Dr. Dale Mineshima-Lowe leads inspiring Teaching Workshop for local educators

At Parami, excellence in teaching is a continuous journey. This spirit came alive when Dr. Dale Mineshima-Lowe, a faculty member from the Social Science and Humanities, organized a hands-on summer workshop on teaching practices and resources across disciplines. Educators from various post-secondary contexts participated, reflecting the workshop’s multi-disciplinary focus.

Dr. Mineshima-Lowe explained, “While the workshops were designed for Parami faculty and focused on online classrooms, we included educators teaching in-person with some digital tools, as well as colleagues teaching fully online.”

The workshops explored three key themes. The first encouraged educators to examine how they connect with students and engage them in learning. The second introduced writing-to-learn practices from the Institute for Writing and Thinking (IWT) at Bard College, applicable in both online and face-to-face classrooms, with participants actively applying these methods in their contexts. The final session focused on scaffolding learning activities to develop students’ critical reading and reflection skills.

Reflecting on the workshops, Dr. Mineshima-Lowe said, “My hope was to discuss key teaching challenges—online or in-person—and to build skills, resources, and networks so educators can share experiences and enhance student learning.” She added that the workshops were highly engaging, with participants from formal and informal institutions eager to support their students.

Participants highlighted the practical impact of the workshops.

One shared, “I found the workshop to be an excellent platform for practical teaching strategies that I could directly apply in my classroom. I am now teaching as a lecturer at Krirk University in Thailand. The concept I remember most from the workshop and am actively using in class is the Class Contract.”

Another noted, “The ultimate takeaway for me from the workshop, which I am now using in my classroom, is ‘Writing in the Zones.’ This approach not only allows students to focus but can also be divided into different sessions. It helps me support individual students in areas where they need the most help. Thank you again for sharing your knowledge and skills with us—I really appreciate it.”

Beyond training, the workshops provided space for collaboration, creativity, and reflection, equipping educators in Myanmar with tools to inspire the next generation.

Looking ahead, Dr. Mineshima-Lowe noted, “These workshops connected educators with diverse experiences. In coordination with Aung Myin Thu, Director of Admissions and Student Affairs at Parami and PSEN Coordinator Zaw Lin, we hope to develop more workshops to provide training and resources for PSEN education providers.”

In the weeks following, Dr. Mineshima-Lowe contributed to preliminary meetings with PSEN providers to lay the groundwork for curriculum alignment and recognition of prior learning in Myanmar, with further meetings planned for mid-September.

These workshops showcased Dr. Mineshima-Lowe’s dedication to teaching excellence and reflected Parami University’s commitment to fostering innovation, collaboration, and lifelong learning in Myanmar’s education system.