November 22, 2023
Cia Verschelden to present Division of Biology Seminar
Submitted by Division of Biology
Cia Verschelden, author of the "Bandwidth Recovery" books, will present her research, "The Bandwidth Tax of Uncertainty: Helping Students Recover," as part of the Division of Biology Seminar Series at 3:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 27, in 221 Ackert Hall.
The cognitive resources for learning of many of our students have been and are being diminished by the negative effects of persistent economic insecurity and discrimination and hostility against non-majority groups based on race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation or gender identity, and other aspects of difference — and, over the past three years, by the levels of uncertainty related to the pandemic and social unrest. Recognizing that these students are no different than their peers in terms of cognitive capacity, we can implement strategies and interventions — in and outside the classroom — that show promise in helping students regain the cognitive resources they need to learn and thrive in school.
Verschelden will talk about these ideas, and you can find more in her books "Bandwidth Recovery: Helping Students Reclaim Cognitive Resources Lost to Poverty, Racism, and Social Marginalization" and "Bandwidth Recovery for Schools: Helping Pre-K-12 Students Regain Cognitive Resources Lost to Poverty, Trauma, Racism and Social Marginalization." From 1989-2009, Verschelden was on the faculty at K-State in social work and women's studies, and she served as director of assessment. Verschelden has recently returned to Manhattan from Chicago, where she was vice president at Malcolm X College.
If you would like to visit with Verschelden, please contact Ruth Welti at welti@k-state.edu. Further information regarding Verschelden's work can be found on her website.