From Perception Gaps to Empowered Learners: Research-Driven Strategies for Transforming STEM Classrooms
Fri, Jan 23
|Interactive Zoom session
Exploring how empathy-based, learner-centered design can bridge the novice-to-expert perception gap
Time & Location
Jan 23, 2026, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM EST
Interactive Zoom session
About the event
Join Dr. Sheila Tabanli on Friday, January 23rd, for a conversation about "From Perception Gaps to Empowered Learners: Research-Driven Strategies for Transforming STEM Classrooms."
In STEM classrooms, a significant but underrecognized obstacle to student learning is the novice-to-expert perception gap — the difference between how instructors (experts) and students (novices) perceive core disciplinary concepts and tasks. This gap can unintentionally create barriers to comprehension, exacerbate anxiety, and obscure student struggles. Grounded in the 3C Pedagogical Framework—Compassionate, Connected Community through Cognitive Apprenticeship—and supported by the Rutgers Research2Practice Fellowship, this talk explores how empathy-based, learner-centered design can bridge this gap by centering student voice and equity.
Drawing on evidence-informed practices from the Guidebook for Reducing the Novice-to-Expert Perception Gap, the session highlights strategies such as modeling expert thinking, structured reflection, metacognitive coaching, and community-building practices that promote psychological safety. Together, these approaches help students engage more deeply with demanding STEM content and reframe mistakes…