Teaching
Teaching is what originally drew Stephanie to academia, and it is what sustains her 20 years later. Her teaching philosophy rests on three pillars:
Integration of theory, research, and practice
Emphasis on diversity of perspectives
Interactive formats that foster personal connections to the material
Her impact on students is lifelong. As one student explained: “..not everyone is as passionate as you are. Not only do you pour your heart into your work, you pour it into the lives of others! You have made a tremendous impact on my life and my academic experience.”
>> Learn more about Stephanie’s innovative teaching practices and course designs in a special spotlight published by the Office of Instructional Innovation. .
Courses
As a full tenured professor in the Educational Psychology department of the College of Education, in the past two years she has taught two courses.
Culture of Disability in Education. A new hybrid undergraduate/graduate course uses a dynamic, mixed-methods approach to teaching and learning to encourage students to think across three levels of understanding: Conceptual understanding of the fluid way that disability as a construct has evolved; experiential understanding of what it is like for individuals with disabilities to navigate an able-bodied world; and then applied understanding of how they interact with disabled individuals in their own personal and professional contexts.
History and Systems. Offered every other year, this course provides an overview of many major theoretical frameworks in psychology, as well as its antecedents as a scientific field. As a “meta” class, it asks students to engage in questions about their own thinking and beliefs, and it is carefully designed to achieve its goals.
Teaching Fellowships
Provost’s Teaching Fellow at the Faculty Innovation Center
Faculty Research Award
Elizabeth Glenadine Gibb Teaching Fellowship
Joe R. & Teresa Long Endowed Faculty Fellow
“[Dr. Cawthon] knows how to teach — in general and online (not an easily transferrable skill). The course was well-organized. There were a variety of engaging activities that allowed for strengthening of knowledge learned and exploration of personal opinions, [with] a great mix of content. There was excellent communication to help keep students on track of upcoming assignments, objectives and topics were clearly stated at the beginning of the class, and questions were answered in a very timely manner. ”