The Glass Apple

Ep. 2 Daniel Pimentel: Overcoming Barriers in the Learning Environment

Episode Summary

Today’s episode features Daniel Pimentel. Daniel is Assistant Professor of Immersive Psychology at the School of Journalism and Communication in Portland. Daniel’s research primarily focuses on cross-reality (XR) media platforms: virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR). Specifically, he conducts experimental research examining how XR storytelling experiences can contribute to prosocial attitude and behavior change across various contexts, including climate action, wildlife conservation, and mental/physical well-being. In this episode, Daniel talks about a number of inclusive teaching practices from his classes.

Episode Notes

• Danny's definitions of inclusive teaching (3:45)
• Overcoming barriers in the learning environment (6:04)
• Giving students agency over assignments (8:38)
• Personalized learning - scaling to large classes and diverse students (10:23)
• Student evaluations and feedback (13:00)
• Experience that has shaped Danny's approach - one-on-one attention (16:53)
• Teaching practice that Danny avoids  (18:30)
• What would Danny say to faculty who say what works in one department might not work in another discipline (19:53)
• Danny's favorite moment in the classroom (23:42)
• Advice for the institution (25:38)
• Signals of what has gone well (28:10)
• Creative approaches to accessibility (31:26)
• Research of inclusive design practices (36:57)