Implementing Student Experience Project (SEP) Strategies to Build Equitable Learning Environments

To ensure the success of every student who is pursuing their academic goals, the Student Experience Project (SEP) uses innovative, research-based practices to build equitable learning environments and instill a sense of belonging in students on campuses across the nation. Recommendations from the SEP include ideas to increase belonging, practices to foster academic encouragement and growth mindset, and ways to cultivate a supportive and inclusive classroom. Factors affecting the implementation of these practices may include instructor hesitancy, course size, time constraints, and diverse student populations. This webinar presents practices and ideas that have been successfully implemented in our biology course and are applicable to both face-to-face and online delivery. Implementation of free, data-driven Copilot-Ascend surveys are explained, along with data collected showing significant positive changes in self efficacy, identity safety, social belonging, and social connectedness across all survey participants in our courses.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Identify five strategies to increase social belonging and connectedness in the classroom.
2. Identify two strategies to cultivate a supportive and inclusive classroom.
3. Implement Copilot-Ascend surveys in the classroom to enable measurement of students’ experiences.
4. Specify two takeaways to report back and share with colleagues.

The duration of this webinar is one hour, which is equal to 0.1 Continuing Education Units (CEUs).