Create Inclusive Classroom Environments

On-Demand Webinar

Address Implicit Bias, Microaggressions and Exclusion for Improved Discussion and Academic Success

Classroom environments and instructional styles may unintentionally be demonstrating bias or reinforcing microaggressions. Without a clear and direct plan for creating inclusive classroom and learning environments, students may feel a lack of connection due to feelings of exclusion or othering. This can lead to disengagement from course content and activities that are not relevant to diverse populations and increased feelings of marginalization.

Our expert presenter – Farzana Nayani, a recognized Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion specialist, executive coach, and keynote speaker – will help those who are teaching avoid unintentionally creating classroom environments that exhibit bias and microaggressions, leading to frustration and a lack of effective learning. She will provide reflection activities to unpack biases that you may have in the classroom setting, question prompts to foster dialogue and reflection, and vivid examples of how this appears at higher education institutions. 

Take a closer look at:

• Recognizing your own implicit bias and its impact on others
• Identifying and interrupting microaggressions
• Reviewing classroom policies, course material, and instructional methods to minimize microaggressions and bias
• Implementing proactive strategies that continually foster an inclusive classroom environment
• Providing opportunities for a variety of perspectives and voices in the classroom
• You will be able to develop personalized strategies that work for you and your educational environment, as well as to incorporate perspective-taking and an intersectional lens into addressing this topic.

Topics Covered

Gain actionable takeaways, so you can:

• Gain a deeper understanding of implicit bias and microaggressions in the classroom setting – avoid unintentionally creating frustration, disengagement and marginalization in your teaching methods and learning activities.
• Develop an awareness of how to reduce implicit bias and microaggressions that impact the classroom environment – avoid mismanaged conversations that often result in unresolved issues, misunderstanding, and simmering conflict that undermine learning outcomes and campus-wide goals to create inclusive campus environments.
• Developing a process for planning inclusive classroom practices and strategies – avoid instructional styles and dialogues that may be unintentionally demonstrating bias or reinforcing microaggressions.
• Cultivate a self-reflection practice to support building a sustainable inclusive classroom environment – conduct a regular audit of educational materials through personalized strategies that work for you and your educational environment.
• Recognize when a classroom discussion becomes “difficult” for students and/or themselves – get tools and approaches to de-escalate triggered reactions and promote engaged conversation.

Presenter: Farzana Nayani is a recognized Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion specialist, executive coach, and keynote speaker. She has worked with higher education institutions, Fortune 500 corporations, public agencies, school districts, and non-profit organizations as a consultant and trainer on diversity, equity and inclusion, intercultural communication, and inclusive leadership.

This webinar, presented by PaperClip Communications, is available on-demand to all LSU New Orleans faculty.  

Click here to access this webinar and supporting materials.  (LSU New Orleans credentials required.)

Marginalized Students and First-Year Success

On-Demand Webinar

Streamline Their Transitions for Success

Institutions need to stop asking if students are college ready, and instead ask, “Are we ready for students?” — especially marginalized students. Committing to support marginalized students begins with allocating resources to match their specific needs — and focusing on everything they experience in completing their first year is critical. There is no quick fix — transition experiences and intersectional identities must be considered in developing orientation, mentorship, and engagement opportunities.

Our presenter shares how to ensure success for marginalized students including how to:

• Navigate their transition to campus
• Provide opportunities for learning and connection with essential campus resources
• Ensure they develop intentional relationships with others for their personal and professional development
• Cultivate a stronger sense of community and belonging.

She provides a framework/foundation through transition and student development theories and intersectionality as lenses through which to understand and better serve your marginalized students.

Create programs that focus on strengths versus deficits to guide and appropriately redirect campus resources to support marginalized students from orientation throughout their first year at your institution. Ensure your students are engaged, supported, and walk across the commencement stage!

Topics Covered

As a result of this webinar, you will be able to:

• Develop an asset-based, intentional, and holistic approach that helps prevent a gap in first-year student support for marginalized students – build “check points” to increase student retention, academic success, student engagement and graduation rates across diverse student populations.
• Consider the impact of transition experiences and intersectionality to frame and inform your support programs – meet the needs of this diverse student population and empower them in a sustainable way.
• Design programs and interventions that increase institutional commitment and cross-division partnerships for this unique group of students – create a competent and responsive community that ensures marginalized students feel valued and a sense of belonging and support.
• Facilitate critical conversations with key stakeholders on your campus to allocate human and fiscal resources available to assist marginalized students – think creatively to utilize resources you have to provide tailored services to support their academic, emotional and social well-being.

Presenter: Mayra Garces (she/her/ella) is currently an Assistant Director in Student Enrichment Services at Northwestern University

This webinar, presented by PaperClip Communications, is available on-demand to all LSU New Orleans faculty.  

Click here to access this webinar and supporting materials.  (LSU New Orleans credentials required.)

Growth Mindset & Resiliency

On-Demand Webinar

Effective Programs To Improve Self-Efficacy and Optimism For Students, Faculty & Staff

Resilience, or the ability to quickly recover from difficulties and stress, can help protect us from negative life outcomes as well as lead to higher levels of happiness and greater life satisfaction.  Prior to the pandemic, many college students were not faced with adversity where resilience was needed. Thus, when they arrive on campus and are met with even minor adversity, such as a roommate conflict or a “bad grade” such as a C, they show fragility and become overwhelmed by these situations. Even worse, many of these students dwell on these problems, develop unhealthy coping mechanisms, and show increased levels of anxiety and depression. These outcomes lead to increase demands on campus resources as well as decreased student retention.

For many years, higher education professionals have been focused on the resilience of our students. But what about those who focus on our students? Professionals within higher education are, at times, just as overwhelmed and fragile as students are. This program will address the need for resilience in both populations.

Our expert presenter – Dr. Marcus Hotaling, Director of the Eppler-Wolff Counseling Center at Union College and President of the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors (AUCCCD) – focuses on the factors known to be predictive of increasing resilience in college students, as well as identifying various strategies to foster increased resilience skills in students, with a focus on problem solving, social skills, and a focus on health and well-being. This presentation will also examine various programs and curricula designed to help improve and strengthen resilience in students. Beyond students, this training will also focus on “helping the helpers,” focusing on what higher education professionals can do to improve resilience within departments, as well as what institutions of higher education can do to improve the resilience of their faculty and staff.

Topics Covered

As a result of this webinar, you will be able to:

• Identify the negative outcomes and positive benefits of resilience in both the student and higher education professional populations – focus on developing action items and programs to increase resilience in your students and your higher education professionals.
• Identify and build an action plan for students to build resilience – help students help themselves in improving a growth mindset, optimism and self-efficacy so they can stay the course when challenges arise.
• Focus on the variables we all need to develop and maintain resilience – help your helpers too!
• Knowledge about the importance of resilience programs and skills – draw from programs and curricula that have proven effective so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel.
• Recognize what changes higher education leadership can make to improve the resilience of faculty and staff – impact personal and professional growth in a positive manner.

Presenter: Dr. Marcus Hotaling currently serves as the Director for the Eppler-Wolff Counseling Center at Union College. He has been active in local and national psychological organizations, serving as the Mental Health Chair and Secretary for the American College Health Association (ACHA), the Mental Health Chair and President of the New York State College Health Association (NYSCHA), and served on the board and is the current president for the Association for University of University and College Counseling Center Directors (AUCCCD). Additionally, he currently leads the Mentoring Program for AUCCCD and a Resiliency Task Force for ACHA.

This webinar, presented by PaperClip Communications, is available on-demand to all LSU New Orleans faculty & staff.  

Click here to access this webinar and supporting materials.  (LSU New Orleans credentials required.)

Neurodiversity in the Classroom

On-Demand Webinar

Train Faculty & Staff to Recognize and Respond So All Students Can Be Successful

Students with neurodiversity are often viewed as “weird” or “strange” due to their issues related to social interaction and social norms.  Additionally, neurodivergent students may have characteristic traits like lack of eye contact, speaking in a monotone voice, or using hand gestures or having tics.  At times, some faculty and staff may view these students as “not following the rules” or conforming to the class code of conduct.  Through a deeper understanding of some of the traits of neurodiversity, instructors and staff members can learn how to address these “unexpected behaviors” and keep the class moving forward for all students.

Our expert presenter explores neurodiversity and the types of disabilities that can be seen today in the classroom. With the umbrella term of neurodiversity being so large and all encompassing, she will help faculty and staff be best prepared to meet the needs of these students and ensure that they are properly accommodated in and out of the classroom.

You will gain crucial, actionable takeaways that will help you:

• Help faculty members gain a better understanding of how to address “unexpected behavior” in the classroom and creative ideas for accommodating neurodiversity – address these “unexpected behaviors” in the classroom and keep the class moving forward for all students.
• Remain in compliance with disability regulations – fully accommodate students with neurodiversity both in and out of the classroom and set up support systems to assist when people are struggling with the implementation of accommodations with key stakeholders across your campus community. 
• Create a campus-wide working group on the issue of neurodiversity – include faculty, staff, students, and visitors to truly engage on the topic of neurodiversity and push for better inclusivity and acceptance on campus.
• Provide a safe space for students with neurodiversity – ensure all students feel welcomed, acknowledged and accepted on campus. 

Presenter
Leigh Davis Fickling is the Director of the Disability Resource Center at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

This webinar, presented by PaperClip Communications, is available on-demand to all LSU New Orleans faculty.  

Click here to access this webinar and supporting materials.  (LSU New Orleans credentials required.)