Spotlights
Dr. Jennifer Marson-Reed receives Teaching Innovation Grant
The Teaching Innovation Grant from the Pew Faculty and Learning Center at GVSU was sought after to fund training for the Inside Out Prison Exchange Program. Before instructors are allowed to teach one of these courses, we are required to participate in a rigorous training program (Dr. Doyon-Martin and Dr. Cwick are both trained instructors). The School of Criminal Justice has been running the Inside Out course for more than a decade, with over 100 GVSU students participating.
Inside-Out courses bring traditional college students and incarcerated students together in jails and prisons for semester-long learning. These courses ignite enthusiasm for learning, encourage students to find their voice, and challenge participants to consider how they can make change in the world. (this is from the website)
The training that this program provides not only prepares instructors to facilitate such a unique course, but provides them with tools and innovative teaching techniques to use inside a "traditional" classroom. I am always looking for new educational and training opportunities to step up my teaching "game" for the benefit of our students. To be an effective educator, it is important to me to continuously develop my teaching pedagogy in fresh and innovative ways.
This fall, 15 GVSU students will take a course with 15 incarcerated students inside the Michigan Reformatory in Ionia. Regardless if they are "inside" or "outside" students, the expectations and educational demands are the same.
I am beyond excited to facilitate such an important course for our students and to be a part of this unique opportunity. Not only will GV students participate in a rigorous curriculum based course, but they will work alongside folks who have experienced the criminal justice system in an entirely different way than they have. This experience really puts a "face" to the criminal justice system and allows students the opportunity to see the humanity in us all.
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