History
ACERT grew out of a faculty-led effort to enhance teaching and learning at Hunter. In 2010, a small group of Hunter faculty and staff attended a conference on the scholarship of teaching and learning at LaGuardia Community College. Though we had worked at Hunter for some time, most of us had never met before that day. We were so energized by our conversations that we committed to revitalizing Hunter’s Teaching and Learning Center. Building on existing successful programs, such as ICIT’s Tech Thursdays led by the Technology Teaching and Learning Group, we began offering seminars focused on pedagogy that provided opportunities for colleagues to talk about challenges and successes in their teaching. This initial programming was well-received, so we began traveling to other teaching and learning centers within and outside CUNY to learn from their experiences. In 2012, ACERT was officially established at Hunter.
We conceived of ACERT as a Center that integrates faculty development in the areas of pedagogy, assessment, and technology. We continue to believe that the supposed boundaries between these areas are actually remarkably blurry and reflect this belief in our leadership structure.
Structure
ACERT’s Steering Committee, comprised of faculty and instructional staff, supports ACERT by contributing significantly to program planning.
ACERT’s Advisory Board, which includes faculty, students, staff, and administrators, provides critical guidance to the Steering Committee. Advisory Board meetings are a venue in which we can “think big” about the future of the Center and hear from a wider range of voices as we do.
The Center for Online Learning staff plays an active role in ACERT programs. They serve on the Steering Committee and co-facilitate many of ACERT’s seminars and workshops.
ACERT’s Faculty Fellows, selected each academic year, receive course release time to work closely with the Center. They present at ACERT seminars, mentor faculty in their areas of expertise, and develop and lead their own faculty development series. Past Faculty Fellows have helped the Center to focus on ePortfolios, hybrid and online instruction, writing on the web, and active learning pedagogy.
