New podcast, productivity resources to support your studies
What's new at the Stanford Learning Lab this month? A place for students to tell their stories, summer plans for student self-inventories and Universal Design collaboration
Taking this moment in May to highlight our growth in our first year as the Stanford Learning Lab must begin with accolades for our tiny but mighty team. We are but four learning specialists and one dynamo office admin. Despite our size, we have built not only student- responsive programming, i.e. LLIT & EF Group, but also a beautiful and layered website that offers a well-researched library of strategies and research on the topics of learning and cognition. In addition, we now have our first YouTube Channel and The Filament, our brand-new podcast featuring students’ learning experiences, and our Assignment Calculator. I am filled with gratitude for my team, and for everyone that has supported our endeavors this past year. (Shout out to Sean McKibbon whose patience and enduring good nature we adore, Mona Hicks, Susie, and many other campus partners.)
What is ahead for the Learning Lab team during the summer months? A community of practice with CTL exploring Universal Design for Learning. As it is within our mission to embed layers of support within the Frosh and transfer experience, it is our hope that we can support the efforts for embedding UDL principles throughout the Core first-year courses as well as learn more about supporting faculty on ways to enhance accessibility and more equitable learning environments.
We also will continue to work with staff and faculty within the “First-Year Experience and Academic Advising” to deliver the LASSI screening tool to new students. This tool, while not diagnostic in nature, does provide a great deal of information about our students’ learning needs, and when used in conjunction with our website’s worksheets, can help students understand and navigate the myriad of resources available at Stanford.
We recognize that the next few weeks will be quite busy for students and would like to remind them that our Learning Specialists are here for Drop-In Sessions throughout the week, in addition to Friday in-person productivity sessions between 10:00-2:00 with yummy snacks and targeted goal setting. To join a productivity session, please stop by the front desk on the third floor of the Student Services Building, 563 Salvatierra Walk. All undergraduates and graduate students are welcome, and no registration is needed!
Enjoy a low-distraction space during our Productivity Sessions on Fridays from 10 am – 2 pm, which include a chat with a Learning Specialist and light refreshments.