a newcomer to academic teaching, I found the workshop to be both informative and motivating, full of helpful tools and active learning techniques that I will certainly incorporate into my teaching.”

“Continued professional development is an integral part of higher education and contributes to ensuring that faculty continuously enhance teaching, improve learning, and stay current in higher education,” stated Dr. Sharistan Melkonian, dean of General Education. “Faculty in higher education must meet the demands of a changing world, and Anna’s workshops focused on developing strategies to do just that.” 

Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, affiliated with the University of California, and accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission in the United States. AUA provides local and international students with Western-style education through top-quality undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs, promotes research and innovation, encourages civic engagement and community service, and fosters democratic values.