As we wrap up the academic year, we have one more staff spotlight before we take a break for the summer. Be sure to watch out for the return of our newsletter at the end of the summer. We’ll have more staff spotlights to share with you! This month we’re shining the spotlight on Sara Nasrollahian, who joined the Center for Teaching in 2019.
Sara expertly leads the center's Scholarship of Teaching and Learning efforts - including the SoTL program - and co-leads the Course Design Institute (CDI). She is an active collaborator on several strategic initiatives across campus. Sara is also an elected member of the board of directors (Core Committee) of the Professional and Organizational Development (POD) Network in Higher Education and is the core liaison to the SoTL special interest group. Sara is frequently an invited speaker on topics related to SoTL and transparency in learning and teaching, and her published work has appeared in the journals To Improve the Academy, Transformative Dialogues, and in an edited volume titled Transparent Design in Higher Education Teaching and Learning. An educational psychologist, Sara is also an affiliate lecturer in the Learning Sciences and Educational Psychology program in the College of Education.
What are your primary responsibilities at the Center for Teaching?
I lead the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) program, where we provide instructors with expert support to conduct systematic inquiries into their teaching and share their research with broader scholarly teaching communities. Additionally, I co-lead the Course Design Program, which aims to empower instructors to (re)design integrated course components and nurture reflective teaching practices. Another key aspect of my role is collaborating with faculty-led communities that convene to explore and examine scholarly teaching topics and practices.
What kind of consultations do you do most often?
In my role at the Center for Teaching, I am involved in a diverse range of teaching consultations. I currently take on SoTL consultations, work with faculty to design their integrated assessment plans as well as course assignments, collaborate with our team at the center to address questions about course design frameworks and tools, and discuss evidence-based strategies to enhance engagement and transparency in course contexts.
What are your scholarly areas of interest?
As an educational developer, I am interested in exploring ecosystemic processes and frameworks to nurture scholarly teaching within an institutional context. With my background in educational psychology, I am keen to understand students' learning experiences and processes using evidence-based teaching tools and strategies, such as transparent assignment design and alternative assessment methods.
Working with many SoTL Scholars as a SoTL educational developer, I am grateful for the opportunity to develop new scholarly interests with each scholar I collaborate with.
What is your favorite part about working at the Center for Teaching?
I am grateful for the opportunity to work with faculty from diverse disciplinary backgrounds, which empowers me to contextualize teaching and learning processes. The Center for Teaching team has been a highlight of my professional experience, and I have enjoyed every day of our collaborative teamwork. Lastly, I cherish the opportunity to work with campus partners to collaboratively enhance teaching and learning excellence.
Tell me about your teaching.
Most recently, I taught the graduate-level course "Educational Psychology" in the Learning Sciences and Educational Psychology program. In this course, we delved into various learning theories and approaches, identifying instructional models that effectively facilitate learning from these perspectives. I also have a background in sociology and enjoy teaching qualitative research methodologies in the social sciences.
What is a unique thing you enjoy doing in Iowa City?
I love all the walking and biking trails in the city, each with its unique natural characteristics. I look forward to spring and summer when I can choose a trail and go for a walk. I also love the art and music festivals in the summer, and the farmer's market.
What are your hobbies, interests, or special talents? What do you do for fun?
As a learning scientist, I enjoy exploring and examining dynamic learning processes to understand how they are reflected and facilitated in the teaching context. This has empowered my work as an educational developer. I am taking Persian classical singing classes, which is my native language, and my teacher believes I am talented at singing, although I am not sure!
Interested in learning more about SoTL or scheduling a consultation with Sara? We’d love to help however we can!