Setting Goals Through Scholarship

June 25, 2018

An article from the Summer 2018 Issue of the Anoka-Ramsey Community Newsletter

Leading the way among community colleges, Anoka-Ramsey faculty have launched the Scholars of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) program. Through research, assessments and changes in the classroom, the initiative gives instructors a way to discover the most effective strategies for educating students.

Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs Deidra Peaslee, Ed.D., said the goal of the program is to support faculty who are devoted to enhancing classroom learning and improving educational outcomes. Program Coordinator Catherine Ford, Ed.D., has worked with two cohorts of instructors who are conducting original research on their teaching methods. They have presented at national conferences, including the 2017 International Society for Exploring Teaching and Learning Conference and the 2018 Lilly Conference.

“If we’re looking for academic excellence, we should be first turning the lens on ourselves to see how we are performing as teachers,” said Ford. “We’re better teachers when we reflect on our teaching strategies and how they impact our students.”