CFP: AAPT-APA Teaching Hub - Central Division

1. Cultivating Virtues through Philosophy

The American Association of Philosophy Teachers (AAPT) and the APA Committee on the Teaching of Philosophy (CTP) seek presenters for a session on cultivating virtues through philosophy at the AAPT-APA Teaching Hub at the 2025 APA Central Division online meeting, February 20–21, 2025.

The AAPT-APA Teaching Hub is a collaborative meeting space hosting a series of interactive workshops and conversations designed specifically for philosophers and created to celebrate teaching within the context of the APA divisional meetings. The Teaching Hub aims to offer a range of high-quality and inclusive development opportunities that address the teaching of philosophy at all levels.

SESSION GOALS: Whether virtue can be taught is a question that dates back at least to Plato—it is, after all, the central question of the Meno. Since Plato’s time there has been no shortage of institutions offering to teach moral and civic virtue, but in the past thirty or so years there has been an increased interest in the teaching of intellectual virtue as well. Whether through Nathan King’s The Excellent Mind or Jason Baehr’s Deep in Thought, contemporary philosophers are taking a more hands-on approach to philosophy’s transformative educational power and crafting new ways to help students become more virtuous through the study of philosophy.

This Teaching Hub session is intended to open a space for the experimentation, exploration, and exchange of ideas about innovative pedagogical tools for cultivating, measuring the development of, and modeling virtues. We hope to receive submissions from those who are interested or experienced in developing virtue-based curricula or assignments for the philosophy classroom.

We welcome proposals for 25- or 50-minute sessions on any topic related to this theme, including (but not limited to) the following:

• Community-engaged activities/curricula for the cultivation of civic virtues
• Creative assignments tailored to the cultivation of virtues
• Virtue development assessment strategies
• Innovative approaches to promoting critical thinking within virtue education
• Cultivating specific virtues (e.g., intellectual humility, interpretative charity, honesty, compassion, etc.) through philosophy

FORMAT: Rather than a traditional paper presentation, Teaching Hub sessions are expected to be highly interactive. Proposals should indicate how audience members will participate in the session. The primary goal for the Teaching Hub is for attendees to walk away with something concrete to deploy in their own classrooms/teaching context.

What does the Teaching Hub mean by “highly interactive”? This includes (but is not limited to) the following:

• Presenters focusing less time on arguments for teaching some content or teaching a particular way, and more time on what it would actually look like to teach that content or teach in that way.
• Presenters thinking of the audience as their students and themselves as the facilitator/teacher. How could you cover the same content in a way that your audience participates in active learning activities during the session time?
• Presenters offering clear, practical examples of teaching methods, classroom activities, policies, practices, etc.

DEADLINE for proposals: August 15, 2024

SUBMISSIONS:

• Proposals should be sent to Evan Dutmer ([email protected]) by August 15 with the subject line “Cultivating Virtues Through Philosophy, AAPT-APA TH 2025.”
• In the body of the email, please include your name, institutional affiliation (if any), position (if any), and email contact information.
• Attached to the email, please include an anonymized submission of 500–750 words (.doc, .docx, or .pdf) detailing the following: (1) description of the focus of your session, (2) an overview of how you plan to use your session time, including how you will make the session highly interactive (3) what you hope the audience will take away from your session, and (4) whether you are requesting a 25- or 50-minute session.
• We aim to ensure representation of a range of voices and expect to select presenters by September 7.

Questions about this session should be directed to Evan Dutmer at the above email address. For general information about the AAPT-APA Teaching Hub, please visit the Teaching Hub website. For specific information about the Teaching Hub at the 2025 APA Central Division online meeting, please contact co-chairs Cassie Finley ([email protected]) and Jennifer Lobo Meeks ([email protected].

2. Philosophy in the Wild: Strategies for Teaching and Learning Outside of the Classroom

The American Association of Philosophy Teachers (AAPT) and the APA Committee on the Teaching of Philosophy (CTP) seek presenters for a session on teaching and learning philosophy outside of the classroom at the AAPT-APA Teaching Hub at the 2025 APA Central Division online meeting, February 20–21, 2025.

The AAPT-APA Teaching Hub is a collaborative meeting space hosting a series of interactive workshops and conversations designed specifically for philosophers and created to celebrate teaching within the context of the APA divisional meetings. The Teaching Hub aims to offer a range of high-quality and inclusive development opportunities that address the teaching of philosophy at all levels.

SESSION GOALS: Philosophy is about being in the world in a particular way, so it is natural that philosophical teaching and learning should occasionally—even frequently—break out of the traditional classroom setting. This session raises the question of how instructors may engage their students in innovative and experimental ways that transcend the walls of the classroom. What are some strategies that instructors can adopt that make philosophy relevant and meaningful within the various spheres in which students live and work? For instance, how can philosophical learning be brought to bear on other fields of study that students are pursuing? How can it extend beyond the academy and connect to their roles as community members? What does it mean for philosophy to be praxis, which can positively influence their professional and social lives?

We welcome proposals for 25- or 50-minute sessions on any topic related to this theme, including (but not limited to) the following:

• Approaches to place-based learning in philosophy (e.g., walking tours, site visits, etc.)
• Philosophy in the context of study away/study abroad programs 
• Community-engaged learning in philosophy 
• Using social media as a tool in philosophy courses 
• Philosophy podcasts
• Campus-based resources and activities that promote philosophical/teaching learning
• Public philosophy for students: aims and methods

FORMAT: Rather than a traditional paper presentation, Teaching Hub sessions are expected to be highly interactive. Proposals should indicate how audience members will participate in the session. The primary goal for the Teaching Hub is for attendees to walk away with something concrete to deploy in their own classrooms/teaching context.

What does the Teaching Hub mean by “highly interactive”? This includes (but is not limited to) the following:

• Presenters focusing less time on arguments for teaching some content or teaching a particular way, and more time on what it would actually look like to teach that content or teach in that way.
• Presenters thinking of the audience as their students and themselves as the facilitator/teacher. How could you cover the same content in a way that your audience participates in active learning activities during the session time?
• Presenters offering clear, practical examples of teaching methods, classroom activities, policies, practices, etc.

DEADLINE for proposals: August 15, 2024

SUBMISSIONS:

• Proposals should be sent to Glenn “Boomer” Trujillo ([email protected]) by August 15 with the subject line “Philosophy in the Wild: Strategies for Teaching and Learning Outside of the Classroom.”
• In the body of the email, please include your name, institutional affiliation (if any), position (if any), and email contact information.
• Attached to the email, please include an anonymized submission of 500–750 words (.doc, .docx, or .pdf) detailing the following: (1) description of the focus of your session, (2) an overview of how you plan to use your session time, including how you will make the session highly interactive (3) what you hope the audience will take away from your session, and (4) whether you are requesting a 25- or 50-minute session.
• We aim to ensure representation of a range of voices and expect to select presenters by September 7.

Questions about this session should be directed to Boomer Trujillo at the above email address. For general information about the AAPT-APA Teaching Hub, please visit the Teaching Hub website. For specific information about the Teaching Hub at the 2025 APA Central Division online meeting, please contact co-chairs Cassie Finley ([email protected]) and Jennifer Lobo Meeks ([email protected]).

3. Contra the Tradition: Teaching Philosophy from a Subversive Stance

The American Association of Philosophy Teachers (AAPT) and the APA Committee on the Teaching of Philosophy (CTP) seek presenters for a session on teaching philosophy from a subversive stance at the AAPT-APA Teaching Hub at the 2025 APA Central Division online meeting, February 20–21, 2025.

The AAPT-APA Teaching Hub is a collaborative meeting space hosting a series of interactive workshops and conversations designed specifically for philosophers and created to celebrate teaching within the context of the APA divisional meetings. The Teaching Hub aims to offer a range of high-quality and inclusive development opportunities that address the teaching of philosophy at all levels.

SESSION GOALS: An important aim—arguably the most important aim—of philosophy is to challenge students’ conceptions of themselves and of the world around them. This can be a delicate task, since it involves drawing students out of their comfort zone and guiding them in thoughtful and productive critiques of the various traditions that are part of their upbringing and/or their current worldview. These traditions encompass cultural, religious, and political beliefs, but also broader frameworks such as gender, race/ethnicity, socio-economic class, etc. This session asks how instructors can prudently lead students “out of the cave” in a way that may subvert one or more of these frameworks. What are some strategies that demonstrate respect for different traditions while simultaneously teaching students how to critique them?

We welcome proposals for 25- or 50-minute sessions on any topic related to this theme, including (but not limited to) the following:

• What is the role of tradition in teaching students philosophy?
• Is teaching certain traditions (e.g., the Western canon, the history of philosophy) necessary or inevitable? 
• Engaging with traditions that are linked to particular institutions (e.g., religious, minority-serving, etc.) 
• Marx’s insistence that “The philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways; the point is, to change it.” How does this interface with teaching philosophy and unsettling students’ sedimented beliefs?
• Examples of how philosophical instruction has productively subverted a tradition with which students identify 
• The relationship between fostering critical thinking skills and a critical consciousness
• Examples of service learning projects that subvert tradition(s)
• How teaching philosophy can lead to activism in different spheres 
• Reflection activities on the tension between philosophy and traditional frameworks 
• Understanding the concept of the "philosophical journey" and its implications for personal growth and critical thinking
• Case studies of philosophical texts or ideas that challenge traditional norms or beliefs in the classroom
• Ethical considerations in guiding students through potentially sensitive topics
• Using interdisciplinary approaches to broaden philosophical inquiry beyond traditional boundaries

FORMAT: Rather than a traditional paper presentation, Teaching Hub sessions are expected to be highly interactive. Proposals should indicate how audience members will participate in the session. The primary goal for the Teaching Hub is for attendees to walk away with something concrete to deploy in their own classrooms/teaching context.

What does the Teaching Hub mean by “highly interactive”? This includes (but is not limited to) the following:

• Presenters focusing less time on arguments for teaching some content or teaching a particular way, and more time on what it would actually look like to teach that content or teach in that way.
• Presenters thinking of the audience as their students and themselves as the facilitator/teacher. How could you cover the same content in a way that your audience participates in active learning activities during the session time?
• Presenters offering clear, practical examples of teaching methods, classroom activities, policies, practices, etc.

DEADLINE for proposals: August 15, 2024

SUBMISSIONS:

• Proposals should be sent to Jason Flato ([email protected]) by August 15 with the subject line “Contra the Tradition: Teaching Philosophy from a Subversive Stance, AAPT-APA TH 2025.”
• In the body of the email, please include your name, institutional affiliation (if any), position (if any), and email contact information.
• Attached to the email, please include an anonymized submission of 500–750 words (.doc, .docx, or .pdf) detailing the following: (1) description of the focus of your session, (2) an overview of how you plan to use your session time, including how you will make the session highly interactive (3) what you hope the audience will take away from your session, and (4) whether you are requesting a 25- or 50-minute session.
• We aim to ensure representation of a range of voices and expect to select presenters by September 7.

Questions about this session should be directed to Jason Flato at the above email address. For general information about the AAPT-APA Teaching Hub, please visit the Teaching Hub website. For specific information about the Teaching Hub at the 2025 APA Central Division online meeting, please contact co-chairs Cassie Finley ([email protected]) and Jennifer Lobo Meeks ([email protected]).