29th Annual Teaching and Learning Conference (2024)

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Friday, May 3rd, 2024 | 10am | Online

About the Keynote and Keynote Speaker

As a highly sought-after consultant and thought leader, Dr. Courtney Plotts has established herself as a leading authority in her field. Her expertise and insights have made her a trusted advisor to organizations and individuals seeking innovative strategies for growth and transformation. 

Dr. Plotts is a licensed school psychologist specializing in culturally responsive interventions and teaching strategies in K12, higher education, and corporate organizations. Over the past decade, she has worked extensively with the Council for At-Risk Student Education and Professional Standards, advocating for inclusive practices and providing support to educators.   

Her experience and knowledge have allowed her to effectively bridge the gap between theory and practice, empowering teachers and improving outcomes through cultural responsiveness. Aside from their professional achievements, Dr. Plotts is known for her friendly and approachable demeanor. She believes in fostering positive relationships, creating a warm and inclusive environment where colleagues feel comfortable expressing themselves and sharing her unique perspectives.   

Dr. Plotts understands that cultural responsiveness is not just a buzzword, but a fundamental aspect of providing quality education. She continuously strives to enhance her own understanding of cultural responsiveness and perspectives, promoting evidence-based practices within the classroom and beyond. With Dr. Plotts leading the way, positive change is not only possible but imminent. Her relentless commitment to improving cultural responsiveness, combined with her extensive experience and friendly nature, makes her an invaluable asset to any educational institution or professional community she serves.

Brain Gains in Diverse Lanes: Navigating the Intersection of Culture and Cognition

This keynote addressed the dynamic interplay between culture and cognition and its implications for teaching and learning. It underscored the significance of integrating cultural insights into cognitive approaches to enhance educational strategies and outcomes. By exploring the ways in which cultural backgrounds influence cognitive development and best teaching practices, the presentation offered practical strategies for educators to adopt culturally responsive teaching methods. These approaches not only accommodated diverse cognitive needs but also promoted inclusivity and engagement in the classroom. Attendees learned how to apply cultural and cognitive insights to foster an enriching learning environment that supports all students' success.

Objectives:

• Illuminate the Relationship Between Culture and Cognition: Provide a comprehensive overview of how culture influences cognitive development and shapes best teaching practices, demonstrating the intertwined nature of cultural and cognitive factors in the educational process.
  
• Highlight the Value of Cultural Insights in Education: Emphasize the importance of integrating cultural understanding into cognitive approaches, showcasing how this integration can enhance teaching effectiveness and student learning outcomes.
  
• Introduce Culturally Responsive Teaching Methods: Share a range of practical, evidence-based strategies for implementing culturally responsive teaching in the classroom, designed to meet the diverse cognitive and cultural needs of students.
  
• Promote Classroom Inclusivity and Engagement: Offer guidance on creating an inclusive learning environment that actively engages all students, respecting and valuing their cultural backgrounds and cognitive differences as assets rather than challenges.
  
• Equip Educators with Actionable Insights: Empower attendees with actionable insights and tools to apply the principles of culture and cognition in their teaching practices, aiming to foster an enriching educational experience that supports the success of every student.

Schedule

Welcoming Remarks | 10:00am - 10:15am

Keynote Presentation | 10:15am - 11:30am

Brain Gains in Diverse Lanes: Navigating the Intersection of Culture and Cognition
Facilitated by Dr. Courtney Plotts | View Session Materials​ | Watch Recording (Requires Authentication)

Concurrent Offerings | 11:45am - 12:30pm

• The ABCs of GPT: Safe, Free, and Secure Generative AI You Can Use in Your Classes
  facilitated by James Moore | View Session Materials
• Empowering Students Through Interdisciplinary Research: Leveraging CLEAR’s Collaborative Framework
  facilitated by George Rohde & Leodis Scott | View Session Materials
  
• I Need a Scholarly Book on Michael Jordan: Navigating Common Challenges in Undergraduate Research Assignments
  facilitated by Kaiya Schroeder & Sveta Stoytcheva Price | View Session Materials​​
  
• (Re)Writing Course Documents to Center Our Teaching and Pedagogical Philosophies
  facilitated by Reina Nomura | View Session Materials​
  
• DePaul QIC Grant Findings: Technology to Assist Faculty in Migrating from Traditional Learning to Microlearning
  facilitated by Mary Jo Dolasinski & Joel Reynolds | View Session Materials​
  

Concurrent Offerings | 1:00pm - 1:45pm

• The Joyful Mobius Strip: Teaching Insights from the Mindful Engagement Learning Community
  facilitated by Christen Embry, Elissa Foster, Kyle Grice, Leah Bryant, Marshall Goldman, & Olya Glantsman | View Session Materials​
  
• Innovative Teaching Methods: Emphasizing the Flipped Classroom
  facilitated by Karishma Bali
  
• Inside-Out: An ABCD Approach to Teaching inside Jails and Prisons
  facilitated by Helen Damon-Moore, Mindy Kalchman, & Xavier Perez  
  
• The Ten-Minute Play as a Pedagogical Method Across Disciplines
  facilitated by Janine Spears & Humaira Tasneem | View Session Materials​
  

Concurrent Offerings | 2:00pm - 2:45pm

• Adapting Social Annotation For Your Course(s)
  facilitated by Allie Gourley, Marcia Good, Scott Moringiello & Michael Stacey | View Session Materials​
  
• Charlie and the Chalk-less Faculty: Searching for the Golden Ticket of Instruction in our Wonka-tastic Classrooms
  facilitated by Roxanne Owens  ​​
• Stop Academic Integrity Violations Before They Start - 5 Q’s for Better Assignment Design
  facilitated by Gretchen Frickx & Matthew Van Someren | View Session Materials​
  
• Navigating Identity and Identity Politics in the Classroom
  facilitated by Ann Russo, Lourdes Torres, Sanjukta Mukherjee​ & Vincent Peña​

Please refer to the conference program for detailed descriptions of the concurrent sessions.