About
I’m Kevin Gannon, and I serve as the Director of the Center for the Advancement of Faculty Excellence (CAFE) and Professor of History at Queens University-Charlotte.
From 2014-22, I served as Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) and Professor of History at Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa, where I also taught from 2004-2022. In addition to directing GV’s faculty development operations, I was also a department chair (2011-2014) and co-directed the New Student Seminar program (2005-2011).
My teaching, research, and public work centers on pedagogies of hope; human(e) teaching and learning; critical approaches to AI and assessment; race, history, and justice; and course design for meaningful learning. I regularly write for The Chronicle of Higher Education, and my essays on higher education have also been published in Vox and other media outlets. My book Radical Hope: A Teaching Manifesto, was published by West Virginia University press in Spring, 2020, as part of their Teaching and Learning in Higher Education series, edited by James M. Lang. I am also the co-editor of The Campus Crisis Toolkit: Strategies and Solidarity for the Rest of Us, from SUNY Press. In 2016, I appeared in the Oscar-nominated documentary 13th, directed by Ava DuVernay. I am a speaker and consultant about a range of topics on campuses across North America; in this work, I endeavor to bring passion, humor, and interactivity to my audiences. I am also delighted to work with smaller groups of students, individual classes, or selected groups of faculty and staff on these campus visits. You can find me on Bluesky at @thetattooedprof.bsky.social
My writing and speaking centers on human/e teaching and learning (which I think is critically important in this new AI-in-higher-ed landscape), course and curriculum design, equitable assessment, and critical pedagogies. When I’m wearing my historian hat, I study authoritarian movements, race and racisms, nineteenth-century history (particularly the United States and the Americas), and historiography and theory. My teaching has ranged widely: New Student Seminars, Civil War and Reconstruction; Colonial America and the Atlantic World; Latin American history; Research Methods and Historiography; and the History of Capitalism, along with survey-level offerings in Ancient and Medieval World History. I teach in both in-person and online learning spaces, and also have extensive experience working with first-year and at-risk students.
As an educational developer, I work closely with my colleagues in the faculty, staff, and administration to promote excellence and innovation in teaching, and to support faculty work across the areas of teaching, scholarship, and university service. I’m a fierce advocate for professional development in all its manifestations, active learning, scholarly teaching, good technology, social justice, movable furniture, and humor in any environment.
Click here for my current curriculum vitae.
Click here for more information about my availability for speaking and workshops.
Wow– sure wish you’d bring that enthusiasm and perspective to Georgia! We need more faculty like you, I think.
Hey, thanks! This blog is me trying to avoid falling into the trap of cynicism and burnout, which is tough to do in academe. I did do my PhD in SC, so I’ve had my fill of those southern summers, though. 🙂
I devoured your rant on the flag. As is my wont, I read past the end. Does your copyright prevent me sharing on FB? My circle is Dems/Liberals/atheists. Your words would be welcomed with open arms (and some hugs and kisses). You should read a few of my posts, just for assurance.
Thanking you in advance,
Norma Cartwright
Lebanon Oregon
I’d imagine that “feel free to cut/paste, and deploy as needed” constitutes “express and written permission from this blog’s author”, and also note that sharing the link via FB is expressly included in the copyright statement.
Norma, thank you for asking, and please feel free to share. I don’t mind at all.
I read your flag piece. As a southerner from Alabama and a thinking man, what’s the difference in flying the Confederate Flag with its history and pledging our allegiance to the American Flag after invading Iraq, which resulted in 500,000 dead Iraqis? The U.S. has invaded countries and has installed its own dictators all over the world even in democratically-elected countries like Iran and in central America. Please explain.
Unbelievable! Doesn’t appear as though Ted even read through the ‘flag piece’ — but he does report to be a thinking man. So he’s got that working for him.
Prof. Gannon — I loved your ‘flag piece’…. I’ve been posting and sharing too. Spot on!!
Because when someone engages in atrocities in the name of the American flag, they are failing to live up to its ideals, which specifically stated that all are created equal, and entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. For all the trouble that we as a nation–including its founders–have had living up to that, those are still the ideals. The Confederate States of America specifically put language into their founding documents that *insisted* that non-whites were unequal and considered inferior, and prevented abolition from ever occurring: Article 1, Section 9(4) says “No bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or law denying or impairing the right of property in negro slaves shall be passed.” The flag is a symbol of a nation that formed specifically to protect and entrench slavery and bigotry as a way of life. So when someone engages in racist hate crimes, they are in fact *living up* to the Confederate flag’s ideals, not failing them.
Perhaps nothing, but the point of the essay was: the Confederate flag is steeped in a history of racism. So, as a southern thinking man, do not try to delete that history. A major difference between the US and the Confederacy: the Confederacy was founded in large part to keep horrific practices of racial subordination legal. The US his fought a long battle – with a lot of work left – to undo that legacy. The US ratified the 13, 14 and 15th Amendments. The former Confederate states immediately conspired to negate these (and were successful to a substantial degree). The US must accept its history of racism, etc., just as the South must do.
Kevin,
Your treatise on the Confederate flag was supremely well done! I shared your article (and open letter) on my Facebook page. Thank you for saying what needed to be said!
Sincerely,
— E.J. (a fan!)
Fantastic article on the flag. Educators that can make people laugh are a national treasure. Thank you for being alive and teaching.
PS – congratulations on your induction to the illustrious list of race traitors. We’re all proud of ya.
I am not a southerner by birth nor am I a flag waver/ owner. But I found your flag article extremely shortsighted. As you made extraordinary effort to preach about how qualified you are as a civil war historian, it made reading your article even harder to digest. The civil war was not about slavery and anyone who actually reads history and studies it know that that was only a mere fraction of the issues between the north and south. The economics of trade and wealth between the agricultural south and the manufacturing north had far more to do with it. We all know that taxation and trade restrictions played a much larger role and that slavery was a piece thrown in to tip,the balance of the scales. Your comment on the ” battle flag” of the confederacy didn’t mention the other flags that also flew such as the Bonnie blue and that the stars and bars were from the army of Virginia that was used by some and not all. That the ” confederate flag” was never officially used as the flag of the south. Nor did you mention that the flag was fine in its meaning until,the 1950’s when some skin heads and the KKK DISTORTED its meaning as they were the ones who turned it from a flag of freedom from any type of oppression into a flag of hate and racism. ” Professor”, in times of tragedy because we cannot make sense of it, we try to rationalize it and the most common way we rationalize is by assigning blame- we blame bars for serving alcohol to drunks who,kill people,in cars, we blame guns, we blame flags.. When in fact the blame is clearly, in this case, of a lunatic. Sir I offer this- we’ve banned drugs yet they are everywhere, we can try to ban guns , then only criminals will have them, we can ban a piece of colored fabric but racism that is harbored by a very few will unfortunately not be eradicated . The most disturbing piece of you letter was your ” I will not debate” statements. That only means you have an opinion and are not open to any real discussion. Which For an educator is simply appalling. For how can we educate anyone if we are not,willing to openly discuss matters And allow both sides and other opinions to be heard. Your letter sounded much like,obama’s ” the debate” is over speeches – again shortsighted. -again I remind you I’m a northerner living in the south who does not fly any flag. You may as you claim be ” fiercely passionate” but I contend you are also,fiercely opinionated which unfortunately doesn’t jive in the education world..
I think he made pretty clear that he “will not be a sherpa for your climb up stupid mountain.” And, it’s not an academic journal, white paper or any other publishing medium appropriate for debate. It’s called a blog, which, for your edification, is an online joural or diary. If you want to debate, discuss or dialog, there are appropriate places for that. Find ’em.
Claim to be a non-player in the debate? Check
Ignore his request to abstain from commenting? Check
Take the opportunity to regurgitate every right-wing argument that helped to fuel the murderous asshole (not lunatic) who lies at the center of this debate? Check
TROLL? Check
Wrong on every count.
Your piece on the flag was fabulous, and you’re absolutely right not to get into any further discussion of it. Aside from the fact that it doesn’t need any discussion, refusing to debate it will drive the maniacs even crazier — bravo!
Just read your “I Will Not Argue About the Confederate Flag” post and just had to thank you for it. Much needed these days. It’s very, very appreciated. Thank you!
Mr. Gannon,
If you did not want to engage, then why did you even write this? Granted, this is your webpage and you can say what you want; but you are using this as an opportunity to “toot” your own horn and to display YOUR OWN PERSONAL BIAS with your interpretation of history. I am not a supporter of the Confederate Flag, but I do feel that this brief glimpse of you indicates that you are not as qualified as you may think to teach Civil War History.
He is supremely qualified. Read an actual history book written by an actual historian sometime.
Sir,
I would like to thank you for you article/blog post and open letter. As a former citizen of SC, you understand the wanton ignorance there and history better than some of your commenter’s.
Thank you again!
Prof,
I’m one, too. Just read your blog page on this current issue. It’s one of the most arrogant, dismissive, vacuous, pompous things I’ve ever heard come from an educator.
You’ll forgive the rest of us who refuse to make the climb up Mr. Arrogant with you.
Dylann Roof hijacks a symbol (controversial and multi-faceted) from history and so now it must be eradicated from anywhere that it may offend. The only sensible thing to do.
ISIS has hijacked a religion (controversial and multi-faceted) from history so… Islam must be wiped out?
Canines enjoyed supreme social status in Hilter’s Third Reich. Time to put them all down, especially the German Shepherds used by those ‘paramilitary bastards’ on the police force. Symbols of hate and oppression- they were turned on Jews, after all.
Murderer Charles Manson was inspired by the music of The Beatles “White Album” (Helter Skelter) as well as the New Testament’s Book of Revelation. Do we whitewash the ‘fab four’ and their music? Someone’s surely offended. What of Revelations?
Professor, Any ideology that needs to attack the thing that least threatens it is an ideology that will not outlive its own generation. In your case, I find that a comfort.
What an incredibly ignorant comment.
How is it that I spent 2009-20014 in and around Des Moines environs and out paths did not cross? I must have been moving in (the wrong) circles. Enjoying your stuff.
KG: The U of Chicago letter to incoming freshmen was one that every school should be sending out. You mock Friedman and hate Murray – simply because you disagree with their views – your recent commentary says more about you than Dean Ellison and the University of Chicago.
WOW!!! I just watched 13th…..as an Australian we aren’t taught much in the way of American History; we do hear about current issues via the news but this is eye opening.
I am asking all my friends to watch 13th to have a better understanding…..
Australian History of treating the Indigenous isn’t much better really; I am currently studying and have taken Indigenous studies as my minor and I am shocked by the way Indigenous Australians have been treated.
Perhaps it is time that we all get our heads out of the sand and make a stand for what is RIGHT.
Thank you so much for putting this information out there. As an college educated black man, I shudder when I look back and remember hardly any of this history in 13th was taught to me. I was raised in the south, in a county that has it in the name Dixie County. I have face racism and marginalization all my life and most people that meet me for the first time thought I was jumping at shadows. Thanks for providing me even more information to digest and direct people towards for enlightenment.
Thanks for this comment, Mike. So glad you found 13th so powerful. Working for enlightenment is so important. ✊
I second this “thank you”. I just watched “13th” and was mesmerized by your logic and facts. I grew up white in Georgia, and always knew there was a problem with the way black people were treated. And for those who say “We don’t have any racism here,” you’re sadly mistaken. Racism still exists. I now understand how my ancestors contributed to the problem, and I’m doing what I can do rectify the situation. #blacklivesmatter
Hello Prof,
Currently watching 13th on Netflix and I am almost positive you were a professor that I had at the University of Houston around 2001-2003. If you are, just wanted to say hello and that your class was awesome and still remember your enthusiasm in class. So was that you? Thanks
-Wendy
Hi Wendy!
Yes, that was me–have a few more tattoos since then, and I teach at a small college in Iowa now. I taught at UH in the Spring and Fall of 2001, and really enjoyed my time there. Thanks for dropping the note–I love to hear from former students. I hope you are well!
Hi Kevin!
It has taken me a long time to find the time to look up your blog/website. But I listened to you speak at the State of Oregon Diversity Conference and I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed listening to you. The conference came right after I finished reading Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson, so it was such a pleasure to follow up that amazing book with your presentation. This is not a subject I have ever sought out or pursued and now I can’t read or hear enough about it as it really gets to me. I look forward to listening to/reading more from you! Please keep doing what you do.
Kevin, I’m also a “tattooed professor” and recently added ink in more visible placements. Definitely worried about backlash, especially as a female prof. Appreciate seeing others out there who are themselves in higher ed. Congratulations on your successes!
Thank you for your work!
Hi there. Did you by any chance do a summer school basketball training camp in Memphis TN at Central High in the early ’90s?
I failed P.E. my junior year at Central and they decided to stick me in with the basketball team. The coach in charge of training gave us all our first actual American history class that summer. I knew he was cool at the time but it wasn’t until I was older that I realized what a significant thing it was. I can’t remember his name but wanted to thank him one day….
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What an inspiring, human-centered voice in higher education—Kevin Gannon’s work on pedagogies of hope, equitable assessment, and critical AI literacy is exactly what faculty and instructional designers need right now. His book *Radical Hope: A Teaching Manifesto* reshaped how I think about teaching with integrity in turbulent times. If you’re exploring ways to humanize learning amid algorithmic tools, check out his insights—and for a practical, playful contrast, try SmolTextGen, a free browser tool that shrinks text into tiny Unicode styles with one click—great for lighthearted syllabus accents or low-stakes engagement experiments.
Kevin, your emphasis on “human(e) teaching and learning” and “pedagogies of hope” deeply resonates. In a time where educational discourse often fixates on quantifiable outcomes, your focus on qualitative student development feels especially vital. I’m curious about balancing external validation (
As an educator deeply engaged with innovative teaching practices and course design, Professor Gannon’s work resonates strongly with anyone seeking tools to transform data-driven instruction—especially when visualizing student performance, enrollment trends, or assessment outcomes. Pivot charts are invaluable for educators analyzing multi-dimensional classroom or institutional data, and they complement the kind of reflective, evidence-informed pedagogy Dr. Gannon champions. Whether you’re designing equitable assessments, mapping learning outcomes across cohorts, or exploring patterns in student engagement, a well-structured pivot chart can clarify complexity and support decision-making grounded in real data. For faculty and instructional designers looking to strengthen their analytical toolkit without mastering complex software, https://pivotchartmaker.org offers an accessible, purpose-built solution.
Really enjoyed reading through this — the site has real personality. Keep up the great work!
higsfield.cc very cool
higsfield.cc
As an educator deeply invested in human-centered pedagogy—and especially critical AI literacy in teaching—I’ve found AI Room Design to be a surprisingly thoughtful tool for visualizing spatial equity, accessibility, and inclusive learning environments. Whether reimagining campus common spaces, designing trauma-informed student lounges, or prototyping flexible classroom layouts, its privacy-first, prompt- or photo-driven approach respects both pedagogical intention and student dignity. No forced logins, no data harvesting—just focused, iterative design grounded in real context. Worth exploring if you’re rethinking physical space as part of your teaching manifesto:
AI Room Design
As an educator deeply invested in human-centered pedagogy—and especially in navigating AI’s rapid rise in higher ed—I’ve found ImageToCAD.ai indispensable for transforming hand-drawn syllabus sketches, historical maps, or student-made diagrams into precise, editable DXF files. Whether prepping vector-based classroom visuals for CNC demos or converting archival floor plans into CAD-ready geometry, it saves hours while preserving teaching intent. No more tracing by hand or wrestling with raster limitations. If you’re designing active-learning spaces (yes, even those with movable furniture!), this tool quietly upgrades your workflow. Try it free: ImageToCAD.ai
Nice piece, glad I stumbled onto this blog today. Keep up the great work!
CanvasSeed turns one campaign idea into a coordinated set of social media creative directions. Its guided workflow carries the same concept across visual ideas, captions, hashtags, and short-video storyboards so the final campaign remains consistent.
canvasseed.com
As an educator deeply invested in human-centered pedagogy—especially amid rising AI integration in higher ed—I’ve found BPMN-AI.com incredibly useful for visualizing complex course design workflows and assessment logic. Whether mapping inclusive syllabus structures or modeling equitable grading processes, its AI-powered BPMN 2.0 diagramming helps translate pedagogical theory into clear, shareable process maps. Export to SVG or XML makes it easy to embed in syllabi, faculty workshops, or curriculum documents. If you’re designing with intention—and teaching with hope—you’ll appreciate how quickly it turns ideas into professional diagrams.
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Your background leading CAFE and serving as a history professor at Queens University-Charlotte gives this About page useful context, especially the 2014–22 timeline. For educators exploring new ways to create visual materials for teaching, ChatGPT Image Generator could be a handy resource alongside the faculty-development work you describe.
Highsfield helps marketers and small creative teams turn a campaign brief into a structured short-video concept. It organizes the audience, offer, proof, visual direction, and desired action into scenes that can be reviewed before production begins.
highsfield.com
Kevin Gannon’s emphasis on human(e) teaching and critical approaches to AI and assessment really resonates, especially as more faculty wrestle with how to keep learning meaningful in an AI-in-higher-ed landscape. That balance between hope and rigor is easier said than done, though, particularly when students are submitting work that may or may not be machine-generated. I’ve found that running papers through a Turnitin AI detection tool before submission helps instructors start those conversations with actual evidence rather than suspicion, which feels more in line with the equitable assessment he advocates. It’s a small step, but it supports the kind of reflective teaching practice he describes.
Your focus on thoughtful teaching, equitable assessment, and the challenges AI brings to higher education really resonates. For faculty working with scanned readings, archival documents, or image-heavy PDFs, GLM-OCR may be a useful addition to the toolkit: it extracts text from images and PDFs, converts tables to Markdown and formulas to LaTeX, and supports more than eight languages. It’s free to use online, with an API available for larger workflows: https://glm-ocr.com. Could be handy for making research and course materials easier to search and adapt.
I appreciate your emphasis on thoughtful teaching and the human side of technology in higher education. For educators preparing for talks, workshops, or professional profiles, presentation also includes how we show up visually. AI Clothes Changer offers a simple way to explore different outfits from a photo, using a clothing reference image or a text description, with virtual try-on and pose adjustment options too. It could be a handy tool for previewing a polished look before a campus event or updating a profile image. Learn more at https://aiclothes.ai.
I appreciated this thoughtful account of a career rooted in humane teaching, historical inquiry, and a critical approach to technology in higher education. The emphasis on using AI thoughtfully while keeping learning and human connection at the center feels especially timely. For educators exploring what emerging AI tools can do in practice, Veo 4 is an upcoming video-generation experience focused on native audio, cinematic camera control, and enhanced 4K output. It could be an interesting way to consider how generative media might support teaching and communication. Learn more at https://veo40.net.
Kevin Gannon’s reflections on human(e) teaching and critical approaches to AI really resonate, especially the emphasis on meaningful learning over novelty. For educators exploring practical tools, it’s worth noting how simple AI workflows can support that goal—for instance, being able to create 9:16 clips with captions from longer lecture videos makes it easier to share focused content without extra editing overhead. A free account with three clips and no card needed is a low-pressure way to test whether it fits your course design.
As an educator deeply engaged with critical pedagogies and the evolving role of AI in teaching, Kevin Gannon’s work resonates strongly with today’s need for thoughtful, human-centered approaches to learning technology. His emphasis on equitable assessment, course design, and pedagogies of hope aligns meaningfully with tools that empower educators—not replace them. For those exploring how generative AI can support creative, pedagogically sound video content—whether for lectures, student projects, or campus communications—the emerging capabilities of AI video generation offer exciting possibilities. Platforms like https://zombieaitrend.com/ provide intuitive, accessible ways to prototype ideas, visualize historical narratives, or scaffold multimodal assignments—all while keeping intentionality and critical reflection at the core.