On this week’s episode, Dr. Thia Wolf shares about public sphere pedagogy.

Guest: Thia Wolf

Thia is a Professor of English and Director of the First-Year Experience Program at California State University, Chico, where she has worked since 1989. Prior to her appointment in the FYE program, she coordinated a variety of writing programs, including the first-year composition program and the writing across the disciplines program.  Since 2006, she has been collaborating with faculty in several disciplines to embed public dimensions in first-year classes. Her publications have focused on collaborative learning and on public sphere pedagogy. More

Quotes

Students need to have an experience when they come to college that … gives them a sense that education is for the rest of their lives, it’s to help them do things in the world.
—Thia Wolf

I noticed that the curriculum of first year students looks a lot like the curriculum in high school … I would say that it sends the “Not ready for prime time” message.
—Thia Wolf

When [students] go public with their work, they have to stand by it, and really remarkable things happen.
—Thia Wolf

We don’t give students opportunities to experience and reflect on how the curriculum is part of them and how they are affecting it.
—Thia Wolf

Resources

• First-Year Experience Program at Chico State
• Book in Common Program
• Courses that take students’ transitioning processes into account
• Public sphere events where students and their course work are “center stage”
• Chico Great Debate
• Meet the faculty

Are You Enjoying the Show?

1. Rate/review the show. Please consider rating or leaving a review for the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast on whatever service you use to listen to it on (iTunes, Stitcher, etc.). It is the best way to help others discover the show.
2. Give feedback. As always, I welcome suggestions for future topics or guests.
3. Subscribe. If you have yet to subscribe to the weekly update, you can receive a single email each week with the show notes (including all the links we talk about on the episode), as well as an article on either teaching or productivity.