Teaching

My courses help students hone their rhetorical awareness of disciplinary norms, values, and genres and equip them to be agents of social and professional change. At MIT, I also collaborate and co-teach classes with technical faculty and staff, where each course is designed to facilitate students' developing content knowledge and communication skills. 

If you are interested in seeing or adapting teaching materials, such as slide decks, lesson plans, assignment sheets, or syllabi, please email me at kalodner@mit.edu.

1.101: Introduction to  Civil and Environmental Engineering Design I
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Environmental engineering course geared towards introducing students to the principles of engineering design. Emphasis is placed on the idea-to-project trajectory, which includes the identification of a design question or problem, evaluation of requirements or constraints set by the application and/or client, and the implementation into a concrete product deliverable. Communication deliverables include conceptual design reports, project definition statements, memos, slide decks, and oral presentations.

2.671: Measurement and Instrumentation
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mechnical engineering course that introduces measurement methods and experimental techniques. Students conduct a self-directed term-long assignment project on a topic of their choosing. Communication deliverables include a research paper, conference poster, and oral presentations.

2.75: Medical Device Design
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mechanical engineering course that brings clinicians, industry partners, and students, and faculty together to prototype new healthcare technologies based on existing clinical challenges. Students follow an industry-modeled design process from problem definition, concept and strategy definition, and proof-of-concept testing and evaluation. Communication deliverables include a research paper, extended abstract, and oral presentations.

5.362: Cancer Drug Efficacy
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Chemistry course that exposes students to recent innovations in protein kinases and their applications in cancer treatments. Students gain exposure to a range of biochemical techniques and strengthen their ability to analyze, evaluate, and communicate existing research professionally and effectively. Communication deliverables include oral presentation, research proposal, and a literature review.

6.421: Robotic Manipulation
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Electrical engineering course that introduces the fundamental algorithmic approaches for creating robot systems that can autonomously manipulate physical objects in unstructured environments such as homes and restaurants. Communication deliverables include a research paper, video presentation, and oral presentation.

9.60: Machine-Motivated Human Vision
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Brain and cognitive science course that explores how challenges of human vision can be motivated and enhanced by the capabilities of computer vision systems. Students self-identify research areas, conduct multi-methodological studies with computer vision models and human participants, and make key recommendations for improving vision-based research in a wide variety of settings including healthcare, transportation, and agriculture. Communication deliverables include a research proposal, oral presentations, and a research paper.

ENGL 391NM: Introduction to Rhetoric of Health and Medicine
University of Massachusetts Amherst

Writing-intensive course aimed at introducing students to the field of the rhetoric of health and medicine. By analyzing texts and narratives by providers, patients, caregivers, and more, students will identify and assess how communication practices play a critical role in effective, efficient, and patient-oriented healthcare.

ENGIN 351: Writing in Engineering
University of Massachusetts Amherst

Discussion-based writing in the disciplines course covering effective communication practices in the field of engineering. Students are introduced to traditional technical and scientific writing forms, including postmortems, mechanical and technical descriptions, extended technical definitions, and research posters. Students gain experience analyzing and communicating information through visual, verbal, and written modes.

CICS 305: Social Issues in Computing
University of Massachusetts Amherst

Discussion-based writing in the disciplines course covering a range of social and professional issues in the field of computing, including algorithmic bias, identity and computing, automation, right to repair, and surveillance. Students compose analyses of representations of computing in popular discourse, reflect on their coding and programming literacies, and advocate for policy changes to appropriate decision-makers.

ENGL 391C: Advanced Software for Professional Writers
University of Massachusetts Amherst

Content-based course introducing students to the history and practice of web writing, best practices for web accessibility, and HTML/CSS. Students code and create an online portfolio of content that demonstrates skills as a web designer and professional writer. 

ENGL 379: Introduction to Professional Writing
University of Massachusetts Amherst

Introductory course to the Professional Writing and Technical Communication certificate program. Offers an overview of commonly professional genres such as memos, reports, job materials, and grant proposals. Students practice writing in these genres, develop technical research skills, and gain experience in communicating specialized information to non-specialist readers.