Course Development

American Cultures Engaged Scholarship (ACES)

Overview

Launched in January 2010, the American Cultures Engaged Scholarship (ACES) Program built on the foundation of the Berkeley Engaged Scholarship Initiative (BESI). Developed as a partnership between the American Cultures Center and the Public Service Center(link is external), this program aims to transform how faculty’s community-engaged scholarship is valued, to enhance learning for students through a combination of teaching and practice, and to create new knowledge that has an impact both in the community and the academy.

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ACES Program Grants

About the ACES Program

Launched in January 2010 as a partnership between the American Cultures Center and the Public Service Center, the American Cultures Engaged Scholarship (ACES) Program aims to transform how faculty’s community-engaged scholarship is valued, to enhance learning for students through a combination of teaching and practice, and to create new knowledge that has an impact both in the community and the academy.

ACES Course Grants are...

Course Development Grants

About

The 2026-27 application cycle for the American Cultures Course Development Grants is now open.

The American Cultures Course Development Grants awards up to $1,500 to enhance an existing American Cultures course or the design of a new course that has not been offered previously. Funding can be requested in three categories:

Supplies and expenses, which might include photocopying and printing, books and supplies Student hourly help to assist with, for example, digitizing materials (e.g., slides, maps, manuscripts, photographs),...

Engaged Learning

Antiracism Pedagogy & Equity-Based Learning Winter Institute

Event Description

Since 2018, the CDF program has supported instructors in developing creative design assignments, assignments that are intentionally built to support faculty and students in ways that are adaptive, equity-oriented, and foster antiracism. In the CDF Winter Institute participants developed actionable strategies that build antiracist and equity-based education.

In conversation with CDF faculty, staff, and students, the Winter Institute discussed how within the current condition of remote instruction and the devastating effects of the...

The Problem(s) with Grading: Making a Case for Contract Grading

Event Description

Building on the groundwork of the Antiracism Winter Institute, the CDF Program co-sponsored and co-facilitated a follow-up seminar in late April centered on contract grading. The two-day workshop, The Problem(s) with Grading: Making a Case for Contract Grading, invited participants to explore two models of contract grading, Specifications Grading and Labor-based Contract Grading. On the first day, participants engaged in current research that explores how traditional grading methods structure...

Creative Projects as Political Possibility

As we engage with the work of anti-racism and equity-based learning, what concrete examples are available and what strategies are necessary to create anti-racism and equity-based pedagogy in the classroom?

Creative Projects as Political Possibility, offered by the American Cultures Center, will present an overview of the ...

Faculty Spotlights

Each year, approximately 10 faculty from a wide variety of disciplines are selected to participate in the Creative Discovery Fellows (CDF) program. Faculty participate in a year-long developmental program that includes a 3-day Institute, monthly cohort meetings, and various workshops, as well as individual consultations with media and pedagogy experts. During implementation, their students also receive support in the form of workshops, in-class demonstrations, individual consultations, group feedback, online resources, and tutorials.

The following is an archive of past faculty and...

Creative Project Support

The Creative Discovery Design Team is excited to start consultations again this semester! Sign up to meet with one of our peer consultants who can help you with your creative projects. You do not have to be in one of the supporting classes to sign up – we are open to all students.

Our consultants can help with design principles, Adobe application questions, thinking through your projects with a social justice-centered lens, and more!

One-on-one appointments

If you need...

Creative Web-based Applications

About

Are you interested in software that can supplement or substitute those found in the Adobe Creative Cloud suite? If so, please review our curated list of creative web-based tools that will allow you and your students to develop audio, graphic, photo, and film projects.