Philosophy Professor Kevin Hermberg, Ph.D., has been awarded the 2020 Lenssen Prize by the American Association of Philosophy Teachers (AAPT).
Philosophy Professor Kevin Hermberg, Ph.D., has been awarded the 2020 Lenssen Prize for co-authoring the best article on teaching philosophy published in 2018 or 2019. The Lenssen Prize is awarded every other year by the American Association of Philosophy Teachers (AAPT). Hermberg co-authored “Diversity is Not Enough: the Importance of Inclusive Pedagogy” which was published in the June 2019 issue of Teaching Philosophy.
“There have been significant efforts within philosophy in recent years to diversify, but the common focal points of that work – who is teaching, what is taught, who is taught – are not sufficient for the task; our pedagogies must be fully inclusive if we are to attain true diversity in the discipline,” Hermberg said. “In the article, we advocate for five principles of inclusive pedagogy: fostering a growth mindset, examining inclusive conceptions of authority, promoting transparency, encouraging flexibility, and, finally, continually promoting self-reflection for both students and teachers.”
The idea to write the article began as Hermberg worked with his co-authors – Melissa Jacquart, Rebecca Scott, and Stephen Bloch-Shulman – to prepare to facilitate a series of workshops and found themselves focused on the differences between diversity and inclusivity. The Lenssen Prize is scheduled to be presented at the AAPT’s biennial conference.