Teaching

Formal Teaching Experience

Professional Development Talks and Invited Lectures

• Zengilowski, A. (2022). Investigating students’ environments, tools, processes, and experiences in learning: The interplay of cognition, motivation, and identity. Developmental Psychology Departmental Brownbag. University of California – Davis, Davis, CA.
• Zengilowski, A. (2022). A beginner’s guide to being a responsible qualitative researcher. Science of Learning & Metacognition and Motivational Beliefs Labs Meeting. The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX.
• Zengilowski, A. (2019, 2020). Navigating graduate school personally and professionally. McNair Scholars Research and Design. The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX.
• Zengilowski, A. (2019, 2018). How to use technology to gauge student learning. Center for Teaching & Learning: Teaching Preparation Series. The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX.
• Zengilowski, A. (2019, 2018). Student-centered strategies for teaching with technology. College Teaching Methodology. The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX.

Certifications & Awards

Sample Student Evaluations

“I thought the quality of teaching in this course was very high. It was obvious that Professor Z was very knowledgeable about the course material and one of her strengths was her ability to clarify information and answer her questions. I appreciated that she cared more about what we were learning and our learning process than if we were correct. Overall, Professor Z was a great professor and I learned a lot about what the real-world of psychology looks like from her.”

“Professor Zengilowski truly cares about her students learning and well-being. She thinks outside of the box to create course content that is both engaging and motivating for students. The non-traditional classroom style and setting benefits not only students' learning but also our understanding of cognition course content. She clearly defined her expectations for the course and the goals of each activity and assignment. The balance between lectures, project-based learning, and hands-on activities was effective for learning.”

“One of the best courses I have taken at Colgate as it was a bold statement to try a course where the sole focus was doing research on another class. This is exactly what prospective psychology students need to learn and grow into their careers and fields. All that needs work is experience of doing courses like this in the future and she will revolutionize what it means to teach psychology.”

“I cannot overstate how much I loved having Allison as the instructor for this semester. She was the most encouraging, engaging and understanding instructor I have ever had.”

“Allison was single handedly one of the most understanding instructors I've ever had the pleasure of learning under. Not only has she helped me learn the best way for me to be productive in my own way, but she was a huge resource in helping me get my feet on the ground in my first experience living away from home. It's not easy to become accustomed to a new place very fast, but with this class and the amazing instructor that comes with it I was quickly understanding just how important the content I was learning would be here. Saying she was an amazing instructor doesn't even begin to express how good of a person she is. When you needed her, she was there. When something came up and it delayed an assignment, she understood and worked with you. If the world had more professors like Allison, more people would enjoy school and want to go. This class was the highlight of my week, everything about it was so good, fun, and knowledgeable. I can't thank her enough for everything she doesn't even know she helped me with. She was my superwoman this semester.”

“The most effective aspects were the group activities we did based on the lectures. The group projects and reflections really tied the course work into the real-life and furthered my comprehension overall.”

“Allison was my absolute favorite teacher this semester, along with the course content. She was really engaging with us, her students, throughout the semester and I felt like that positively impacted my learning experience. She truly cared for the subject she taught and for her students. For instance, she always had well-being check-ins before each class and made us aware that she was ready to either just listen to us or provide us with the resources needed to get help. She wanted to see us succeed and gave us many opportunities to do so. Further, she almost always provided feedback or comments on assignments which were always encouraging and supportive. She has all the qualities I would want in a teacher and someone I wished I could have had a lot sooner. Also, I will be definitely be transferring many of the skills I learned in her class to my future endeavors!”

“The professor created a very welcoming environment to ask questions and talk to her, and I felt extremely comfortable talking to her and sharing ideas. The welcoming environment also extended to other students in class, which made the entire experience feel more unique.”

“Allison was one of the better professors I've had given her understanding of the situations students have been in and the compassion she showed throughout her class to every student. She seemed to really enjoy teaching and provided genuine feedback for our assignments, indicating that she not only read our work but wanted to help us improve. Most of her assignments provided real-life benefits too and there was one that I'm really appreciative of and it still surprises me how incredibly impactful it was on improving my health.”

“Allison was a great professor! She was extremely encouraging which made me more motivated to participate than I usually do. Her class activities and assignments were engaging and she made sure to throw in things to keep it interesting and relevant. Her lessons were very useful and the knowledge I have gained from this class will be used for the rest of my life.”

“Allison was an amazing professor who truly showed that she cared about the well-being of her students. She was very open, understanding, and accessible to all of her students. I was unsure of keeping this course at the beginning of the semester due to my high workload but Allison reassured me that she would work with me to find a balance that suited my circumstances. She did exactly that throughout the semester and has been so understanding and responsive all semester long. On top of that, she is very dedicated and informed on the course material. She has taught us and communicated to us the material in an easy and inclusive way. This has allowed me to learn so much from this course. I truly appreciate Allison's dedication to her students and to her classes.”

“A fantastic professor who really makes you think beyond just the normal curriculum that most college students take in their degree plans. She played a role in a lot of self-realizations I had, and I will forever be grateful for that.”