Past Fellows

2022-2023

Student Connectivity Through the Lens of Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory

This project focuses on two primary goals: 1) addressing the isolation many students have felt in their college course work since the start of the pandemic and 2) increasing students’ understanding of Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory.  Specifically, this project seeks to formalize theory-to-personal reflection by homing in on one “system level” in Bronfenbrenner’s theory; interpersonal connections within students’ “microsystem” of college.  Specifically, Bronfenbrenner’s theory highlights the developmental benefits of individuals feeling connected to and supported by others within the Microsystems of their daily experiences, such as home, school, or community.  This project seeks to make those benefits come alive by explicitly focusing on those goals within the college classroom through intentional group activities and expanded content centered on ecological systems applications.  The intent is to increase the relevance of Bronfenbrenner’s theory through personal experience and support further application within early childhood educational settings. 

Dr. Katie Bucher has been an Assistant Professor in CCP’s Education Program since 2014.  Prior to that she taught at Indiana University, where she earned her PhD in Education Policy Studies and M.S. in International Comparative Education.  She also has an M.S.Ed in Elementary Education from the University of Pennsylvania.  Dr. Bucher previously taught as a bilingual teacher at Potter-Thomas Elementary School in Philadelphia.  At CCP, Dr. Bucher teaches courses in social foundations of education and curriculum and instruction in the Birth-4th Grade and Middle-Secondary Education Programs.  She is committed to helping education students acquire developmentally appropriate and socially-just pedagogical practices.

HyFlex Pilot Group Learning Community

This year, I will be creating a Learning Community with the faculty members who have agreed to join the HyFlex pilot group. HyFlex courses offer maximum flexibility for students, however, pose various challenges to faculty. This fall, I will meet with the group and hold a book club for Hybrid-Flexible Course Design by Brian J. Beatty. I will research the best practices in HyFlex education and work cooperatively with the instructional designer and instructional technologist to share information with faculty members. We will also create a list of resources skills, training, and technology needs plus preferred training modalities for faculty members. 

Melissa Altman-Traub is an Associate Professor of Allied Health and teaches Allied Health 101 and Nutrition 111. She is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist and worked in various health care settings before becoming a full-time faculty member.  She has led learning communities for the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning, assisted with the Online Instructional Facilitation Team, and serves as a federation representative for Allied Health. Melissa earned a B.S. in Nutrition from Penn State, completed her dietetic internship at the University of Cincinnati Hospital, earned an M.S. in Health Education from Arcadia University, and completed additional graduate coursework in Health Studies at Temple University. She is an active volunteer with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Diversity Dietetics, the RD Mentorship program, and a local cat shelter. She enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and cooking. 

Mindfulness in the Classroom

The goal of this proposed project is to teach faculty colleagues how to incorporate mindfulness practices both in their teaching style and course activities, whether in “live” classroom or synchronous virtual settings. The major issues which can be resolved by this project goal include: increased presence and attentiveness; stress reduction and improved mental health; a shared intention within a class for which students and the assigned faculty can be accountable. This project is vital, particularly because of the far-reaching impact of the pandemic on both students and faculty. Equally important, students attending CCP are more likely to experience trauma, mental illness and substance use issues due to their experiences of living in an urban environment.

Uncovering the Hidden: Supporting Students with Invisible Disabilities 

When addressing the topic of equity and inclusion at the college level, students with invisible disabilities are often overlooked. Higher Education institutions are experiencing increased rates of students with various disabilities, and instructors feel ill-equipped to support this rising population of students. College students with learning differences would benefit from inclusive instructional practices. The primary goal of the FCTL Faculty Fellowship project is to provide faculty with resources that could inform, educate and support them in meeting the needs of students with invisible disabilities. The project will define key terms relevant to invisible disabilities, share literature centered on the topic of invisible disabilities and student needs, and offer meaningful instructional strategies to support this growing population of students. I hope this project ignites discussions that would impact the overall educational experiences of students with invisible disabilities who attend the college. 

Dr. Massah Nuni’s philosophy of education centers equity and inclusion and asserts that despite one’s race, culture, gender and/or learning differences, academic success increases when differentiation is present. This belief informs her instructional practices as an Assistant Professor in Community College of Philadelphia’s English Department. Massah Nuni's educational journey commenced at Lincoln University of Pennsylvania where she earned a Bachelor's Degree in English. Thereafter, she earned two Master’s degrees in English Literature and English Education. Additionally, Massah Nuni holds a Doctorate Degree in Education with a Reading and Literacy specialization. Preceding the Community College of Philadelphia, Massah Nuni worked as a Literacy Teacher and Instructional Coach for K to twelve students and staff in the School District of Philadelphia. Massah Nuni remains committed to developing differentiated curricula and assessments to address the needs of all learners and promote individual growth in literacy.

Meeting Students Where They Are: Assessing the Pedagogical Possibilities of the Selfie-Portrait

This project centers around an assignment I call the “Selfie-Portrait.” Art 101: Visual Communication students are invited to redirect the familiar practice of capturing their own image with their mobile device to stage an intentional portrait of themselves. The goal is to open a path for students to become more reflective about the ways in which they shape their identity through the images they create and share. This project will try to identify a productive space between fine art and everyday forms of representation made possible by increasingly accessible technological tools by juxtaposing the rhetoric of portraiture and the popular form of the selfie. For this project, I intend to assess applicability of this assignment beyond Art 101 and hope to hope to engage faculty from other disciplines to create and share similar projects that meet students where they are. 

Dr. Brian D. Seymour holds a Ph.D. in Art History from Tyler School of Art at Temple University. His research focuses on art collectors in Philadelphia and the public sphere around the turn of the twentieth century. In support of his research, he served as a Graduate Associate Fellow at the Center for Humanities at Temple University and received research grants from the Center for American Art at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Ruskin Library and Research Centre. Dr. Seymour is an Associate Professor at the Community College of Philadelphia where he was the recipient of the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching and has also taught courses at the Barnes Foundation and Villanova University. 

2021 - 2022

Inculsive Teaching Practices

Carol Nickolai, PhD

Adjunct, Anthropology, Geography, and Earth Science 

This Community of Practice will explore and demonstrate how Universal Design for Learning (UDL) can be used to benefit and more effectively reach all students. It will include faculty from a variety of disciplines, combining social science with STEM faculty in order to draw from the widest experience and most diverse application setting possible to examine some of the practices associated with UDL to see how they can be used to more effectively include all students. Although UDL is often associated primarily with accommodations for students with disabilities, basic practices can benefit all students and seamlessly include everyone in the classroom. UDL offers a perspective on how to more effectively include all students in the learning experience. This includes all the other identities our students bring with them – gender, race, culture, language, economic background, and more. This Community of Practice will explore ways to leverage UDL to make suggestions on how improve/update materials to better serve all students. 

Carol Nickolai is an adjunct member of Community College of Philadelphia’s Social Science department; she has taught primarily anthropology since 1998. She earned a B.A. in 1992 and an M.A. in 1994 from Western Michigan University and Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania. She has taught as an adjunct at a variety of schools in the greater Philadelphia Area, currently including Cheyney University. Her research interests include the archaeology of sex and gender, the transformation of the farm landscape in the late nineteenth century, and the alteration of the urban landscape in Philadelphia as marked by churches. Using research to transform and expand classroom education and the importance of the variety of education, especially as represented in anthropology, have been passions from the start.

Active Learning/Experiential Learning 

Miles Grosbard, EdD

Professor of Architecture,  Architecture, Design & Construction

Having actively promoted dynamic learning strategies in the College throughout several decades as a professor, I think it is vital to stimulate students’ enthusiasm for course material through active involvement in projects, activities, exercises and experiences. Through this Fellowship, I hope to help faculty participants to develop projects, exercises and assignments that more fully engage students in the learning process, moving from a passive approach (letting the course material pour over them) to a more active, dynamic, vigorous and self-affirming approach. In the twenty-first century, students who join us at CCP expect to be engaged, stimulated and involved in the learning process.  Gone are the days of “here it is, take it, and then repeat it back to me” as college level pedagogy.  Engaged students learn better, deeper, and more persistently than passive learners.  I don’t think the challenge of developing activities for students to DO rather than “read about” is at all constrained by intrinsic characteristics of individual academic disciplines.  Rather, the possibility and challenge of engaging students in a “learning by doing” is only limited by the patterns we ourselves became familiar with as students.  I am eager to help willing faculty in this Community of Practice to try new things that have a higher likelihood of success in the contemporary educational landscape.

Miles Grosbard joined the College as an Assistant Professor in  1992.  He earned the Bachelor of Architecture degree from Pratt Institute in 1980 and the Master of Architecture Degree / Certificate in Urban Design from the University of Pennsylvania in 1982.  He was licensed to practice architecture in 1984 and worked as a professional architect in a number of Philadelphia firms – including his own.  His focus shifted to teaching and was an instructor at The College of New Jersey) before joining CCP as a part-time instructor in 1991.  He has served several terms as Chair of the Department of Architecture, Design and Construction, and returned mid-career to earn the Doctor of Education degree from Nova Southeastern University in 1998.  He served as a member of the Curriculum Facilitation Team between 1996-2004 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 1996 and to Full Professor in 2012.  Along with Prof. Margaret Stephens, he led a summer international study tour of Israel in 2012.  He was qualified as an Accredited Professional in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program by the United States Green Building Council in 2016.

About the Faculty Fellowship Program

The Faculty Fellowship Program supports faculty (full or part-time) in their practice and research on high impact teaching and learning practices. Fellowship recipients are asked to work on their projects throughout the academic year, and receive 1.5 credits extended time per semester. Each Faculty Fellowship recipient must develop, implement, and assess the impact of his/her project, and present the results to the College community. Contact FCTL Facilitator Girija Nagaswami and Stephanie Scordia, Professional Learning Coordinator, Title III,  at for more information; if you are interested in applying for a Faculty Fellowship, look for the Call for Proposals in each Spring semester.