Community Members

Hello Everyone, I am grateful for the opportunity to join the group for this training course. A little about myself: I currently teach in the Speech, Communication and Theatre Arts Department and have served as an Adjunct Assistant Professor and Full-time Sub since 2019, where I have taught both Theatre and Speech courses. With the increasing costs of textbooks being a challenge for many of the students we serve, I am excited to learn more about adding more zero costs materials to the courses I teach. I have utilized zero cost materials in both, Theatre and Speech, over course of my teaching here at BMCC. By the end of this course I am hoping to streamline my course content, and find additional zero costs options to integrate into my classes.

Greetings Everyone, I’m happy to be here and enjoy being in a faculty learning community. I love meeting faculty members from different disciplines at BMCC. Seeing how we can use techniques in this seminar and apply them to our courses is astounding. I’m looking forward to learning how to diversify my assignments and establish more open-resourced assignments. I’m reading “Some of My Best Friends: Essays on Lip Service” by Taija Isen and just finished watching The Gilded Age on HBO Max.  

I’m a Ph.D Candidate in Comparative Literature at the CUNY Grad Center, a WAC Fellow at City Tech, and a L Learning Experience Designer with CETLS and Team Open and also an English Department Adjunct here at BMCC! I’m especially interested in designing and implementing audio assignments in the classroom as methods for encouraging asset-based pedagogy.

Hello everyone, My name is Stefanos Milkidis, I am a PhD Candidate in Human Geography at the Graduate Center, CUNY, and an adjunct professor at BMCC, in the department of Social Sciences, Human Services, and Criminal Justice. Currently teaching courses in American politics and geography, I am familiar with the concept and practice of OER, as it aspires to democratize the value of education. I would simply define OER as a movement that gains momentum in higher education in the US, as an effort to create multiple learning resources and teaching practices with the aim to provide high quality education both within and outside institutions. I am delighted to be part of this group! Please feel free to say hi here or in private.

I have been teaching in the English Department at BMCC for about six years now, and a bit longer at CCNY. I grew up loving the magical art of storytelling, and I want to keep up to date with what excites our students now. This is a different era when people rarely curl up with a book. I want to empower our students with the knowledge that their ideas matter, and that they have everything they need to share their ideas as part of larger discussions and on larger platforms. I’m looking forward to visiting my family and friends in England this winter, and I’m happy that I can participate in this workshop from there. I’m also looking forward to spending time with my two-year-old granddaughter when I’m back in New York. Also, I’m writing and illustrating my first children’s book, and I hope to finish it before the semester begins. Currently, I’m reading some books on parenting and family issues. Two books I am currently digesting are “How to Raise Successful People,” by Esther Wojcicki, and “It Didn’t Start With You,” by Mark Wolynn. I’m also reading some short stories in search of new conversation starters for my upcoming classes. This morning I read ‘The Most Important Day,” by Helen Keller. I love the way it describes how the network of language helps us connect with each other. I recently read and love this personal essay by a colleague, Brendan Costello, describing how he navigated becoming disabled: “What the Blind Lost.” I’m looking forward to learning more about how to make meaningful connections in our classrooms, how to honor the struggles students have in their lives outside of class, and how to become a better listener, who doesn’t only hear, but feels the perspective of the speaker.  

I am interested in this faculty learning community to force myself out of my comfort zone by no longer relying on using textbooks in my classes. I’m hoping that by the end of January to have a gameplan in store that will require that I no longer give multiple choice exams and instead use a variety of materials to teach my classes, whether it’s assigning podcasts, TV show episodes, newspaper articles, youtube videos to make the conversations more entertaining and captivating to my students. Question 3. For some odd reason, I’m now interested in 1950s pulp novels. I’m trying to catch up on these as a way to motivate myself to get into writing fiction.

I am an Adjunct Lecturer at the Borough of Manhattan Community College, CUNY, where I have taught since 2016, a Ph.D. Candidate in Art History at The Graduate Center, CUNY, and a Joan Tisch Teaching Fellow at the Whitney Museum of American Art. My interests encompass global realisms, both as a morphological and historical category, with a focus on Central and Eastern Europe and his doctoral dissertation examines Socialist Realist art in Poland under the Stalinist regime (1948-1956). At BMCC, I teach ART 104: Art History Survey II Renaissance to Modern and ART 106: Modern and Contemporary Art. I have previously participated in OER workshops organized by the Mina Rees Library and am looking forward to implementing the OER more effectively into my teaching.  

Hi there! I’m Craig, an adjunct OER librarian at BMCC. I also assist many of the open knowledge initiatives here at BMCC, including the Zine Library and the Library Podcast Booth. I’m so excited to help connect faculty with zero-cost alternatives to textbooks and other educational resources!

My name is Oluremi Alapo but most of my friends call me “Remi”. I teach at the Department of Ethnic and Race Studies – DERS at BMCC. My 2nd dept as of the fall of 2023 is Business Management teaching Intro to Business courses and also assisting students with their FYE options. I have participated in the OER workshops several times and each time, I have been able to create different course assignments and content to enhance student learning needs based on each course requirement and student interests as co-developers or creators of their learning resources.

Hi everyone, I’m Eliot Chayt. This is my 2nd year at BMCC as a full-time lecturer in the Speech, Communication, Theatre, and WGS dept. I’m a keen fan of OER and copyleft and always looking to brainstorm, collaborate, and integrate new ideas into my classes. Right now, I’m interested in finding out better ways to make my COM 100 class textbook free. Last semester was my first attempt to do so, and I went with a patchwork approach that could certainly be improved. I’m also interested in finding out what people are doing with student-produced media. My interest in the Winter seminar was piqued by reference to podcasts, as I have a background in sound engineering and radio and I’m trying to integrate more recording into assignments and also just want to see what resources we have access to. I’m also the Communication Studies club advisor, and making podcasts has come up from time to time as a student interest.

Hi everyone! I’m Laurie and I teach Spanish and Portuguese in the Modern Languages Department. I work on literature and movement, especially community building through dance. I love working with OER both because it saves our students money and because most textbooks in my field are horrid with stereotypes and misinformation. I am interested in designing activities where students help to generate the OER materials for the course. Excited to learn what’s out there in this seminar!

Hi Everyone, I am looking forward to learning and brainstorming ideas for exciting scaling assignments with you and Gina’s guidance.  I work at the Speech, Communication, and Theater Arts Department. This is my 5th year. I have been using OER since I started, however, I would like to improve my assignments and the students’ experiences in my class. I am teaching Fundamentals of Public Speaking for non-native speakers and Introduction to Theater and would like to work on creative, engaging, and challenging classwork and assignments while utilizing the OER.  

Hello Everyone!  I’m an adjunct in the Speech, Communication, and Theatre department here at BMCC.  I’ve been here for about 11 years and have taught courses all over the department.  I’ve been working with Open pedagogies to varying degrees since learning about the old Public Speaking Project textbook many years ago and have been slowly trying to incorporate more of the asset pedagogies we’ll talk about in this seminar into my practices.  I look forward to seeing you all during our sessions!

Hi, All! Pleased to be collaborating with you here and doing the important OER work to benefit our students. I’m a lecturer in the English Department and a believer in sharing free and accessible resources whenever possible. In my first participation in an OER course redesign seminar a few years ago, I revamped my English Composition (ENG101) course, a class I love because of the possibilities. I had already made the switch to free course readings, but the time to reflect and discuss pedagogy and the engaging approaches I gained from Jean, Gina, and colleagues from different departments were invaluable. These insights echo when I refine my ENG101 syllabus every semester. This time around I’m eager to consider the texts and themes for Introduction to Literature (ENG201), a course I’ve really enjoyed teaching in the past, but haven’t taught in several years. As a creative writer, I am often thinking about craft, and during this winter break, I’m reading Letters to a Writer of Color and Field Guide to Writing Flash Nonfiction. I’m also visiting family out of state before the semester begins, and Mars, the family dog (pictured with me), is happily taking me out for walks.

Hello everyone, my name is Jon De Lucia, I’m at BMCC in the Music and Art Department. This is my second year at BMCC. I run a few asynchronous courses and am looking forward to implementing more OER resources. I’d also like to post more to the Commons sites, and create more OER material in general, and thought this might be a good way to remind myself to do that! I had a lot of ambitions for this winter break, but am realizing just how tired out I am from the fall, so might roll it back a bit. I just finished Babel by RF Kuang, which was great, interesting etymology tidbits and powerful anti-colonialist story. Look forward to meeting you all tomorrow.

Hello, everyone, my name is JoAnn Caban, and I currently teach biological sciences at the Borough of Manhattan Community College. My passion for educating students about biology has always driven me to explore innovative ways to enhance the learning experience. I am excited to embark on the journey of digitizing my course because in today’s fast-paced and technology-driven world, incorporating digital tools and resources can greatly enrich the educational experience for my students. It allows for more dynamic and interactive lessons, fostering a deeper understanding of complex biological concepts. Books I am reading: How To Talk To Anyone by Leil Lowndes, and Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari.  

I joined the department of social sciences, human services, and criminal justice in January of 2001. I lecture in political science, specifically American government. Over these twenty odd years it has become increasingly clear to me that little or no attention is paid to our political system in either primary or secondary education. My challenge has always been to show students the impact that government has on their lives, and the impact that they can have on government.  I have been reasonably successful in the the first endeavor but, alas, results have been less than satisfying in the second. It is my hope that, in partnering to create and complete their courses, students will gain a sense of empowerment. Yes, I’m also hoping that such empowerment will enable them to fight for the political system that they deserve.

Hello everyone! I’m thrilled to introduce myself as an English lecturer in the English department at The Borough of Manhattan Community College. As an educator, my utmost passion lies in serving my students and guiding them on their journey of language and literature. I believe in creating a nurturing and inclusive learning environment where students can freely express their thoughts, explore their creativity, and develop strong communication skills. It brings me immense joy to witness their growth, both academically and personally. Teaching is not just a profession for me; it’s a fulfilling experience that allows me to share my love for English and inspire students to reach their full potential. Together, we embark on an exciting adventure of learning, discovery, and endless possibilities.

I’m a member of the department of social sciences, human services and criminal justice, in the criminal justice program. I have made every effort to open my classroom, virtually and in person, to allow students access to material quickly and at no cost to them. I am working on developing a course I have not yet taught in my program, and I am super excited to both have the opportunity to present content to students and do so using open source material. I want to keep learning how to improve what and how I offer content to students. I also love dogs…all kinds, and i care for a 12 year old pug-boston terrier called babygirl. 🙂

Hello! I’m an adjunct OER librarian and really enjoy working with BMCC faculty and students. Among my ongoing projects is promoting a community of readers at BMCC Reads, where I’ve recently been publishing student work that came out of an open pedagogy assignment this fall. My reading is truly heterogeneous; over the holiday I read some half-dozen romance novels, the first third of Saving Time by Jenny Odell, and the poetry of Yannis Ritsos, and right now I’m compiling a list of forthcoming fiction and poetry in translation that I’d like to read and write about this year.

Hello all! I am a lecturer in Psychology in the Department of Social Sciences, Human Services & Criminal Justice at BMCC. I am planning to revise my Developmental Psychology (PSY 240) course as an OER course for next Fall. I think it will be very beneficial to my low-income students who sometimes forego purchasing the textbook. I am interested in learning more about identifying high-quality OER resources and rethinking the way that I teach the course. I am looking forward to snuggles with my 7-month-old boy, uninterrupted reading time, and having new experiences over this winter break. Recently, I watched “Berlin”, a prequel to “La Casa de Papel” on Netflix. I recently read “None of This is True” by Lisa Jewell. I am excited to get to know you all. Happy New Year!

I’m in the Speech, Communications, and Theater Arts Dept. I’m revising my Speech 102 (Public Speeking for English Language Learners) syllabus and will make it an OER course. I’m also taking the First Year Experience training this Jan. for my Speech course. I’m going to rethink the whole thing… lots to do! I recently read the “The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store” by James McBride which is fantastic and I highly recommend! I’m starting “Our Missing Hearts” by Celeste Ng today. I also have several nonfiction books on my coffee table I plan to read this Jan ;-)…. I’ll see how far I get.  I’m also shopping for a new sofa.  

Hi.. . I am working in BMCC, Department of Mathematics since 2015. I taught various subjects, including, but not limited to; Statistics, College Algebra, PreCalculus, Quantitative Reasoning. I am often teaching combined courses, like 150.5 and 206.5. I am living in Brooklyn, usually travel to work by Express busses. I am doing permanently  Math Research in the field computational Algebra. On my free time I am reading and listening music. I am holding also National master of Chess title. I am married and I have few child and grandchild, living in USA. My wife is a writer. I have nice cat 6 years old. Best

Hi there! As y’all know, I’m the open knowledge librarian here at BMCC, and this I believe . . . Knowledge is a public good and a human right. We need to continually develop and defend the knowledge commons so that every human being has access to humanity’s accumulated knowledge. I strive to create spaces that celebrate, spark, and engage the potential of every human being to create knowledge. So many of our students have been taught to be knowledge consumers; at BMCC, they can learn to claim space and raise their voices up as knowledge creators. My book pile is large and teetering; some near the top are How Beautiful We Were by Imbolo Mbue; New York Liberation School: Study and Movement for the People’s University by Conor Tomás Reed; and First Gen: A Memoir by Alejandra Campoverde. So happy to be in community with everyone here and look forward to learning with you!