Webinars

Presenter: Adam Lalor, Ph.D., Lead Educational Specialist

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Are you interested in supporting students with learning differences during the college search process? In this presentation a former admission officer (and a current Landmark College Institute for Research and Training staff member) will discuss tips that you can use to assist your students with learning differences as they face common college search obstacles.

Presenters: Mike Tholfsen, Principal Product Manager for Microsoft Education
Rick Bryck, Ph.D., Senior Academic Researcher, Landmark College

This unique webinar is a co-presentation between Landmark College and the Microsoft Accessibility team. This presentation will present Microsoft accessibility tools along with specific strategies for using these tools to complete college level academic tasks—based on 30 plus years of Landmark College pedagogical approaches for teaching students with LD and ADHD. The webinar will illustrate accessibility within reach, as these tools are integrated in the MS office suite of applications you (and your students) are likely already using. Participants will learn ways to not only support students with reading and writing accessibility needs, but also ways to improve the availability and efficiency of using these tools.

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Presenter: Ibrahim Dahlstrom-Hakki, Ph.D., Director, Landmark College Institute for Research and Training (LCIRT)

Manipulatives are commonly used in elementary education to introduce concepts to students in the math and science classroom, but as students progress in their education these tools are typically phased out. This session will provide a framework and some examples for the use of manipulatives to support struggling learners at the secondary and postsecondary levels. Participants will learn how they can facilitate students developing a better understanding of key concepts and gaining proficiency in computation in these STEM disciplines.

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Presenter: Rick Bryck, Ph.D., Senior Academic Researcher | Associate Director of LCIRT

We will explore the metaphor of Executive Function (EF) as orchestra conductor. Namely, EF helps increase functions that are too quiet (“activation”), it tamps down sections that are too loud (“inhibitory control”), and it keeps track of the timing and content of all the individual players (“working memory”). That is a lot of work to handle, and sometimes the conductor needs help—practical tools for supporting students in these three domains of EF (activation, inhibition, and working memory) will be demonstrated in this webinar.

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Presenter: Ibrahim Dahlstrom-Hakki, Ph.D., Director of the Landmark College Institute for Research and Training (LCIRT)/Associate Professor

Why do students with a wide variety of strengths and challenges struggle with math content? Why do students perform well in some mathematics courses but not others? Can students with math-specific LD achieve proficiency or even mastery in math? This webinar will explore the various cognitive barriers that cause students with LD, ADHD, and ASD to struggle in math and science classrooms. Attendees will learn ways to support students outside the classroom in order to improve their academic performance. This session is designed for instructors and academic support staff and does not assume expert knowledge of mathematics.

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Presenter: Cyrus Shaoul, Ph.D.

Have you ever seen a student exhibit emotional, self-sabotaging and seemingly irrational behaviors when faced with academic stress? Poor emotion regulation is often found in students with learning differences. Intense emotional states, such as anxiety, can profoundly influence key cognitive processes, which in turn can severely hamper learning. Negative classroom experiences associated with poor emotional regulation can lead students to drop out of school. This webinar covers current scientific understanding of the neuro-biological processes of emotion-cognition regulation and how they impact behavior. We will focus on practical ideas and best practices as we delve into emotion regulation strategies, particularly one of the most promising and teachable strategies, cognitive reappraisal.

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Presenter: Linda Hecker, M.Ed., Lead Education Specialist

This webinar addresses the puzzling question of what makes learning a second language extraordinarily difficult for some students. It explores the research literature on issues such as:

• What is the cognitive basis of language learning: how do language, memory and attention interact?
• Why do at-risk students fail foreign language classes?

The webinar will examine these questions by presenting the latest thinking about a theoretical framework, which explains second language learning difficulties in cognitive terms. The session includes simulations of second language learning difficulties designed to give instructors insights and empathy for students’ challenges. It also proposes recommendations for effective second language instruction based on research, literature review, and nearly 30 years of classroom practice developed in Landmark College’s highly successful Foreign Language programs. It includes suggestions for structuring Foreign Language programs and for specific classroom approaches and materials.

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Presenter: Richard Bryck, Ph.D., Senior Academic Researcher/Assistant Director of LCIRT

Why do some otherwise able students struggle with organization, sustaining effort or attention, and getting their work done on time? Often, executive function difficulties are at the heart of these struggles. Executive function refers to the cognitive abilities needed to organize thought, focus attention, and think flexibility. In short, executive function allows us to manage ourselves and get things done. This webinar will provide an overview of executive function, using a practical model based on current neurological research, and present highly effective approaches to working with students who struggle with executive function in the classroom.

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Presenter: Linda Hecker, M.Ed., Lead Education Specialist

This webinar explores the specific impact of executive function difficulties on producing high level academic writing. It models effective instructional strategies for students who struggle with producing writing to deadline. We will explore innovative approaches that capitalize on student strengths and technology tools that support and scaffold areas of challenge.

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Presenter: Linda Hecker, M.Ed., Lead Education Specialist

This webinar explores the specific impact of executive function difficulties on academic reading, including reading stamina, volume reading, and critical reading. We will offer instructional strategies to improve reading comprehension and retention, focusing on informational text. Both traditional multi-sensory approaches and technology tools will be considered as ways to support more efficient reading.

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Presenters: Manju Banerjee, Ph.D.,VP for Educational Research and Innovation
Richard Bryck, Ph.D., Senior Academic Researcher/Assistant Director of LCIRT
Susan Grabowski, Director of Short-Term Programs

In recent years, there has been growing excitement around research by Carol Dweck and colleagues which demonstrates that a shift in “mindset” from a fixed to a growth mindset can promote positive learning outcomes. The implications of this research are tremendous, ranging from new student orientations and disability service student intakes at the postsecondary level to writing IEPs at the secondary level. Drawing on our own experience in conducting a mindset shift intervention with at-risk high school students during a three-week transition to college program (2015), we will share research findings and insights on ways to implement elements of the “mindset framework” in classroom teaching, disability service student intake, writing IEPs, and more.

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Presenter: Ibrahim Dahlstrom-Hakki, Ph.D., Director, Landmark College Institute for Research and Training/Associate Professor

Creating a useful outline for academic writing is a difficult task for many students, particularly those with executive function difficulties and language-based learning disabilities. Many students don’t know where to start and how to organize their thoughts. Mind Mapping Apps provide a powerful solution that helps students translate their ideas into a visual format that is easy to manipulate.

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Presenter: Linda Hecker, M.Ed., Lead Education Specialist

Digital text (or e-text) and Text Reading Apps radically improve accessibility to print for a range of learners, including those with dyslexia and other language-based challenges, attentional difficulties, and limited vision. This webinar explores ways to capitalize on the comprehension tools and strategies embedded in Text Reading Apps, while minimizing the distractions of reading on a mobile device.

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Presenter: Sapna Prasad, Ph.D., Research and Educational Specialist

Digital note-taking has transformed the way students can access, comprehend, retain and review information presented in course lectures and activities. This webinar will explore some popular note-taking apps (Notability), evaluate the level of accessibility and usability they offer, and discuss how they can provide students with effective solutions for capturing, organizing and sharing notes.

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Pedagogical Practices and Universal Design in College Economics: Teaching Diverse Learners (Free!)

Presenters: Manju Banerjee, Ph.D., VP for Educational Research and Innovation
Oskar Harmon, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Economics, University of Connecticut.

Economics, business, and entrepreneurship are popular disciplines among college undergraduates, and many students who learn differently are particularly attracted to these majors. Yet instruction in these programs is largely delivered through traditional approaches, even in online courses, which still rely on many face-to-face type elements. This webinar looks at content area scholarship delivered via a universal design (UD) approach to instruction. Two experts in the field of economics and universal design will engage the audience in examining their pedagogical practices, while concurrently exploring best practices guided by emerging technologies and a UD mindset.

This webinar is presented by Landmark College through the Morgan Le Fay Center for Advances in Economics, Business, and Entrepreneurship Instruction, established in 2014 by a grant from economist Paul McCulley.

Listen to this free webinar here

Using Contemporary Theories of Learning in the Classroom

Presenter: Cyrus Shaoul, Ph.D.

Have you ever seen a student exhibit emotional, self-sabotaging and seemingly irrational behaviors when faced with academic stress? Poor emotion regulation is often found in students with learning differences. Intense emotional states, such as anxiety, can profoundly influence key cognitive processes, which in turn can severely hamper learning. Negative classroom experiences associated with poor emotional regulation can lead students to drop out of school. This webinar covers current scientific understanding of the neuro-biological processes of emotion-cognition regulation and how they impact behavior. We will focus on practical ideas and best practices as we delve into emotion regulation strategies, particularly one of the most promising and teachable strategies, cognitive reappraisal.

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Leveraging UD to support students with learning differences in online/blended courses

Presenters: Richard Bryck Ph.D., Senior Academic Researcher/Assistant Director of LCIRT
Robert Dolan, Ph.D., Diverse Learners Consulting

While online and blended learning platforms can improve learning opportunities for students, they present specific challenges for students who learn differently, including those with LD, ADHD, and ASD. This webinar will address ways to identify and utilize universally designed (UD), technology-based tools for teaching online and blended courses, many of which have been vetted by students and faculty at Landmark College which exclusively serves students who learn differently.

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The Truth Behind Educational Video Games: Can they Improve Reading and Attention?

Presenters: Richard Bryck, Ph.D., Senior Academic Researcher/Assistant Director of LCIRT
Robert Dolan, Ph.D., Diverse Learners Consulting

Cognitive training is based on the idea that repetitive, focused practice on game-like, computerized tasks can improve brain functions such as attention and working memory. However, the scientific evidence on the effectiveness of cognitive training is still limited. This webinar will review current scientific literature, examine pros and cons, probe their potential impact on learning and academics, and explore contexts in which cognitive training may be effective.

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Fostering Online Collaboration among Students who Learn Differently

Presenters: Cyrus Shaoul, Ph.D., Senior Academic Researcher/Associate Professor
Robert Dolan, Ph.D., Diverse Learners Consulting

Online learning environments allow students to collaborate without meeting at a physical time or place. However, creating effective collaborative learning remains difficult. This webinar will highlight some of the challenges instructors face in fostering online collaboration and provide recommendations for overcoming these challenges, with specific focus on the needs of students with learning differences.

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Creating Truly Interactive Online Courses on a Budget

Presenters: Melissa Wetherby, M.A.T, M.S.I.T., Lead Educational Technologist
Robert Dolan, Ph.D., Diverse Learners Consulting

This webinar will discuss techniques, tools, and strategies that exemplify the universal design (UD) mindset in designing affordable learning solutions effective for diverse students. The presenters will demonstrate how low-cost, off the shelf, and easy-to-use apps can be assembled to create interactive courses, guided by UD principles.

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