Universal Design for Learning: What I learned from book club-a conversation
2:00pm -2:50pm

Transcript not edited for accuracy.

Session Description:

In the Fall 2021 semester 16 faculty and staff read the book: Creating Inclusive Learning Opportunities in Higher Education: a Universal Design Toolkit. The book is a practical guide to improving the learning experience in physical and online classrooms. In this session we will share our key take-aways and plans for incorporating UDL into STCC courses.

Presenters:

Dr. Aimee Dalenta has worked in the field of education for the entirety of her career. She has presented at national conferences in the areas of teaching pedagogy, student engagement assessment, and child development, and has contributed to several books and educational publications. Aimee has taught in multiple settings from preschool through graduate school and is fiercely passionate about the community college mission. Her doctoral dissertation focused on developmental readers at the college level.

Kelson Ettienne-Modeste started work at STCC as an adjunct professor of biology in 2014, and was recently added as Assistant Professor of Biology in the School of STEM. He has taught an array of biological sciences for over 20 years, notably human anatomy and physiology. He has a background in medicine and health education. He is a member of the college’s Honors Program and Faculty Advisory Board. He has served as a board of directors member for two health institutions in Connecticut. He advocates and promotes health and education equity for all and envisions inclusion, accessibility and Universal Design utilization as ways to progress onward.

Marisha Marks joined STCC in September of 2020, after seven years as an instructional designer at UMass Amherst. Marisha’s area of interest is in accessibility and Universal Design. She is currently leading CODL course accessibility initiatives, including deploying the Ally in Blackboard accessibility tool, and increasing accessibility awareness through self-paced tutorials and workshops.

Judy Zaiken, an adjunct faculty member since 2002, teaches foundational business courses. A former insurance industry executive, Judy designed insurance products and later led a global trade association’s retirement research program. Judy holds an MBA from WNEU, an BA in Economics from Framingham State University and a Graduate Certificate in Instructional Design from Quinnipiac University (2021).