[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSBD0gZASIU?list=PL8JOi8Ko2Zj6oE38KnjpRlPK-BrqA4Ald&controls=0&showinfo=0&w=640&h=360]
Since Fall 2011, students, faculty and staff at the Harrisburg campus have created over 300 stories.
Above is a playlist from a 45-minute first-year seminar (FYS) program on the Harrisburg campus. These programs are obligations for students- they may arrive resistant and disinterested. This is a great audience to work with! This isn’t the usual, same group that always shows up for diversity and equity programs.
The power of stories is that no matter how resistant the audience may be, they usually can’t help becoming interested. Because we run four to six of these programs back-to-back, we haven’t prioritized facilitating discussion, but we do have students write anonymous comments in response to reflection questions, and think this might be more effective with first-years in getting honest feedback.
Here are a few of their comments from this program:
- “I appreciate the acts of bravery and strength many of them went through before coming to Penn State.”
- “This makes me want to be more cognizant of how I talk and relate to other students.”
- “I was surprised most by some of the challenges many had to go through to further their education.”
Campus Partners
Louisa Nkrumah
Instructional Designer, Penn State Harrisburg
We Listen Liaison
Faculty Center for Teaching & Instructional Technology
The mission of the Faculty Center is to collaborate with Penn State Harrisburg faculty in pursuing and supporting innovation and excellence in teaching, learning, research, diversity initiatives, and the use of instructional technologies for our campus and University communities, and beyond.