Workshop: Breaking down communication barriers

International faculty and American students, American faculty and international students, faculty and students from different geographic/dialect regions of the country. What do these pairs have in common? Cross-cultural communication barriers. Barriers that lead to frustration, feelings of helplessness, even anger. What are the specific barriers and problems we encounter with our faculty or our students? How can we solve them to all our benefit? How can science and math faculty incorporate discussions of racist incidents on and off campus into their disciplines?

As Skidmore College continues to realize the strategic goal to enhance intercultural and global understanding, it is timely to offer a workshop that proactively addresses some of the communication barriers that might hinder student engagement in our science classrooms. From 12:15 to 1:45 p.m. October 1, faculty from Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Environmental Studies, Exercise Science, Geosciences, Mathematics, Neuroscience, Physics, and Psychology will engage on a pedagogy workshop titled "Breaking Down Communication Barriers Between Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Faculty and Students."

The workshop, to be held on the second floor of the Murray-Aikens Dining Hall, is aimed at helping science and math faculty recognize communication barriers in classrooms with greater student diversity and to develop techniques and language to break down such barriers. This is one step toward diluting the awkwardness that STEM faculty might feel in engaging in conversations related to diversity and as another mechanism for promoting diversity in STEM and in our campus community.

The event is being organized and led by Audi Matias, Geosciences, Karen Kellogg, Environmental Studies, and Angela Linse, executive director and associate dean of the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence at Pennsylvania State University. Linse has extensive experience in professional development and a strong record of advocacy for improved student learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) disciplines. This event is being made possible by a grant from the Intercultural & Global Understanding Task Force, supported by the President's Discretionary Fund. Lunch will be provided.

If you have any questions or are interested in the workshop please e-mail Audi Matias or Karen Kellogg. Faculty from other disciplines who are interested in the workshop should contact the organizer for space availability.

About Angela Linse
Angela Linse has been involved in the field of enhancing teaching and learning at research universities for more than ten years. She has an extensive record of professional development in university teaching centers and a strong record of advocacy for improved student learning, helping faculty to successfully transition from a reliance on traditional teaching methods to implementing active and engaging instruction. She has written and presented widely on enhancing teaching and learning, diversity, and assessment. Linse has also been successful obtaining funding from government organizations and private foundations for grants and projects focused on integrating teaching and research. She periodically serves as a grant proposal reviewer for the National Science Foundation.

Linse received her Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Washington. Her archaeological research centers on prehistoric settlement pattern changes and geoarchaeology. She has teaching experience graduate seminars, upper-level undergraduate, large introductory courses, laboratory, and field courses in anthropology, archaeology, and statistics.