Beyond the Transmissive Classroom: Fostering Transformative Teaching & Student Agency
Facilitator:
Jason Slipp, Director of Education, Rodale Institute
Dr. Slipp is a passionate advocate for the intersection of pedagogy, sustainability, and adult learning. He leverages the work from his research to facilitate workshops for instructors across disciplines focusing on Transformative Sustainability Education (TSE) through strategies like relational trust, ungrading, and process-based assessment to encourage student agency and critical reflection. He holds a Master’s degree in Instructional Design from Chestnut Hill College, a Master’s degree in Environmental Policy Design from Lehigh University, and earned his Ph.D. in Teaching, Learning, and Technology from Lehigh University.
Dates & Times:
Tuesday, November 3, 2026; 12:00 – 2:00 pm
Location:
Virtual
Primary Audience:
Faculty of the LVAIC Community (Cedar Crest College, DeSales University, Lafayette College, Lehigh Carbon Community College, Lehigh University, Moravian University, Muhlenberg College, and Northampton Area Community College)
Description:
Preparing future change-makers requires higher education to move beyond traditional fact transmission toward teaching methods that cultivate critical reflection, systems literacy, and genuine student agency. However, guiding students through complex, emotionally charged global issues while navigating professional boundaries presents unique pedagogical challenges for faculty.
Designed for instructors across all disciplines, this interactive, virtual peer-learning workshop introduces faculty to the practical architecture of Transformative Sustainability Education (TSE). Grounded in recent higher education research, the workshop explores how educators can build relational trust, leverage course content to surface internal values safely, and utilize process-based assessment models, such as ungrading, to dismantle passive learning.
Participants will collaborate with LVAIC colleagues through hands-on activities to reimagine their course design and will leave with a customizable TSE Playbook featuring mini-lessons and strategies ready for immediate classroom implementation. Join us to expand your professional toolkit, re-energize your teaching practices, and empower the next generation of resilient leaders.
Registration Link:
https://forms.gle/sPAPncDgrha46tPy7
