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CAST: 9th Annual CAST UDL Symposium: Through the Lens of UDL

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I am beyond excited to be a part of a team of fabulous women who are presenting at the CAST: 9th Annual CAST UDL Symposium: Through the Lens of UDL.

On Tuesday, August 1, 2023 we will be virtually presenting our session:
ChatGPT: A Tool for Inclusive UDL and Culturally Responsive Instruction. 
Joan Giovannini, Marisha Marks, Jennifer Wallace and I will be walking our audience through an approach to using ChatGPT to explore UDL and Culturally Responsive Instruction solutions for faculty, staff or administrators.  Shout out to Jessica Egan who was a vital contributor to our research.

Here is our abstract: Technology continues to emerge in ways we may not have experienced. As UDL advocates and intentional course designers, our session aims at exploring the benefits and concerns of implementing ChatGPT to support faculty in designing instruction using Universal Design for Learning [UDL] and culturally responsive instruction. This session will be a collaborative presentation representing faculty and instructional design experts from two community college Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI).  This highly interactive session will investigate limitations for students with disabilities, solutions for aligning activities using this tool to a UDL framework, and possibilities for expanding the use into curricular design processes with an eye for culturally relevant pedagogy.  

NEFDC: Board of Trustees

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I am honored to be serving as a Board of Trustees for the New England Faculty Development Consortium [NEFDC].   This is an energetic group of amazing people.

The New England Faculty Development Consortium (NEFDC) was founded in 1998. The group evolved from the work of individuals engaged in faculty development at a number of Massachusetts colleges and universities. Members recognized the value to be gained from a network specifically dedicated to sharing resources and collaborating regionally to sponsor faculty development activities.

Beyond board meetings, I am looking forward to the group’s primary conference happening, this year on October 20, 2023. 

Equity Leaders & Guides at STCC and Beyond

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Late last year I was awarded a $75,000 Massachusetts Higher Education Innovation Fund grant from the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education.  The initial grant  concept was to train 20 faculty.  However, between January and June I was able to train 21 faculty and 9 staff members on the Springfield Technical Community College Campus.

I am so proud of how hard these leaders have worked to hone their equity skills. Work continues until September 21, 2023 and I am already working on a consortium grant proposal that will expand these leadership concepts to the regional level.

New Position for Professional Development & Innovation

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Today I begin a new position at Springfield Technical Community College as Director of Instructional Innovation and Faculty Investment.

I am very excited about my new role and the opportunities I will have to expand my collaborative leadership in working with faculty and staff.  My focus will begin with strategizing an overall plan for professional development for this coming year beginning with our September 2, 2021 Professional Day and preparing to onboard our newest faculty.

Then, I will be strategizing a 3-5 year professional development plan. So exciting!

 

2021 Massachusetts Colleges Online Conference

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I presented at the Massachusetts Colleges Online Conference on June 2, 2021 based on my article published in Faculty Focus Meet Them Where They Are: Furthering Your Own Cultural Humility and Responsive Teaching

the MCO session had participants brainstorming & sharing ideas to inject curriculum and pedagogical approaches into online course design covering the humanizing topics of: cultural humility, antiracism, and inclusion. What is? What if? What wows? What works? Participants arrived with ideas, ready to roll-up their sleeves, get messy, and leave with ideas to implement into their online classrooms and share to their campus.

What participants thought:

Thanks for the excellent presentations and the viewpoints.

Thank you! I added late but truly enjoyed it!

Thanks! Great session.

Thank you for a great session!

Thank you I am always Learning!