This interactive workshop is designed to equip graduate students and future faculty with the foundational skills and confidence to integrate object-based learning into their teaching across all disciplines. Moving beyond the misconception that object-based pedagogy is confined to art history or requires special expertise, this session introduces participants to the “See/Think/Wonder” framework—a versatile tool for facilitating evidence-based, student-centered discussion that can be applied in STEM, humanities, social sciences, and beyond. Participants will learn to design effective assignments, practice leading object-based discussions, and navigate campus resources and expert collaborations. The workshop emphasizes that effective teaching with objects relies not on the instructor’s pre-existing content knowledge, but on their skill as a facilitator of observation and critical inquiry—a transferable skill applicable to any classroom setting. Optional pre-reading materials and a simple framework guide will be provided in advance to ensure all participants can engage meaningfully, regardless of prior experience. This session is ideal for anyone looking to create more engaged, interdisciplinary, and experiential learning environments in their future classrooms. By the end of this workshop, participants will be prepared to:

• Articulate the core philosophy of object-based learning as a student-centered, evidence-based pedagogical approach applicable beyond the arts and humanities
• Apply the “See/Think/Wonder” thinking routine to structure an object-based learning activity that fosters observation, interpretation, and questioning
• Design a scaffolded discussion prompt that uses an object to advance a specific learning goal in their discipline

Instructors

Xiaoxia Zhang, Indiana University
Trevor Verrot, Indiana University

Workshop Schedule

This one-session online workshop meets in Zoom on Tuesday, October 27th at 10-11:30pm Gulf / 2-3:30pm Eastern / 1-2:30pm Central / 11am-12:30pm Pacific/Arizona.

Audience

This workshop is for graduate students and future faculty who are interested in integrating object-based learning into their teaching across all disciplines.

Registration

Request a registration reminder

Cap: 30. Registration opens on Monday, October 12th at 10am CT and closes once capacity is reached. Registration will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis and registrants from CIRTL member institutions or alumni of CIRTL member institutions will receive priority. Once registration closes, all registrants will be notified of their enrollment status.

Accessibility

If you have access needs, please let us know what they are. Contact Zoe Zuleger (zmzuleger@wisc.edu), who is supporting this event, to let us know how we can help you have a successful experience. In addition to meeting individualized needs, we will also take measures throughout the event to support accessibility for all our students:

• Enabling live captioning in synchronous sessions
• Incorporating multiple modes of interaction into synchronous sessions

About CIRTL Programming

CIRTL Network programming is designed to develop future faculty committed to implementing and advancing evidence-based teaching practices to create undergraduate educational experiences that are accessible to all learners. Participants can explore our programming in any order, and to whatever extent supports your own teaching development needs and interests. To help participants understand what they can expect across all our programming, all CIRTL programming aligns with four broad learning goals; within those goals, programming might provide participants improving evidence-based teaching.

This workshop supports the following CIRTL learning goals:

• Goal 1: Develop evidence-based teaching knowledge. See more Goal 1 programming.
• Goal 2: Connect with community to enhance teaching. See more Goal 2 programming.
• Goal 3: Cultivate teaching skills through reflective improvement. See more Goal 3 programming.
• Goal 4: Prepare for an impactful career. See more Goal 4 programming.