Longerbeam joined UofL as associate professor in Counseling and Human Development this fall. She brought with her a deep commitment to students and an interest in using research around culture to encourage student success.

For the past six years, Longerbeam has been working with Dr. Alicia Ch谩vez of the University of New Mexico to explore the topic of teaching and learning across cultural strengths. The pair has published two books and numerous articles on the subject, and they will deliver the closing keynote presentation at the annual Professional and Organizational Development (POD) Network in Higher 成人直播 conference in Louisville on November 13.

鈥淚n higher education we鈥檝e done a lot of work about students, but we have not often turned the lens back on ourselves. When we do that, what we discover is our own cultural origins influence how we teach and how students experience us,鈥� said Longerbeam.

An interactive workshop exclusively for UofL faculty and staff will be held on November 14 from 2-4 p.m. The workshop, will introduce a model of cultural frameworks in teaching and learning with many applications across disciplines.

Longerbeam and Ch谩vez will share examples from their work to demonstrate how developing a greater understanding of cultural values, beliefs, assumptions and behaviors can impact student success.

鈥淥ur program helps faculty meet students in their own cultural norms,鈥� Longerbeam explained. 鈥淚t is more rewarding for us as faculty when we can reach students and support them in their success.鈥�

Interested faculty can learn more about the workshop and register at the

Dr. Lesley Harris, Kent School鈥檚 Gerontology specialization coordinator and an associate professor, was one of a team of faculty members from multiple disciplines that lead the trip.

鈥淪ome of my most enjoyable moments throughout the trip were being able to live with the students and connect in a way that is difficult to do inside a traditional classroom environment. I learned that several of our students had never left the United States before, or had never been on a plane before, which expanded my role into more of a support person when problems arose in our journey,鈥� Harris said.

While in Botswana, students worked in three different schools. Two of the locations were in urban Gaborone (Nanogang and Maoka Junior Secondary Schools), and the other was located in a rural town (Molepolole Junior Secondary School). Students worked in interdisciplinary teams, which included students and faculty from engineering, sports administration, public health and geography.

鈥淔or a social worker it is always important to be open minded and to broaden your horizons. Going to Botswana helped me to understand different cultures better and to see something completely different. Teaching the kids and interacting with them was an experience which will be useful for my future social work practice,鈥� said Theresia Pachner, MSSW, Fulbright Scholar from Germany, and a May graduate.聽

According to Harris, academic service learning places equal emphasis on three outcomes: student learning, service to the community and the development of collaborative and mutually respectful relationships between students and community members with whom they are engaged.

The goals of the ISLP course were聽to familiarize students with the intersection of service learning and social work values, explore varying perceptions of social work, focus聽on youth perspectives in an international context, and learn how to develop effective and culturally-appropriate social work programming and materials.

In particular, Kent鈥檚 students spent the semester researching a topic, which was given to them by the schools in Botswana. The schools鈥� administration selected the topic of anti-bullying, so students designed an educational program on the topic and lead the program, in partnership with community hosts, at the schools on bystander interventions.

鈥淭his trip has greatly impacted my social work education and practice by allowing myself to grow my culture competence. My experiences have also solidified my passion for the social work discipline and I loved being able to share what I do and why with the students,鈥� said Katie Lutrell, MSSW student, Advanced Standing Program, Gerontology specialization.