Keystone Concepts in Teaching: A Higher Education Podcast from the Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning
Keystone Concepts in Teaching is a higher education podcast from the Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning at George Mason University. We focus on impactful teaching strategies that support students and faculty. Join us for conversations with experienced educators across disciplines and instructional modalities who share their actionable, evidence-based tips from the classroom!
Why keystone concepts? These are essential ideas that support effective teaching and learning. Our podcast aims to enhance faculty development by sharing these concepts and inclusive strategies to support faculty of all types and disciplines.
Subscribe now on your favorite podcast platform to get notified about new episodes every 2 weeks during the spring and fall semesters. Listen to our <25-minute episodes while you're on the go to discover small change strategies you might try now!
Hosted by: Rachel Yoho, CDP, PhD
Produced by: Kelly Chandler, MA
Episodes
30 episodes
S4 E29: Sensible Approaches to Teaching in the Age of AI-Generated Everything
In this episode, Dr. Tawnya Azar joins your host, Dr. Rachel Yoho, to share actionable strategies about how to avoid becoming the “AI Police” and teach students to think critically about how and when to responsibly use AI in college. Additional...
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Season 4
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Episode 29
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23:36
S3 E28: Dynamic Faculty Transforming Education
Drs. Esther Park, Iulia Fratila, Allison Miner, and Yanika Kowitlawakul join your host, Dr. Rachel Yoho, to discuss how they got started as new faculty members, their efforts to transform their teaching and students’ learning, and engagement wi...
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Season 3
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Episode 28
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29:13
S3 E27: Teaching Overlapping, Socially Pressing Issues
Dr. Lynnette Leonard and Dr. Dakota McCarty join your host, Dr. Rachel Yoho, to explore how we approach from different disciplines teaching difficult topics, including those with social contexts and relevance. Resource: Mason...
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Season 3
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Episode 27
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31:33
S3 E26: Writing Across the Curriculum
Drs. Tom Polk and Joan Hwang join your host, Dr. Rachel Yoho, to explore what Writing Across the Curriculum is, how it has developed, and current initiatives and impacts. Resources: Writing Across the Curriculum:
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Season 3
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Episode 26
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28:43
S3 E25: Preparing for and Facilitating Difficult Conversations and Situations in Teaching
In our second Hear From Your Host episode, Dr. Rachel Yoho, the regular host of the podcast, becomes the guest as Producer Kelly Chandler guest hosts to facilitate a conversation on how we prepare for and navigate difficult situations in educat...
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Season 3
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Episode 25
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26:24
S3 E24: All About Grading
Dr. Lisa Gring-Pemble, Dr. Aimee Weinstein, Maoria Kirker, and Doug McKenna join your host, Dr. Rachel Yoho, to discuss alternative grading strategies such as ungrading.Resource: Stearns Center Events Calendar (registrations for M...
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Season 3
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Episode 24
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28:01
S3 E23: Exploring Free Speech and Academic Freedom in Teaching
Zach Greenberg, from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), joins your host, Dr. Rachel Yoho, as the first guest from outside of the university to have an exploratory and academic talk about the timely topics of free speech...
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Season 3
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Episode 23
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20:18
S3 E22: The Learning Services Office is Supporting Student Success
Vicki Dominick from Learning Services joins your host, Dr. Rachel Yoho, to discuss the resources and opportunities available through the efforts of the Learning Services office. Resources: Learning Services at George Mason Un...
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Season 3
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Episode 22
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16:16
S3 E21: Podcasting as a Transformative Communication Strategy
Dr. Leigh McCue, Chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Philip Wilkerson, Employer Engagement Consultant, join Dr. Rachel Yoho to discuss how podcasting can be a transformative communication strategy – for your course, research,...
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Season 3
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Episode 21
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28:03
S3 E20: Level Up Your Teaching with Community Engagement and Civic Learning
Kristen Wright and Dr. Shauna Rigaud, of the Office of Community Engagement and Civic Learning at George Mason University, join your host, Dr. Rachel Yoho, to discuss opportunities for community-engaged teaching and civic learning and... maybe ...
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Season 3
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Episode 20
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22:18
S2 E19: Teaching Inspiration from Mason Korea
In this episode, two inspiring Mason Korea faculty members, John David McGrew and Dr. Deborah Kwak, join your host, Dr. Rachel Yoho, to explore key considerations for teaching at an international campus of a US university, as well as what has i...
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Season 2
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Episode 19
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22:58
S2 E18: How We Can Address Some of the “Big Issues” for Faculty Today
Drs. Raven Russell and Laurel Marsh join your host, Dr. Rachel Yoho, to discuss some of the key stressors and big issues for new and “less new” faculty today. We explore strategies to make teaching easier and better for everyone in the sp...
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Season 2
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Episode 18
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26:54
S2 E17: Exploring the Learning Management System (LMS): Canvas
Drs. Breana Bayraktar and Lila Fleming visit us to discuss Canvas, including key ideas, tips, and considerations whether you’re an experienced Canvas user or new to teaching. Resource: Information about the Canvas transition https:/...
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Season 2
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Episode 17
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23:16
S2 E16: How Do We Support Our "Contemporary Students"?
Dr. Joisanne Rodgers and Shyama Kuyver from the Contemporary Student Services office join us to talk about who are our contemporary students and how we can support them in their educational journey. Resources: Contemporary St...
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Season 2
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Episode 16
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24:19
S2 E15: Teaching Strategies Creating Access to STEM Courses
Prof. Kelly Knight and Dr. Christine Rosenfeld chat with us about how we might increase access to courses, even those in STEM like labs and field experiences. Resources: https://phet.color...
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Season 2
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Episode 15
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24:22
S2 E14: What's Happening in the Undergraduate Core Curriculum
Dr. Laura Poms, Director of the Mason Core, joins us again to provide updates on the Mason Core and expand on undergraduate student learning experiences from the Mason Core and beyond. Resources: Mason Core Website:
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Season 2
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Episode 14
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17:04
S2 E13: Strategies for Supporting Military-Affiliated Students
Drs. Glynita Bell and Amy Preston Page visit Keystone Concepts in Teaching to discuss an important part of the university community: military-affiliated learners. We explore strategies that support all students in education, and ...
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Season 2
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Episode 13
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20:43
S2 E12 Libraries - and Librarians - as Important Teaching and Learning Resources
Join us for a conversation with Maoria J. Kirker, MS, to explore the many resources of the university library and consider opportunities to collaborate with librarians. Resources: George Mason University Library:
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Season 2
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Episode 12
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15:30
S2 E11: Getting Started as a New Faculty Member
Dr. Aimee Weinstein joins Keystone Concepts host, Dr. Rachel Yoho, to discuss how to get started as a new faculty member... or perhaps, how you – as an experienced faculty member – might support your new colleagues. Resource...
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Season 2
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Episode 11
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17:31
S2 E10: You're Handed a Syllabus. Now What?
Dr. Cameron Harris joins Keystone Concepts host, Dr. Rachel Yoho, to discuss the logistics and considerations for teaching when you are assigned to teach a new-to-you course.Resources: Please be sure to also check out Epi...
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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19:13
S1 E9: Syllabi Supporting Learners and Instructors
Join our guest host, Kelly Chandler, as she talks with Dr. Rachel Yoho about how we can make our syllabi more inclusive of all learners and us as the instructor in the first of our “Hear From Your Host” series. Resources: Eb...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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23:40
S1 E8: Writing About Challenging Topics
Drs. Richard Craig, LaNitra Berger, and Courtney Massie join your host, Dr. Rachel Yoho, to discuss how we productively have conversations, facilitate student writing, and grade when centered around potentially challenging topics. Re...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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25:44
S1 E7: Strategies for Teaching Multilingual Students
Shelby Broberg and Dr. Idée Edalatishams join your host, Dr. Rachel Yoho, for a conversation on how we can support multilingual learners, including assignment design, assessment, and more! We explore actionable strategies for education that sup...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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19:11
S1 E6: What Do We Do About Artificial Intelligence Technologies in the Classroom?
Dr. Laina Lockett, the STEM Education Specialist in the Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning, joins us to talk about the “big thing” right now in education: artificial intelligence-based text generators. We explore actionable strategies for...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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21:19
S1 E5: What Core Courses Teach Us About Teaching
Dr. Laura Poms, Director of the Mason Core at George Mason University, joins us to explore what Core courses can teach us about teaching. We discuss content relevant to instructors who are – and are not – teaching in the undergraduate cor...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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16:43
