ATSU-ASHS Speech-Language Pathology faculty invited to present at national conference
Posted: June 20, 2023
A.T. Still University-Arizona School of Health Sciences (ATSU-ASHS) Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) program faculty were invited to present at the California Speech-Language and Hearing Association 2023 Convention.
María Centeno-Vázquez, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, associate professor, program director, Ivonne Maldonado de La Rosa, PhD, MS, CCC-SLP, instructor, Beatriz Barragan Serrano, PhD, associate professor, and Lourdes, Martinez-Nieto, PhD, MA, associate professor, were accompanied by Marlene Salas-Provance, PhD, MHA, MA, CCC-SLP, professor and vice dean and presented “Integrating Students into a Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Educational Environment.”
They discussed a four-part framework that connects the areas of concept formation, people, planning, and implementation. The four-part framework incorporates these principles throughout the journey of student education from a culturally responsive perspective which provides an ideal environment for this education. The current national discussion on meeting the workforce needs of a diverse healthcare population sets the stage for all that follows in developing this innovative program.
In terms of people, it is important to have unique ways to recruit both diverse faculty and students, including cluster hiring of faculty, personal approach with students, and the use of holistic admissions practices. Planning was described from the value of using the foundation of social theories to address diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The three theories included Pedagogical Framework (Horton-Ikard et al, 2009), Pathway of Culturally Responsive and Sustainable Global Engagement (Hyter, 2021), and the Cultural Growth Profile (Salas-Provance, 2021). Implementation included the development of a flexible program that has a hybrid residential and online format, an innovative curriculum that includes telepractice methodologies, focused multicultural coursework and experiences, with intensive research requirements using the weekly Professional Seminar (ProSem) and clinical experience that highlights bilingual practices and the use of interpreters. The program continues to present opportunities to educate students in keeping with the ATSU mission of whole-person healthcare and meeting the needs of the underserved.