The October Professional Development Forum was held on Tuesday the 22 from 10AM to 2PM at the Stoney Creek Inn in Columbia, MO (including lunch).  The speaker was Gina Ceylan, PhD student at the University of Missouri, who specializes in inclusion in science education.  Christina Thebeau assisted with the presentation. 

The forum focused on creating inclusive learning environments.  Rather than focusing on overcoming disabilities of specific students, she reframed the discussion on how to embrace the diversity of the variety of ability levels present in any group.  Creating environments that are adaptive to students with diverse abilities is beneficial for all students.  Gina Ceylan, herself, is blind and was able to speak very inspirationally on the subject at hand.  Her four overarching guidelines are using adaptable accommodation strategies and using multiple means of representing, engaging, and acting/expressing.  Participants at the forum brainstormed how to create more inclusive learning environments and how to be more welcoming of diversity. 

The forum also included information on the importance of engaging students in STEM where there are in-demand careers and the underrepresentation of women in many STEM fields.  A time for speed networking among participants was also included. 

Presenter information:

Gina Ceylan: gina.ceylan@mail.missouri.edu

Christina Thebeau: cthebeau10@gmail.com