CASTLE FACULTY FELLOWS
CASTLE Faculty Fellows support Drexel faculty who teach undergraduate STEM courses by:
- answering questions that faculty have about implementing effective online/remote teaching
- serving as a sounding board for faculty that want advice about an approach they would like to try in their classroom
- engaging in CASTLE community events throughout the summer, intended to promote our collective learning about effective STEM teaching and learning
MEET THE FACULTY FELLOWS
Professor, Physics
John DiNardo is a Professor of Physics and served as the Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs for Drexel for more than a decade. Through his roles at Drexel, he has been a staunch supporter of effective pedagogy and professional development approaches. He has promoted innovation in STEM pedagogy, overseen and implemented curriculum development, and engaged in grant writing and grant writing support to promote effective STEM teaching and learning. He is currently interested in curricular innovation to best support student learning.
Associate Teaching Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Jaimie Dougherty is an Associate Teaching Professor in the School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems who has strong experience in experiential learning in the classroom. Jaimie has recently been focusing on effectively engaging students in experiential learning experiences in remote courses.
Teaching Professor, Biology
Mesha Hunte-Brown is a Teaching Professor in the Department of Biology and
has a wealth of experience with teaching online and in hybrid course
environments. Even before taking on a role as a CASTLE Faculty Fellow, Mesha served as a mentor for other faculty during
the pandemic – both through the Peer2Peer network, through informal
experiences, and through interactions with the BEES and Biology departments. She is currently interested in effective lab teaching in the remote learning environment.
Professor, Computer Science
Jeremy Johnson is a Professor of Computer Science
and has significant experience in teaching online courses and establishing
online degree programs. Jeremy has also published on his work relating to
virtual office hours, and has explored using various technologies to support
student learning. He is currently interested in issues of academic integrity in the remote learning environment and how to effectively support faculty and students towards creating environments that best support learning.
Associate Teaching Professor, Physics
Christy Love is an Associate Teaching Professor in the Department of
Physics and has substantive experience in teaching online, including
creating at-home labs that use online tools and household items for a more
active learning experience. Christy has interacted with DUCOM and
collaborated with DUO in teaching hybrid courses, and served as a resource
for her colleagues. She is currently interested in practical approaches to promote inclusivity in STEM classroom environments.
Professor Emeritus, Civil, Architectural & Environmental Engineering
Jim Mitchell is a Professor Emeritus in Civil, Architectural and Environmental
Engineering and has significant experience with teaching, building
programs, and supporting faculty in their professional development with
regards to teaching (among other subjects). Jim has a long-standing interest in exploring AI-Based teaching approaches to improve STEM education, such as intelligent tutoring systems.
Assistant Teaching Professor, Mathematics
Dimitri Papadopoulos is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of
Mathematics and has experience with developing online versions of Math
courses and courses to teach undergraduate students how to teach. Dimitri
has research interests in undergraduate math education and has been
supporting faculty in the Math department during the transition to online
teaching. He is currently interested in how to effectively use writing approaches to improve problem solving and critical thinking in Math.
Professor Emeritus, Computer Science
Jeffrey Popyack is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science and has been engaging with using the online environment to support active cooperative learning since the late 1990’s. Jeff is motivated to demonstrate excellence in online teaching and in supporting others in this mission for Drexel, and teachers in the School District of Philadelphia. He has been personally working on this through courses at the introductory and upper-level undergraduate levels.
Vice Provost for Undergraduate Curriculum and Education, Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering
Steve Weber is the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Curriculum and Education and a Professor of Electrical and
Computer Engineering, and Director of the Cybersecurity Institute, and has
experience with developing online degree programs and supporting others in
the transition to online ed. Steve has been working to understand faculty
and student perspectives of online learning and how to promote best
practices. He is currently interested in the administrative processes surrounding curricular innovation and implementation.
- CASTLE has resources for online learners , for teaching remotely, and additional pedagogical resources, which are being regularly updated.
- The Instructional Technology Group can provide technical support for instructional technologies, including Bb Learn, Camtasia, Bb Collaborate, and Kaltura. They also have trainings and webinars.
- The Video Collaboration and Production Group can provide technical support for video and audiovisual services.
- The Remote Teaching Task Force has developed resources regarding remote teaching at Drexel.
- The Online Learning Council and Online Learning Council Fellows support the OLC mission by developing and sharing strategies that have lasting impact on the design, delivery and outcomes of Drexel University’s online, hybrid and technology-enhanced face-to-face courses. The OLC Faculty Fellows offer a series of 2- to 5-week professional development courses and conduct course reviews.
- The Teaching and Learning Center will be facilitating workshops and a “short course” to help faculty address specific pedagogical challenges. These workshops will be broadly advertised across the university, and will take place throughout the summer.
- The Peer2Peer Network offers 1:1 faculty support with teaching and learning from a faculty perspective. This Network can help individual faculty find resources and opportunities that match the needs of the instructor. The Network can be contacted here: Peer2PeerSupportNetwork@drexel0.onmicrosoft.com.
- The Graduate College has Remote Course Facilitators who are willing to help faculty with work related to student engagement, including: monitoring the chat window during Zoom sessions, creating and checking on breakout rooms, and managing the waiting room for courses. More information can be found here.
*funded by Howard Hughes Medical Institute