Developing Culturally Responsive Learning Environments at AppState
Online Series
- Dr. Jason Lynch, Assistant Professor in Counseling, Family Therapy, & Higher Education
- Dr. Ashley Carpenter, Assistant Professor in Counseling, Family Therapy, & Higher Education
Join us for a comprehensive faculty workshop series based on the recently published book Developing Culturally Responsive Learning Environments, edited by App State's own Dr. Jason Lynch. This four-part synchronous online series is designed to empower faculty members to better understand and address the diverse backgrounds and learning needs of 21st-century college students while fostering cultural competence and enhancing their teaching practices. By the end of the series, you'll be equipped with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to create an inclusive and equitable educational experience for all students, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to thrive in your courses. Join us on this transformative journey to become a more culturally responsive educator.
Those completing the full four-part series will earn a certificate of completion; however, faculty are welcome to join as many or few sessions as they wish.
As a result of fully completing in the full Developing Culturally Responsive Learning Environments at AppState series, undergraduate and graduate faculty will be able to:
- Critically examine and reflect upon their own cultural competence, identifying areas for growth and self-awareness, and demonstrating an increased ability to recognize how their cultural background influences their teaching practices.
- Understand the diverse backgrounds and learning needs of 21st-century college students, allowing them to develop strategies to better engage and support a wide range of student experiences within their courses.
- Apply culturally responsive teaching strategies in their instructional methods, creating an inclusive and respectful learning environment where all students feel valued and can actively participate in the educational process.
- Enhance knowledge and skills needed to adapt, diversify, and transform their curriculum, course content, and learning environments to be more inclusive and responsive to the needs of culturally diverse students, promoting equitable educational outcomes.
To register for the Spring 2024 Series click here!
Mental Health First Aid
F2F and Online sessions offered
Mental Health First Aid is a skills-based training course that teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. The training gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem or experiencing a crisis.
- Grow your knowledge of signs, symptoms and risk factors of mental illnesses and addictions.
- Identify multiple types of professional and self-help resources for individuals with a mental health or substance use challenge
- Increase your confidence in and likelihood to help an individual in distress.
- Show increased mental wellness in yourself.
To register for an upcoming course click here!
Do you have a group of 5+ and are interested in taking MHFA together? Click here to complete our interest form!
Course (Re)Design Institute
The Course (Re)Design Institute (CRDI) is designed to expand participants’ knowledge and skill in designing and teaching quality courses. During the Institute, participants will have the opportunity to:
- Learn how to apply research-based teaching and learning principles to course design;
- Design or redesign a course built on learner-centered design principles; and
- Network and collaborate with your peers across campus
Check out our CRDI page for information about upcoming institutes.
CETLSS Online: The "Online in Time" Course
Have a new online course you're developing, or an oldie-but-goodie that needs an update? If you're developing or revising an online course, consider submitting an interest form to take our "Online in Time" course. We provide a $1,000 stipend for you to work with CETLSS as you design - in time to teach it soon. We'll bring the structure and guidance to keep you motivated, and you bring the content expertise and elbow grease. We'll keep the AppState Teaching Quality Framework and student success at the center of our work.
Agile Teching Academy
The Agile Teaching Academy is an asynchronous course aimed at helping faculty design a highly adaptable and inclusive course. Agile Academy can be taken as self-paced or with a cohort. Participants think through important design considerations over the course of four modules and explore questions such as:
How can I design course components for maximum flexibility, regardless of teaching format or location?
How can I organize my course for maximum student success?
What is a good assignment and assessment structure for a flexible, inclusive course?
How can I align instructional activities and assessments to learning goals to ensure my students are mastering important objectives?
Am I making teaching choices that are inclusive of a wide range of student needs in a flexible environment?
Inclusive Syllabus Design (SEP Modules)
This online module "Your Syllabus as a Tool to Promote Student Equity, Belonging, and Growth" consists of a number of recorded videos to demonstrate practical tips for developing syllabi, as well as activities that will help you apply these concepts to your own syllabus. It should take approximately 90 minutes to watch the videos and complete the activities, plus time to revising your syllabus.
To get started, click here!