Letter from the Dean April 2019

Dear Families,

This month, I want to highlight several important Dartmouth Center for the Advancement of Learning (DCAL) initiatives. Founded in 2004, DCAL supports Dartmouth faculty in developing "new teaching tools and strategies, especially purposeful applications of digital technology and new media." Under the leadership of Director and Math Department Chair Scot Pauls, the Center's mission is to "improve teaching and learning by providing resources, removing barriers, promoting evidence-based practices, and building partnerships to cultivate a culture that values and rewards teaching for all members of Dartmouth’s scholar-educator community".  These initiatives in particular offer significant benefits for our students: 

Universal Design

Universal design principles promote the use of accessible classrooms and instructional materials for the benefit of all learners. In partnership with Learning Design and Technology staff, DCAL offers regular universal design teaching workshops that provide a framework for thinking about adjusting classroom practices to be more inclusive. https://dcal.dartmouth.edu/resources/teaching-learning-foundations/universal-design

Open Educational Resources

In partnership with the Library, DCAL is offering grant funding and support for the use of open educational resources in teaching Dartmouth courses. The OER initiative offers faculty the opportunity to customize course content, and seeks to reduce the cost of textbooks and other course materials to give students significant savings and provide equal access to instructional resources. https://www.library.dartmouth.edu/about/projects/open-education-initiative/about-oer

Social Impact Practica

In the winter of 2017, DCAL partnered with our Center for Social Impact to connect undergraduate courses with community needs identified by local nonprofit organizations. This term, courses in ten different disciplines ranging from Anthropology and Environmental Science to Italian, Latino Studies and Psychology  apply classroom learning to address real world problems in the Upper Valley. https://spark.adobe.com/page/7rjSCyKjqOJ2x/

Looking ahead to the beginning of May, we look forward to seeing first-year families on May 3rd, to Green Key weekend beginning on May 17th, and to many year-end awards and recognition ceremonies. We'll share more about those in our May edition.

With very best wishes,

Kathryn Lively

Interim Dean of the College

Professor of Sociology

South House Professor