Designing Learning Spaces to Promote Success Among CU Denver's First-Generation Low-Income Students of Color

What skills, practices, and technologies do faculty members deploy and/or need to design learning spaces that promote success among first-generation low-income students of color at CU Denver? Dr. Otañez, Associate Professor in the CU Denver Anthropology Department and first-generation college graduate of color (Ph.D., 2004), will facilitate a series of three community of practice meetings among CU Denver faculty members in fall 2022 and spring 2023 with the intent to share experiences in and out of the classroom that contributes to the achievement of CU Denver first-generation low-income students of color. Discussion topics will be determined by faculty members who participate in the community of practice. We imagine topics may cover ways faculty members strengthen relationships with first-generation low-income students of color, apply culturally responsive and liberatory pedagogies that recognize our privileges as faculty members, integrate service-learning projects in course assignments, approach in-class peer engagement opportunities in course activities, and offer individual and group academic support. “Designing Learning Spaces” is informed by the work of Dr. Geneva Sarcedo, Academic Advisor, CU Denver School of Education and Human Development.

A recommended reading for the community of practice participants is Dr. Sarcedo’s piece “We stay fly: Composite counterstories of academic success and graduation among first-generation low-income college students of Color” (2020). Meetings will be designed as professional development and social networking opportunities among faculty members who desire to create equitable opportunities for marginalized students and who wish to dismantle racist structures and discriminatory policies that continue to plague first-generation low-income students of color at CU Denver. Ultimately, this community of practice may help produce champions for CU Denver to become a Hispanic Serving Institution and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution.  

Community of Practice: Designing Learning Spaces to Promote Success Among CU Denver First-Generation Low-Income Students of Color