2025 Disciplined Inquiry in Education Seminar Series Kicks Off Again on Jan. 29 at SUNY Potsdam, with Wide-Ranging Array of Talks Planned
SUNY Potsdam Professor of Teacher Education Dr. Laura Brown will open the 2025 Disciplined Inquiry in Education Seminar Series with a presentation on redesigning grading and assessment systems. Brown is pictured here at Commencement in 2018 as she helped students process onto the stage.
SUNY Potsdam will continue its Disciplined Inquiry in Education Seminar Series with a range of topics across the disciplines in 2025, and is open to the public once again this semester.
Sponsored by SUNY Potsdam's School of Education and Professional Studies, the annual series has hosted more than 170 presenters since its inception in 2007. All seminar meetings will be face-to-face with an online attendance option.
Professor Dr. Laura Brown, chair of the Department of Teacher Education, will open the series this semester, with a free talk at noon on Wednesday, Jan. 29. Her presentation, titled “Grading Reimagined: How an Alternative Approach Could Help Both Instructors and Students Find Meaning and Purpose in Assessment,” will explore ways to shift focus from grades to meaningful learning experiences. Drawing on her personal experiences, Brown will delve into the process of redesigning a grading system to prioritize student growth, self-reflection and intrinsic motivation. The approach helps to foster a sense of agency and reduce stress, ultimately benefiting both students and instructors by creating an environment where assessment becomes a tool for growth, not a source of angst or anxiety.
All seminar meetings will be offered on Wednesdays from noon to 1 p.m. In-person sessions will be offered in the Rebecca V. Sheard Literacy Center balcony, with a virtual viewing option available via Zoom. Virtual presentations will be offered via Zoom.
The remaining sessions for the series are as follows:
- Feb. 19: Laura Perry and Dr. Karen Caldwell (Department of Business Administration): “Solving the Accessibility Problem Before We Create It: Embedding Accessible, Inclusive Design Competencies into Curricula”
- March 19: Dr. Sarah Solley (Department of Teacher Education): “Trauma-Informed Pedagogy or Practice: What Does This Mean and How Does it Connect to Social Justice Pedagogy?”
- April 2: Sara Cantwell (Department of Teacher Education and Center for School Partnerships and Teacher Certification): “The Game Master’s Classroom: Teaching Tips from Tabletop Roleplay Adventuring”
- April 30: Laura Griffin and Dr. Sergei Abramovich (Department of Teacher Education): “Cookies on Plates II: Seeing Patterns in Images by Third Graders at Potsdam Central School”
These events are free, and the public is welcome to attend. Community members who wish to join either virtually or in person should email Billijean Elliott for more information, at plantybj@potsdam.edu.
For the full descriptions of all Disciplined Inquiry in Education events, please visit http://www.potsdam.edu/academics/SOEPS/education/seminar.
The School of Education and Professional Studies at SUNY Potsdam has been preparing educators for more than 200 years. Today, that legacy of educational excellence also stretches to undergraduate and graduate programs in business administration, public health and human performance, to help students prepare for professions in the global economy. To learn more, visit www.potsdam.edu/academics/SOEPS.
About SUNY Potsdam:
Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America’s first 50 colleges—and the oldest institution within SUNY. Now in its third century, SUNY Potsdam is distinguished by a legacy of pioneering programs and educational excellence. The College currently enrolls approximately 2,500 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its challenging liberal arts and sciences core, distinction in teacher training and culture of creativity. To learn more, visit www.potsdam.edu.