Aaron Bruenger, Ph.D. (he/they)

I believe all students can learn when they have the right strategies, resources and support. I strive to make my classes accessible to a wide range of learners and help them build the skills needed to succeed in my courses and beyond.

Learning is a social activity — we learn best by doing things together. In my classes, I use a mix of individual and collaborative learning activities to help students engage with course materials and strengthen their academic and communication skills.

I encourage curiosity, creativity and problem-solving. I also support students in being intentional and reflective about their learning journey.

Using alternative forms of learning assessment can increase student motivation, encourage academic risk-taking, and foster creativity and curiosity in the classroom. These methods also offer a way to improve academic accessibility for diverse student populations by providing more inclusive and flexible approaches to coursework. When students engage in curiosity and creativity, they build resilience, deepen their learning and enhance their overall well-being.

Selected Publications

• Ubbesen, M., Bruenger, A. and Lemer, B. published “Accessible Ungrading” in 2024 in Pedagogy: Journal of English Language Teaching.
• Taniguchi, Y., Bruenger, A., Lemer, B. and Wacek, J. contributed a chapter titled “Strengthening health literacy through intentional reflective practice in health sciences” to Composing Health Literacies, edited by Madson, M., and published by Routledge in 2023.

• Ubbesen, M., Bruenger, A.M. and Lemer, B. presented “AWAC Ungrading Workshop: Anti-ableist and Anti-racist Approaches” at the Association for Writing Across the Curriculum on May 3, 2024.
• Ubbesen, M., Bruenger, A.M. and Lemer, B.J. delivered “Ungrading as Anti-ableist and Anti-racist Assessment” at the International Writing Across the Curriculum Conference in Clemson, South Carolina, in June 2023. The presentation was peer-reviewed.
• Bruenger, A.M., Wacek, J.A. and Lemer, B.J. presented “Making Narrative Reflection an Intentional Community Practice” at the Higher Education Innovation Summit 2021 at the University of Minnesota Rochester in June 2021.