Spark Talk: Strategies for Building a Sense of Belonging in the Classroom

January 24, 2025 - 10:00-10:30 AM

Location: This is an online event. Register to receive the Zoom link and calendar invitation.

Intended Audience: Academic Support Staff, Faculty, Graduate Student Instructors, Instructors

This spark talk focuses on a theory for measuring classroom experiences to foster student belonging. Often, there is​ more emphasis on individual student outcomes rather than on classroom environments when measuring the effectiveness of efforts to promote belonging and community within learning settings. The authors suggest that by utilizing tools such as surveys and early indicators of negative classroom climates, instructors can create equitable and supportive spaces that empower all students to co-create learning environments that positively impact their sense of belonging.

What are Spark Talks? Spark Talks are short 20-minute sessions that aim to spark interest in new or different approaches to teaching and learning, as well as foster connections and conversations around instruction at UC Berkeley. Spark Talks are interactive presentations that digest recent research articles into practical terms for instructors. Instructors are also invited to stay after the session to connect with colleagues and CTL staff.

Spark Talks are an opportunity to welcome IN our instructor colleagues and start cross-campus dialogue on teaching. As part of the Spark Talk series, this session aims to:

  • INtroduce one specific evidence-based teaching practice from the recent literature on teaching and learning

  • INform instructors about the considerations for applying this particular practice (what, why, and how)

  • INvestigate a few examples of how this technique could be implemented in a course

  • INspire instructors to explore using this new technique in their course

Instructors are encouraged to follow up with CTL in a 1-on-1 consultation to continue to explore what this particular teaching practice might look like in their own course contexts.

This session will run for 20 minutes, with an additional 10 minutes reserved for questions and networking. 

➡️Register for this event here!⬅️

Registrants will be sent a Zoom link and bCal invite as the workshop date draws near.

***Registration for this session will close one hour before the session***

This event is part of the "Accessibility and Inclusion in Teaching" learning path. Be sure to check out this learning path and explore its other components!

Facilitator:

Picture of the facilitator, Tara Mason Tara Mason, Ph.D. is the Universal Design for Learning Consultant at the Center for Teaching and Learning. She holds a Ph.D. in Special Education from Texas Tech University and an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She has over 20 years of experience working in K-12 as a special and general education teacher, coach, and interventionist. Her research primarily focuses on Universal Design for Learning, writing, promoting equity and inclusion, assistive technology, trauma-informed instruction, mentoring, and special education teacher preparation.