CULTIVATE Core Values Training Program

Cultural Understanding through Learning and Teaching Innovations for Education

Have you ever stood in front of a room of students who seemed to be getting it, but when test time came around their grades showed something different?

Or had students who struggled in your class no matter what you did? Or watched time and again as students dropped out of the major or college altogether?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, we can help.

The CULTIVATE Core Values Training Program is a professional development opportunity that helps educators use culturally responsive teaching practices. Research shows that these practices boost student engagement and lead to deeper learning.

In higher education, learning has often been an individual activity—students listen to lectures, complete assignments and study on their own. While this works for some, it can leave others feeling frustrated or out of place, especially students who come from cultures where learning happens more collaboratively. For these students, adjusting to a new way of learning can feel overwhelming, lowering their motivation and making it harder for them to succeed in college.

Culturally responsive teaching recognizes these cultural differences as strengths. It uses flexible strategies to support all students in the way they learn best. The CULTIVATE Core Values Training Program shows you how to balance individual and group learning in your classroom, helping every student feel challenged, motivated and ready to succeed.

About The Program

The program starts with a three-day workshop in August the week before classes start.

Some topics include:

ASU’s history as an Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI)
High vs. low context cultures and learning
Asset-based vs deficit language
Evaluation of syllabus and assessments

Fall and Spring Projects

During the fall semester, you will design a small change for one of your courses and collect data on that change.

Examples from past participant projects include:

Requiring students to attend office hours in the beginning of the semester and then tracking voluntary attendance after that.
Revising an assignment to include more collective learning and/or flexibility.
Including learning objectives at the beginning of each class period so students know what to expect.

In the spring semester, you will analyze your data and present your results as both a virtual talk and as a poster at the ASU Symposium. The CULTIVATE team takes your presentation slides and puts them on a poster - all you need to do is be present at the Symposium!

At the end of the spring semester, you will be paid a $500 stipend for the completion of the workshop and project.

Participants will receive:

CULTIVATE Certificate of Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning
Maximum incentive of $500
Professional development opportunity to strengthen tenure and promotion applications
Opportunity to serve as a facilitator or coach for future cohorts

If you implement the research-based best strategies outlined in the program, your students will benefit from:

Collaborative learning environments
Increased student engagement
Culturally responsive classes that meet students where they are

Meet The CULTIVATE Team

Dr. David Bixler

Dean of College of Graduate Studies and Research/Professor/Director Innovation Hub

Mrs. Jamie Mayer

Vice President for External Affairs

Dr. Paul Swets

Dean/Professor

Mr. Brian Braden

Associate CIO and CTO

Dr. Kerri Mikulik

Assistant Vice President: Prospective Student Outreach & Access

Dr. Donald Topliff

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Mrs. Brandy Hawkins

Executive Director of Accountability

Brittney Miller

Director of Communications & Marketing

Ms. Angie Wright

Vice President for Finance & Administration

Dr. Clifton Jones

Dr. Sandra Mohr

Dean of Digital Learning and Instruction

Dr. Flor E. Leos

Chief Core Values, Leader Development, and Community Engagement Officer

Dr. Micheal Salisbury

Dean of Freshman College/Professor/Director of 1st Year Experience/Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities

Dr. Ben Lion

Vice President for Student Affairs

Mr. Jeff Sefcik

Dr. Anthony Battistini, Assistant Professor, David L. Hirschfeld Department of Engineering
Dr. Jordan Daniel, Associate Professor, Department of Kinesiology
Ms. Jessica Garza, Instructor, Department of Physics and Geosciences
Dr. Nicole Lozano, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology
Dr. Flor Leos, Institutional Officer for Multicultural & Community Engagement and Success Initiatives, and Professor, Department of Communication and Mass Media
Dr. Marva Solomon, Professor, Department of Teacher Education

The CRASH course offered me new ways to engage with my students, reach them where they are, and help them succeed in my courses and in their academic careers. It has been great to interact with faculty from across campus to get new ideas and reenergize my approaches to teaching, advising, and mentoring.

Dr. David Faught, Natalie Zan Ryan Department of English and Modern Languages

Video Testimonials

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