This page uses javascript to help render elements, if you have problems please enable javascript.
 
Skip to main content
 
 
 
 
 
 
You are now inside the main content area
 
 
 
left col

Teaching For Social Justice Faculty Learning Community

right col
 
left col

Description

The Teaching for Social Justice Faculty Learning Community is a collaborative learning space that supports faculty in developing, implementing, assessing, and evaluating the impact of equity-oriented pedagogy in diverse academic disciplines.  Since its inception in 2017, this FLC has enrolled faculty university-wide, and participating faculty have presented their research locally, nationally, and internationally, received intramural and external grant support for FLC-related curricular innovation and scholarship, and published their findings in academic books and journals.

right col
 
left col

Teaching For Social Justice Mini-Conference

The 2025 mini-conference will be held on March 7th. Scroll to the bottom of the page to learn more about registering for the conference and who is presenting.

right col
 
left col

Featured Work Resulting from the Social Justice Faculty Learning Community

right col
 
 
 
 
left col

Centering Social Justice Article

Dr. Sapna B. Chopra, Dr. Rebekah Smart, Dr. Yuying Tsong, Dr. Olga L. Mejía, and Dr. Eric W. Price from Cal State Fullerton published this mixed methods program evaluation study designed to assist faculty in better understanding students’ multicultural and social justice training experiences, with the goal of improving program curriculum and instruction. It also offers a model for counselor educators to assess student experiences and to make changes that center social justice.

Centering social justice in counselor education: How student perspectives can help.

The New Educator Article

Dr. Alison Dover, Dr Benikia Kressler and Dr. Maritza Lozano from Cal State Fullerton published an article about a study in which they "examine how participation in a year-long social justice-oriented faculty learning community (FLC) impacted faculty members’ identities and trajectories as social justice teacher educators and scholars."

“Learning Our Way Through”: Critical Professional Development for Social Justice in Teacher Education

Literature Review

In this literature review, FLC member Dr. Benikia Kressler and her co-authors examine special education teacher educators’ use of anti-racist and anti-ableist pedagogy and/or Dis/ability Critical Race Studies Theory (DisCrit) as a framework for their curriculum, teaching strategies, and/or teaching techniques.  Their analysis explores how critical pedagogy and theory can develop teacher candidates’ critical consciousness and encourage anti-racist and anti-ableist practices for students with specific learning disabilities, and concludes with recommendations and resources to help teacher educators model and implement anti-racist and anti-ableist pedagogical practices in teacher education.

DisCrit informed practices of critical special educaiton teacher educators: A review of the literature

Service-Learning Article

Dr. Abigail Saavedra from Arizona State University, and Lizette Ruiz and Lucía Alcalá from Cal State Fullerton wrote an article about how service-learning is a high-impact practice that increases students’ engagement with class material and the community. However, a critical lens is needed to strengthen students’ understanding of and commitment to social justice and the inclusion of students from diverse backgrounds. This mixed method study examined the impact of a critical service-learning approach, which integrated critical curricula with 30  hours of service to community organizations, on undergraduate students’ orientations towards social justice and civic engagement.

Critical service-learning supports social justice and civic engagement orientations in college students

right col
 
left col

Scroll down for a full list of FLC-related grants, publications, and presentations.

right col
 
left col

Teaching For Social Justice Mini-Conference Details and Registration

Please view the conference flyer with all of the details and then register for the conference here.

right col
 
left col
ajax space
right col
 
left col

Publications

  • Chopra, S. B., Smart, R., Tsong, Y., Mejía, O.L., & Price, E.W. (2024). Centering social justice in counselor education: How student perspectives can help. The Professional Counselor, 14 (2): 135-149. doi.org/10.15241/sbc.14.2.135  
  • Dover, A. G., Rodríguez-Valls, F., Bryant, R, & Ott, C. D. (2025). Creating linguistically inclusive spaces for newcomer and emergent plurilingual students through youth participatory action research. Journal of Language, Identity and Education. 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/15348458.2025.2520428
  • Dover, A. G., Kressler, B., & Lozano, M. (2020). Learning our way through: Critical professional development for social justice in teacher education. The New Educator , 16(1), 45-69. https://doi.org/10.1080/1547688X.2019.1671566
  • Dover, A. G., Henning, N., Agarwal-Rangnath, R. & Dotson, E. K. (2018). It’s heart work: Critical case studies, critical professional development, and fostering hope among justice-oriented teacher educators. Multicultural Perspectives, 20 (4), 229-239. https://doi.org/10.1080/15210960.2018.1527154
  • Kressler, B., Kunkel, A., Hsiao, Y., & Park, K. (2024). DisCrit informed practices of critical special education teacher educators: A review of the literature. Learning Disabilities: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 29 (2), 23-37. https://doi.org/10.18666/LDMJ-2024-V29-I2-12838
  • Reyes, A.G., Capraro, A.E. & Rodríguez-Delgado, M. (2024). Co-creando rituales / co-creating rituals to hold our work as anti-oppressive counselors and researchers. The Qualitative Report, 29 (4), 1085-1102. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2024.6987
  • Saavedra, J. A., Ruiz L., & Alcalá, L. (2022). Critical service-learning supports social justice and civic engagement orientations in college students. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 28 (1), 1-28. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1418688.pdf
  • Saavedra, J. A. & Alcalá, L. (2025). Developing critical consciousness in undergraduate developmental psychology courses. In Brakke, K. & McIntyre, J. (Eds.), Teaching developmental psychology: Contemporary activities and approaches. (pp. 262-277). The Society for the Teaching of Psychology. https://teachpsych.org/ebooks/teachdevpsy

Grant Submissions

  • Asturizaga, Vivianne. (2024). Cross-Disciplinary Approaches to Fostering Equity and Engagement in Higher Education. 2024-25 Office of Research and Sponsored Projects Faculty Travel Grant.
  • Asturizaga, Vivianne. (2024-25).200 Years Of Bolivi an Musical Heritage: Expanding The Canon Database And Music Festival. Office of Research and Sponsored Projects Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity (RSCA). 14.990. Funded
  • Carmona, S. (2023). Asset Discovery: A Key to Effective Adult Learner Engagement. Office of Research and Sponsored Projects Faculty Travel Grant.  $1000. Funded.
  • Carmona, S. (2025).  From Discomfort to Empowerment: A novice faculty’s experience embracing an anti-racist and inclusive pedagogy. Office of Research and Sponsored Projects Faculty Travel Grant.  $1000. Funded.
  • Dover, A.G. (2025). Building Community and Advancing Social Justice through Critical Professional Development. Office of Research and Sponsored Projects Faculty Travel Grant.  $1000. Funded.
  • Kressler, B. (2025). Preparing Social Justice Advocates: Transformative Pedagogy for Practitioner-Oriented Fields. Office of Research and Sponsored Projects Faculty Travel Grant.  $1000. Funded.
  • Larios, R. (2023-2024). Exploring the Intersection of Culture, Language, Dis/ability, and the IEP. CSUF Faculty Enhancement and Instructional Development Award, Funded. 
  • Reyes, A. G., & Perry Wilson, T. (2022). Through Our Lens: Queer Womxn of Color’s Experiences of Healing and Liberation. Society for Sexual, Affectional, Intersex, and Gender Expansive Identities. $500. Co-Principal Investigator, 75%.  Funded.
  • Reyes, A. G. (2023). Through Our Lens: Queer Womxn of Color’s Experiences of Healing and Liberation. California State University, Fullerton. $7,500. Principal Investigator, 100%. Funded.
  • Soto-Peña, M. (2023-2024). Antiracist Literacy in the 21st Century. CSUF Faculty Enhancement and Instructional Development Award, Funded. 
  • Ylagan-Nicanor, R. (2023). Supporting students and promoting social justice with innovative and equitable pedagogy: Purposeful modification in an asynchronous course. CSUF Faculty Enhancement and Instructional Development Award. $5000. Funded.
  • Ylagan-Nicanor, R. (2024). Using Visual Thinking Strategies in the Classroom and Promoting Social Justice. Office of Research and Sponsored Projects Faculty Travel Grant.  $1000. Funded.
  • Ylagan-Nicanor, R. (2024). “Yo Tengo Muchos Sueños Pa’ Mi Hija”: Increasing Family Engagement Through Innovative Practices.” Office of Research and Sponsored Projects Faculty Travel Grant.  $1000. Funded.

Conference Presentations

  • Alcalá, L. & Diaz Lara, G. (2026 January). Integrating service learning to support students’ critical consciousness development. Hawaii International Conference on Education, January 8-11, 2026. Honolulu, HI.
  • Asturizaga, Vivianne. (March 2024). Hi, Barbie! A Cultural Discussion of Low Flutes, Women in Music, and the Importance of Play. International Low Flutes Society Bi-annual meeting.
  • Asturizaga, Vivianne. (March 2024). How to Incorporate Early American Music into Your Teaching: Meanwhile in the Americas: Bolivian Missions and de La Plata Cathedral Archives. Society For American Music (SAM). Detroit, MI.
  • Asturizaga, V. (2026 January). A hemispheric approach to music history: An equity-centered intervention. Hawaii International Conference on Education, January 8-11, 2026. Honolulu, HI.
  • Asturizaga, V., Shahrestani, P., Fuente-Camacho, M. & Harrison, A. (2024, December). Cross-Disciplinary Approaches to Fostering Equity and Engagement in Higher Education. 14th International Conference on Education and Justice. Honolulu, HI. December 6-7, 2024. 
  • Carmona, S. (2024, June 13). Asset Discovery: A Key to Effective Adult Learner Engagement [Conference presentation]. The Learning Ideas Conference, New York, NY, United States. https://www.learningideasconf.org/programs/2024
  • Carmona, S. (2025, April 23-27). From Discomfort to Empowerment: A novice faculty’s experience embracing an Anti-Racist and Inclusive Pedagogy. [Poster Session] 2025 AERA Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, United States.
  • Carmona, S. (2026 January). Maximizing the potential of Generative AI and social media to enhance deep student learning outcomes in higher education. Hawaii International Conference on Education, January 8-11, 2026. Honolulu, HI.
  • Carmona, S. and Megyesi-Brem, K. (2025 September). Becoming Visible: Using Co-constructed tools of criticality to surface collective pedagogical critical consciousness. The 15th International Conference on Education and Justice. Los Angeles, CA.
  • Cunha, C. P & Robledo Green, C. (2025 April).  ArcGIS StoryMaps in the Classroom:  Social Justice Through Procedural Fairness.   California State University Fullerton, Pollak Library Noon Time Talk. Fullerton, CA
  • Diaz, Amanda, R. (2025, April 23-27). Building queer-inclusive curricula in a teacher education course. [Roundtable presentation]. American Educational Research Association Convention, Denver, CO.
  • Diaz, A. (2026 January). Queering the curriculum: Integrating LGBTQ+ perspectives in literacy education for social change. Hawaii International Conference on Education, January 8-11, 2026. Honolulu, HI.
  • Dover, A.G. (2025 September).Critical professional development, teacher agency and activism in hostile times. The 15th International Conference on Education and Justice. Los Angeles, CA.
  • Dover, A. G. (2026 January). Building community and advancing social justice through critical professional development. Hawaii International Conference on Education, January 8-11, 2026. Honolulu, HI.
  • Dover, A.G., Kressler, B., & Lozano, M., (2019). Walking the walk: Critical professional development and social justice learning in teacher education. American Educational Research Association. Toronto, ON. April 5-9, 2019.
  • Herring-Alderete, S., Rodriguez, B., Pham, J., & Reyes, A. G. (2023, May). Beyond the academy: Research as a catalyst for social change. Session at California State University, Fullerton, Social Justice Week. Virtual.
  • Ghods, S. (2026 January). Unpacking ethnic studies through game play: Using games ot thoughtfully explore oppression & identity. Hawaii International Conference on Education, January 8-11, 2026. Honolulu, HI.
  • Kressler, B. (2026 January). Preparing social justice advocates: Transformative pedagogy for practitioner-oriented fields. Hawaii International Conference on Education, January 8-11, 2026. Honolulu, HI.
  • Kressler, B. & Kunkel, A. (2025, October). Disrupting Online Learning: Social Justice Through DisCrit. Roundtable presentation at the International Council for Learning 
    Disabilities in Salt Lake City, UT.
  • Larios, R., Lozano, M., Ylagan-Nicanor, R., Johnson, A. & Barreto, L. (2024, April). “Yo tengo muchos sueños pa’ mi hija”: Increasing family engagement through innovative practices. American Educational Research Association. Philadelphia, PA. April 11-14, 2024.
  • Reyes, A. G., Herring-Alderete, S., Holmes, K., Manswer, M., Schroeder, G., & Pham, J. (2023, May). An invitation for transformative change through liberatory research. Session at Pacific University, 2023 Diversity Conference. Virtual.
  • Reyes, A. G., Rodríguez Delgado., M, & Jarrett, J. A. (2023, June). Cosechando nuestro poder: Decolonizing clinical practice & counselor education. National Board of Certified Counselors Foundation Symposium, Atlanta, Georgia.
  • Shahrestani, P. (2026 January). Engaged and applied learning strategies in evolutionary biology. Hawaii International Conference on Education, January 8-11, 2026. Honolulu, HI.
  • Ylagan-Nicanor, R. (2025, January 4-7). Using visual thinking strategies in the classroom and promoting social justice. Hawaii International Conference on Education. Honolulu, HI. 
  • Ylagan-Nicanor, R. (2026 January). Supporting students and promoting social justice with innovative & equitable pedagogy in an asynchronous course. Hawaii International Conference on Education, January 8-11, 2026. Honolulu, HI.
right col