NSU Hosts Free Online Conference on Autism, April 1-21

The annual Issues in Autism Conference will be held online from April 1-21, 2023. Hosted by the NSU Satellite of UM-NSU Center for Autism and Related Disabilities, this year’s topic is Social Emotional Engagement:  The “Fuel” for Learning with Emily Rubin as the featured speaker. The sessions are pre-recorded so that participants can view them at their convenience. There is no cost to attend but registration is required by March 27. Register at: https://bit.ly/3ymmh1L.

About the Conference

Findings of research in social neuroscience foster our ability to create supportive learning environments where social-emotional engagement is a “fuel” for learning and emotional well-being, both with our neurodiverse students as well as our educators. While standards-based instruction is our focus in the classroom, our learners are more likely to access the curriculum when they are invested, independent, and initiating with their peers and teachers.

This session will begin with a review of the neuroscience of learning and shift toward a practical discussion of the “why” we need to measure and enhance learner engagement.  Participants will learn about the Social Engagement Ladder, a freely accessible tool for measuring learning engagement and identifying opportunities for enhancing engagement. In addition, participants will learn “what” to do when there are opportunities to enhance engagement. The session will introduce a freely accessible tool, the SEE-KS Quick Reference tool, as a reference for identifying strategies for enhancing engagement that is consistent with a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework.  Participants will also learn “how” to mentor one’s multidisciplinary team members using appreciative inquiry to identify what is already working as well as opportunities for the next steps.

Questions can be addressed to CARD@nova.edu or 954-262-7111.