Ann Brandt-Williams, Ph.D. has been a faculty member in the Department of Psychology at GCC for 20 years. She has 22 years of teaching experience at the community college and was former Chair of the Psychology Department for 12 years. She has been utilizing the MI/LfU approach in her psychology classes since 1995. MI/LfU has been offered in Developmental Psychology, Abnormal Psychology,Introductory Psychology, and honors Psychology of Culture classes. Dr. Brandt-Williams has also been a presenter at numerous conferences nationwide introducing MI/LfU to participants in assessing student learning for understanding. Her most recent presentation was at the Western Psychological Association conference in Maui, Hawaii, Spring 2001. Dr. Brandt-Williams is also involved in various department and campus assignments that explore the importance of student program and course assessment.
In 1995, when Dr. Brandt-Williams was first introduced to this innovative approach to assessing student learning, she found that students' retention for terms and concepts was enhanced by their involvement in the learning process. Her students have consistently told her in summative evaluations that even though the MI/LfU Learning Options take more work outside of class, they felt participating in MI/LfU definitely assisted them in learning the concepts presented in the course. Many students, despite their fears of presenting in class, become mini experts in particular psychological concepts and were thrilled when their classmates complimented them on their work.
There are so many memorable examples from my students creative work,
with a few that particularly stand out like the young man (probably still
in his teens) who presented a collage on human development and showed a
video of the ultrasound of his soon-to-be son. Another student shared
with the class what it was like growing up with a mother with a severe
psychotic disorder (schizophrenia). One of my first successes was
a young Hispanic male who had been quiet all semester, until he presented
a magnificent acrylic painting of the brain and it's importance in our
lives. This painting hangs in my office today.
Ann will co-facilitate the session, "MI/LfU Brain Power: How to Get
Students Excited about Science," with Angela Mick, Biology.
Visit Dr. Brandt-Williams' GCC Web Page (Use your browser's "back" arrow to return here)