About XTOP
XTOP is a partnership that leverages the Scheller Teacher Education Program’s (STEP) pedagogical expertise, the Office of Experiential Learning’s (OEL) centralized Experiential Learning Exchange website (elx.mit.edu), and the J-WEL PK-12 Action Group’s community of practice to provide a flexible model of support designed to enrich and embrace the wide variety of undergraduate teaching opportunities at MIT in four ways:
Make it easy and equitable for undergraduates to find meaningful teaching opportunities
- Coordinated representation at student recruitment events
- Centralized posting on ELx.mit.edu
Recognize and compensate undergraduate teaching opportunities as valuable learning experiences with an option to offer course credit as compensation
- Collaboration with with Office of Experiential Learning to design and pilot a framework to offer course credit for teaching experiences
- Incorporate service learning into new education courses
Enrich undergraduate teaching experiences with pedagogical training and support
- Workshops
- Library of resources
- Small group facilitation guides
Share resources and best practices across programs
- Foster a community of practice for program managers to share best practices and problem solve
- Learn, adapt, and innovate on the work of universities well-known for their high quality experiential learning to provide a flexible model that supports existing opportunities
MEET THE TEAM
Mary Cate Gustafson- Quiett
Manager
Mary Cate is a curriculum design manager for the Scheller Teacher Education Program and program manager for the Undergraduate Teaching Opportunities Program (UTOP). After earning her B.S. in Secondary Education and Mathematics from DePaul University, Mary Cate assisted, tutored, and taught in a wide range of schools including those in urban, rural, and suburban communities, in public, private, and charter settings. She went on to earn her Masters of Public Affairs from the Goldman School for Public Policy at UC Berkeley. For two years Mary Cate worked as a PLUS Research Fellow for UC Berkeley’s Center for Cities and Schools where she co-designed district policy recommendations with teachers and administrators. Mary Cate welcomes opportunities to flex her co-design, logic, and collaborative leadership skills to help create a more equitable and sustainable education system.
Mary McCrossan
Communications
Mary is the Communications and Special Programs Manager at the Scheller Teacher Education Program. Mary’s responsibilities are to coordinate and plan professional development events throughout the year. Mary started her professional career at The Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society’s Youth and Media team at Harvard Law School and then moved to the Marketing and Global Events Assistant at the Life Science company Abcam.
Jennifer Gardony
Trainer
Jenny is Program Manager at the Scheller Teacher Education Program. Prior to coming to MIT, Jenny taught in the Boston area for 10 years; in Cambridge Public Schools, Boston, and at the Community Charter School of Cambridge. There, Jenny served as a mentor for new teachers, a grade level leader, drama club founder, and even hosted a student teacher from STEP! Jenny earned her B.A. in Developmental Psychology from Tufts and her M.Ed. in Math Education from Cambridge College. Outside of work, Jenny loves baking, long walks with her dog, and spending time with her family.
Eric Klopfer
Faculty Advisor
Eric Klopfer is Professor and Director of the Scheller Teacher Education Program and The Education Arcade at MIT. He is also a co-faculty director for MIT’s J-WEL World Education Lab. His work uses a Design Based Research methodology to span the educational technology ecosystem, from design and development of new technologies to professional development and implementation. Much of Klopfer’s research has focused on computer games and simulations for building understanding of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Much of his research centers on the affordances of new technologies including AR, VR and mobile, and how those can be applied today. He is the co-author of the books Adventures in Modeling, The More We Know, and Resonant Games, as well as author of Augmented Learning.
His lab has produced software (from casual mobile games to the MMO The Radix Endeavor) and platforms (including StarLogo Nova and Taleblazer) used by millions of people, as well as online courses that have reached hundreds of thousands.
Klopfer is also the co-founder and past President of the non-profit Learning Games Network.