Spotlight
FIT Faculty Talk Writing & Speaking Pedagogy
The Spotlight series highlights faculty across the college who have developed innovative writing and speaking activities and assignments that advance literacy and language learning, discipline-specific communication skills, and culturally responsive communication.
Each year, Professors Sarah Blazer and Katelyn Burton Prager curate the series and moderate panel discussions of FIT faculty experts on novel topics in communication teaching and learning. Upcoming events and highlights from past Spotlight presentations can be found below.
Fall 2025
Call for Proposals
Spotlight: FIT Faculty Talk [Prioritizing Process] in Writing and Speaking Pedagogy
Scaffolding is one of the teaching buzzwords we hear repeated everywhere. But what does that look like in the context of writing and oral presentations? And why is it valuable to scaffold student projects, particularly in the era of generative AI?
When we require large projects, students may be overwhelmed and tempted to procrastinate to the last minute...unless we can integrate process into our courses in meaningful ways. The importance of process is underscored by the rapidly-changing landscape of generative AI, which students report turning to most frequently for the early and late stages of the writing process: to help them brainstorm topics/ideas, to develop outlines, to revise and edit their work. Increasingly, these stages of the writing and presentation process are completed with or by GenAI.
Against this backdrop, how do we encourage students to engage in this work rather than outsourcing it? How do we emphasize the value of the writing and/or presentation development process? And how is that reflected in our feedback on and assessment of student work?
This year’s Spotlight takes up these questions and invites faculty from across the college to submit a brief proposal outlining something they have tried, or plan to try, to embrace and prioritize process. Here are just a few questions to consider. We are happy to see people address other areas of interest.
- How do/can we assess or evaluate process and integrate it meaningfully into the grading breakdown?
- How do/can we highlight and support early stages of writing and presentation development, such as brainstorming or project ideation?
- How do/can we structure peer working sessions and/or peer response workshops to facilitate meaningful exchange and feedback that encourages iteration and revision?
- How do/can we encourage students to engage in deep revision (more than editing and proofreading)?
- How does/can valuing process make learning more personal and less transactional?
Please submit your idea by August 25 to this form.
Describe an assignment or exercise you are doing or want to try and share a reflection on why it feels relevant to this topic. We will choose participants and send notifications the first week of September.
Spotlight features faculty from across the college, presenting short talks about specific assignments or exercises they are trying with their students. It is all about sharing and discussing. We schedule two 2-hour events in the Fall, and faculty participate in both dates, once as a presenter and once as a respondent. We take questions from the audience in the last half-hour of each event. This year's events will be held on October 23 and November 6, 12:30-2 pm.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Sarah Blazer (sarah_blazer@fitnyc.edu) or Katelyn Prager (katelyn_prager@fitnyc.edu).
Fall 2024
This Fall's Spotlight series will feature faculty from across the college discussing innovative uses of in-class writing to increase engagement with course content, facilitate analytical thinking, and support planning and revision.
Writing helps people think and discover in addition to communicate with others. But, writing is messy and hard, and our students often struggle to practice writing meaningfully and productively unless we engage them with careful planning and support. The rise of generative AI has only increased the challenge of teaching writing and using writing to support learning. In-class writing helps us address these challenges.
Join FIT colleagues for an exploration of in-class writing across a variety of disciplines: Thursdays, October 24 and November 7, 12:30-2 pm in the Writing and Speaking Studio (Feldman 612). RSVP: sarah_blazer@fitnyc.edu.
Fall 2023
This Fall's symposium responds to the rapid rise of AI text generation tools and their impact on student learning through written and oral modalities. Spotlight: Experts Talk [the age of AI] in Writing and Speaking Pedagogy will feature six faculty members: Bernard Dillard, Math and Sciences; Sonja Chapman, International Trade & Marketing; Nancy Hightower, English & Communication Studies; Evie Joselow, Art Market Studies; Alex Nagel, History of Art; and Amy Werbel, History of Art.
Spotlight will be held on Thursdays, September 28 and October 26, 12:30-2 pm in the Writing and Speaking Studio (Feldman 612). All are welcome; RSVP to sarah_blazer@fitnyc.edu.
Fall 2022
Spotlight: Experts Talk [Equitable] Writing and Speaking Pedagogy
Fall 2022 Featured Panelists
- Lolita Alford, Advertising and Marketing Communications
- Nurhayat Bilge, English and Communication Studies
- Delphine Horvath, Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing
- Meg Joseph, Global Fashion Management
- Marie Lorenz, Fine Arts
- Paul Melton, Art Market Studies
Fall 2019
Fall 2019 Featured Panelists
- Jean Amato, English and Communication Studies
- Ruth Jeyaveeran, Textile/Surface Design
- Steve Keating, Writing and Speaking Studio
- Erika Rohrbach, International Student Services
- Renee Cooper, Fashion Business Management
- Meeta Roy, Fashion Business Management
- Mario Valero, Modern Languages and Cultures
Fall 2018
Fall 2018 Featured Panelists
- Charlotte Brown, Educational Skills
- Sarah Byrd, Graduate Studies
- Ann Cantrell, Fashion Business Management
- Susanne Goetz, Textile Surface/Design
- Yasemin Levine, Social Sciences/Presidential Scholars Program
- Shannon Maher, Home Products Development
- Maria Rothenberg, Gladys Marcus Library
- Ajoy Sarkar, Textile Development and Marketing
Spring 2018
Spring 2018 Featured Panelists
- Sarah Blazer, Writing Studio
- Laticha Brown, Fashion Business Management
- Dan Benkendorf, Psychology
- Kim Cunningham, Sociology
- Tara Kun, English & Communication Studies
- Katelyn Burton Prager, English & Communication Studies
- Molly Schoen, Visual Resources Curator
Fall 2017
Fall 2017 Featured Panelists
- Sarah Blazer, Writing Studio
- Todd Blumenthal, FBM
- Justine De Young, Art History
- Brian Emery, Photography
- Erica Moretti, Modern Languages and Cultures
- Katelyn Burton Prager, English and Communication Studies