SET - Can We Teach Empathy? Pedagogical Grappling with a Slippery Concept

Christopher Richmann (Religion, Academy for Teaching and Learning), Felicia Osburn (Biology, Academy for Teaching and Learning)

Empathy is a nebulous concept that is nonetheless touted in our curricular goals and striven for by many instructors. Unfortunately, lack of a shared definition and reliable measures hamper efforts to foster empathy and determine whether this goal is realized. In this session, participants will be guided through our research journey in defining, assessing, and intervening to improve student empathy in an introductory religion course. Participants will brainstorm the elements of empathy, uncover areas in their courses where empathy enhances learning, and experience and reflect upon activities associated with empathetic development.