Due to a large number of registrants, the location has been changed to the Michigan League Henderson Room (3rd Floor, 911 N. University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109)

Dr. Rosemary J. Perez is Assistant Professor and Division Head of Higher Education in the School of Education at Iowa State University. Her teaching and research are focused on college student learning and development with an emphasis on creating educational environments that foster intercultural learning and development. In this presentation, Dr. Perez will explore the varied relationships between constructions of knowledge in disciplines and fields, pedagogical practices, and fostering inclusion in classrooms. She will highlight how perspectives on the nature of knowledge and who holds it influences how we teach and assess learning and the (ir)relevance of students’ socially constructed identities. Dr. Perez will also share practices that may expand students’ views of themselves as knowers and contributors to building inclusive learning environments.

In this interactive session, participants will examine the underlying assumptions about knowledge that guide their discipline or field and how this influences their pedagogical practices. They will also explore if and how social identities are discussed in their discipline or field and in their courses. Finally, participants will identify ways they may foster inclusive learning environments and support students as they expand their views of knowledge, gain content expertise, and cultivate their abilities to engage with peers.