Tina Keswani is an M.A. student at Teachers College. For the past eight years she has worked in ed-tech partnering with globally recognized universities to support and improve learning outcomes through the creation of digital educational experiences. She has designed hundreds of online courses,always striving for the right balance between faculty vision, content, and technology, allowing students to focus on what matters most--their learning.Her interests lie in understanding technology’s influence on learning, to appropriately design instruction according to both different learning styles and types of access, and to see students as a part of an interconnected, social network that includes their school, community, family, and culture. She holds a B.S. from New York University’s Stern School of Business

“It was amazing to collaborate with classmates on this ambitious project within the context of a class on Education and Social Transformation. Education starts with a conversation, and a crucial part of learning is solving problems collaboratively. My peers were integral to my learning process. Everyone’s passion, combined with the guidance of Professor Amra Sabic-El-Rayess, made our dialogue of the highest quality. There were so many elements that had to be considered as we developed the project, from instructional design, platform selection, marketing to user experience. We were motivated to create something new, which would benefit educators across the country, so we had to make the content and course meaningful. We were doing something that matters and should be long-lasting. I feel that what we accomplished is remarkable and truly a unique opportunity. “ - Tina

Hateful and violent acts by young adults are dangerous, disturbing, and disruptive. Educators are central figures in students’ lives and have the power to prevent students from falling victim to extremist agendas that drive them to commit these acts. Educators, however, need the tools to know how to do so. Our professional development course provides teachers and administrative staff with foundational knowledge and understanding that hate, disrespect, and intimidation have no place in school. The course helps them understand their own biases, mitigate those biases, and identify risk factors that can drive someone to commit acts of radicalized violence. To counter these factors, the course provides tools to foster social connections and nonviolent discourse in schools.