Short Story
Joanne Buckland is a new Learning Strategies Coordinator who started in the Department of Educational Services (DES) on August 1, 2010. She received her Master of Arts in Education from Central Michigan University and has five years of experience helping college and university students discover how to become more effective and efficient learners.
Her Learning Strategies Coordinator position involves introducing and explaining learning strategies to students in one-to-one appointments and in small groups, as well as teaching learning strategies in classroom settings.
Bobby Knight is quoted as saying that “The will to win is not nearly as important as the will to prepare to win” and Joanne has reframed this statement for the students she meets with to “The will to be a successful student is not nearly as important as the will to prepare to be a successful student”.
The most exciting challenge about the position is individualizing the information in ways that make it relevant and timely so that students are motivated to prepare for the challenges of academics and then are able to experience the greatest personal benefit. Her personal teaching philosophy is learner-centered and is based on the principles of scaffolding, collaborating, and engagement. She strives to provide students with learning experiences that will impact them positively and help them become lifelong, independent learners. The learning sessions she creates focus on consistent, mutual effort between herself and the student, with a commitment to creative, interactive and stimulating dialogue.
Previous research has focused on the underprepared student and she is interested in pursuing further research regarding how students learn at the advanced stages of their academic careers. She is looking forward to contributing both to the SGU and the Grenadian communities with time and energy and is currently searching out ways to volunteer and become involved locally. She is single, is an avid reader and sports enthusiast including snorkeling, hiking, and cycling and is already exploring the environmental and cultural richness and diversity of Grenada.
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