This October, PBS faculty held its 2nd Okteacherfest focused on "Creating Belonging in the Classroom." There were group workshops and presentations including PBS Climate Data (Maureen Perry-Jenkins); Classroom Equity and Inclusion Practices (Kirsten Helmer); PBS Faculty Panel – Successes and Challenges with Building Belonging in the Classroom (Adam Grabell, Tara Mandalaywala, Rebecca Stowe, Carolyn Davies); and Designing Social Vaccines: Belonging, Self-Efficacy, and Meaning as Key Ingredients (Nilanjana Dasgupta).
The PBS Faculty Panel touched on subjects such as Universal Design for accessible classroom learning, the importance of hands-on group exercises for students, self-evaluation, point systems and pass/fail grading, promoting inclusivity, and keeping students in touch with each other and with the professor.
The talk "Designing Social Vaccines: Belonging, Self-Efficacy, and Meaning as Key Ingredients" by Nilanjana Dasgupta discussed longitudinal research that concentrated on finding effective solutions for STEM student retention. Dasgupta highlighted several core motivations that drive human behavior, emotions, and affect our relationships including the "need to belong", the "need to feel competent", and the "need for meaning or purpose".
Learn more: implicitdasgupta.org