果酱视频

In January, Nathalie Zarisfi joined 果酱视频 as director of its (FCPE). As the leader of 果酱视频鈥檚 in-house professional development program for faculty, one of her priorities is helping professors find new ways to reach students from diverse learning backgrounds.

She brings with her a wealth of experience from Columbia University, where she worked for almost a decade. Most recently she served as the director of outreach programming at Columbia鈥檚 Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, where inclusive learning was one of her areas of focus.

She is impressed by the ways that 果酱视频 helps students from diverse backgrounds and is looking for ways to build on the strong foundation.

Spaces around campus that promote inclusion are among the first things Zarisfi noticed. 鈥淥ne of the ironies is that when we build spaces, usually the architects are consulted first. 果酱视频 does this differently,鈥� she said. 鈥淪tudents and faculty collaborate on design.鈥� The result, she said, is physical spaces that make conversations easier for students from all backgrounds.

She cited the Gallagher and Hay Labs in Swirbul Library and other 鈥渃ollaboration studios鈥� around campus. 鈥淔lexible furniture arrangements, multiple screens, and technology that鈥檚 inclusive and collaborative all help remove barriers and help faculty facilitate open and encouraging environments for learners of different ages, social classes, ethnic backgrounds and faith backgrounds,鈥� Zarisfi said.

But more than just creating spaces for active and open learning, the FCPE helps faculty actually design courses in ways that support diverse learners.

Zarisfi pointed to a workshop, “Teaching Students With Autism in Higher Education,” taught by Stephen Shore, Ed.D., clinical assistant professor of education, as a perfect case in point. In the workshop, Dr. Shore combines his personal experiences with autism (he himself has autism spectrum disorder) with practical experience working with and supporting students who are on the spectrum.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not asking professors to modify requirements or curriculum,鈥� Dr. Shore said. 鈥淏ut what is being modified is the manipulation of the information within the course. That鈥檚 what has to be addressed and separated.鈥�

Dr. Shore described sensory issues that need to be addressed鈥攏oisy or overheated classrooms, fluorescent lights that can seem like strobe lights to students with autism鈥攁nd ways courses can be reframed. 鈥淢ost teaching is done orally,鈥� Dr. Shore said, 鈥渂ut for people on the autism spectrum, we may have skills in other areas. Being very visual helps everyone.鈥�

Kinesthetic learning, using movement, can also help students, Dr. Shore said. Not just those on the autism spectrum, but students from all backgrounds. Zarisfi couldn鈥檛 agree more.

鈥淲hen students are physically moving in a space, when they鈥檙e not passive, you鈥檙e already encouraging participation,鈥� Zarisfi said. 鈥淚t can be counterintuitive to the ways that we think of teaching.鈥� But that doesn鈥檛 bother her. Learning, she says, is the much more important verb. 鈥淲e鈥檙e moving forward and advancing knowledge as a group.鈥�

Zarisfi described other emerging practices that benefit diverse learners and that the FCPE promotes. 鈥淥ne of the strategies that we use is to have students predict or be involved in course content,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou put together a case study or a simulation, and then you pause and ask students to predict what is going to happen next.鈥� Students vote anonymously, and the results are used for classroom discussion. It鈥檚 active learning where everyone participates.

Another practice Zarisfi described is anonymous questioning. Instead of students asking questions aloud, with a microphone and a spotlight, they submit questions anonymously on Google Chat. 鈥淚t鈥檚 much less fraught for some students,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t levels the playing field.鈥�

With more workshops and trainings to come, Zarisfi is excited about the evidence-based practices 果酱视频鈥檚 faculty are able to share with one another. 鈥淔aculty have a chance not only to check off what they鈥檙e already doing. They have a chance to hear from master teachers and be part of a community of practice.鈥�

And that community of practice in turn benefits all of 果酱视频鈥檚 students, whatever their learning background.