Keystone Concepts in Teaching: A Higher Education Podcast from the Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning
Keystone Concepts in Teaching is a higher education podcast from the Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning at George Mason University focused on discussing and sharing impactful teaching strategies that support all students and faculty.
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Season 5: Fall 2026
Episode 41: Teaching Beyond Content Delivery
In this episode of Keystone Concepts in Teaching, guests Joy Banks and Min Park from the College of Education and Human Development share with us how they create meaningful learning experiences across in-person and online teaching. Drawing on examples from their own courses in Education and Tourism Management, they reflect on how thoughtful course design—not just modality—shapes student engagement. The conversation also explores how faculty can help students grapple with complex and sometimes controversial topics across modalities by grounding discussion in evidence, inviting multiple perspectives, and giving students space to analyze, reflect, and grow. With practical insights for faculty across disciplines, this episode highlights how higher education teaching can move beyond content delivery to foster critical thinking, cultural competence, and meaningful student growth.
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Episode 40: Teaching Relevance Across Languages and Disciplines
In this episode of Keystone Concepts in Teaching, we spoke with two George Mason University Korea faculty from very different disciplines, Statistics professor Ajiboye Babalola and Business and Law professor Omario Kanji, about how instructors can build relevance in a rapidly changing world. Drawing on examples from both their classrooms and life experiences, they discuss how connecting theory to real-world practice helps students see why course concepts matter beyond the classroom, from legal problem-solving to data-informed thinking. Their engaging conversation also explores multilingual teaching and the value of meeting students where they are through clear communication, relatable examples, and an intentional investment in their educational journeys. With thoughtful reflections on inclusion and the growing role of AI, this episode offers faculty practical inspiration through a collegial conversation marked by connection, storytelling, and humor.
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Episode 39: Perspective Taking in the Classroom
In this episode, Ana Farnham and Kristin Johnsen-Neshati from the College of Visual and Performing Arts at George Mason University share how perspective-taking can deepen teaching and learning across disciplines. Drawing on examples from graphic design and theater, they discuss how helping students consider audience, interpretation, and intent can deepen students’ thinking about how their work is experienced by others. The conversation also explores Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and other accessible, multimodal teaching practices that support student engagement by making room for different ways of learning and demonstrating understanding. With thoughtful examples and practical insight, this episode offers faculty an inspiring reminder that when we design courses around experience, curiosity, and access, we create more impactful learning environments for all.
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Episode 38: Creating Human-Centered Classrooms
In this inspiring episode about humanizing higher education classrooms, host Rachel Yoho speaks with George Mason University English instructor Eric Auld and Xiaoyu Gao (former instructor with George Mason’s English department at time of recording) about practical, research-informed strategies for building authentic connections with students across modalities—from asynchronous online courses to face-to-face composition classrooms. Our guests share concrete activities they use in their own classrooms to build a conducive classroom culture, discuss the value of appropriate instructor vulnerability in fostering student trust, and explore how humanizing teaching can address contemporary challenges like AI in student writing and faculty mental health. Whether you teach required first-year composition courses or upper-level seminars, you’ll discover actionable approaches to create learning environments where students see writing as process over product, develop their authentic voice, and feel genuinely supported. This conversation offers fresh perspectives on transforming mandatory courses from perceived obstacles into engaging experiences while reminding us that sustainable teaching requires putting on our own oxygen masks first—a timely message for faculty navigating the complexities of modern higher education.
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