Skip to main content
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • University Statements
  • Syracuse University Impact
  • |
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
Sections
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • University Statements
  • Syracuse University Impact
  • |
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community

New Center for Experiential Pedagogy and Practice Will Advance Innovative Methods for Educator Training and Professional Development

Wednesday, March 23, 2022, By Martin Walls
Share
School of Education

Syracuse University’s School of Education has garnered a worldwide reputation for developing experiential learning methods for educators and other professionals, including clinical simulations, collaborative lesson study, mediated field experiences for student teachers and tele-counseling training for school counselors.

Students in elementary classroom

Solvay Union Free School District teachers observe colleagues and students at Burton Street Elementary School in Cazenovia during a Lesson Study science module on March 18.

On March 31, the school will launch a new center that brings together these initiatives to explore and expand research and practice opportunities and encourage the use of experiential learning across other disciplines. The campus community is invited to the launch of the Center for Experiential Pedagogy and Practice (CEPP) from 4-6 p.m. at the Jacquet Education Commons, Huntington Hall. An RSVP is requested.

Professor Ben Dotger, chair of SOE’s teaching and leadership department, will serve as CEPP director. He has pioneered the use of clinical simulations and other applied teaching and professional development methods over the past 15 years.

“CEPP will engage research and design initiatives across Syracuse University and beyond to advance experiential teaching and professional development,” says Dotger. “The center’s foundational principle is that immersive experiences advance learners’ preparation for complex professions. As we engage with other professions, we learn that our experiential pedagogies are adaptable, scalable and—most importantly—highly effective.”

“Our faculty have contributed to a deep body of evidence demonstrating the value of immersive experiences in educative professions,” says Kelly Chandler-Olcott, interim dean of the School of Education. She and Dotger have co-edited a new book, “Clinical Simulations as Signature Pedagogy: Educator Preparation Across the Disciplines.” The book features chapters by current and former Syracuse University faculty on the use of clinical simulations in mathematics and science education, physical education, educational leadership, counseling and inclusive education.

Simulation

A demonstration of a clinical simulation scenario with a live actor during Family Weekend 2019.

One of CEPP signature projects, clinical simulations are a common teaching and assessment tool in the health professions, where students have the opportunity to practice communication, diagnostic and decision-making skills with standardized patients—actors trained to approximate various health concerns—prior to encountering real patients in health care settings.

Dotger first applied the clinical simulation model to the teaching profession in 2007. Since then, he has received research and project funding from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, Institute for Education Sciences, National Science Foundation, Spencer Foundation and Syracuse University. He also has expanded the use of clinical simulations beyond the teaching profession. Most notably, a collaboration with the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families to prepare student veterans to navigate campus life received a 2019 Syracuse University CUSE Grant.

“Clinical simulations are proven to increase skills that educators need in a real-world setting, particularly for challenging situations such as grade disputes or plagiarism, proactive support of students with disabilities, or addressing suicidal ideation or the aftermath of assault,” says Dotger. “In this low-risk setting, trainees have an immersive experience in which interactions can be observed and they can receive coaching and feedback. Our clinical focus is on practice analysis and data-informed decision making.”

Among other CEPP experiential learning initiatives, Lesson Study is an internationally recognized collaborative process for planning, analyzing and continuously improving school instruction through live teacher observation, evaluation of student learning and goal setting. Mediated Field Experiences combine student enrichment, immersive teacher education and professional development. And tele-counseling—part of a collaboration across Syracuse University and SUNY Upstate Medical University—offers enhanced, hands-on training for mental health professionals with the goal of better serving high-need areas.

“What we have learned about the uses and benefits of clinical simulations has informed other applied learning models that also will be housed in CEPP,” says Chandler-Olcott. “We firmly believe that these pedagogies have many potential applications for teaching and learning across Syracuse University. Our new center will be a Universitywide resource that will help apply best practices in applied learning to specific learning situations across the professions.”

 

 

  • Author

Martin Walls

  • Recent
  • 250 Years Later, Declaration of Independence Still Challenges, Inspires a Nation: A Conversation With Professor Carol Faulkner
    Monday, June 30, 2025, By Kathleen Haley
  • Philanthropy Driven by Passion, Potential and Purpose
    Monday, June 30, 2025, By Eileen Korey
  • Libraries Receives Grant for Book Repair Workshop
    Monday, June 30, 2025, By Cristina Hatem
  • Calling All Alumni Entrepreneurs: Apply for ’CUSE50 Awards
    Tuesday, June 24, 2025, By John Boccacino
  • Swinging Into Summer: Syracuse International Jazz Fest Returns With Star Power, Student Talent and a Soulful Campus Finale
    Tuesday, June 24, 2025, By Kathleen Haley

More In Campus & Community

Libraries Receives Grant for Book Repair Workshop

Syracuse University Libraries’ Department of Access and Resource Sharing received a Central New York Library Resources Council Catalyst Grant for $2,000 to provide train-the-trainer workshops on book repair to local school district media specialists. Preservation librarian Marianne Hanley submitted the…

Boom! Where to Watch Fireworks in CNY This Fourth of July

Get ready to light up your Independence Day with a bang! From lakeside launches to park-side pyrotechnics, Central New York (CNY) is bursting with fireworks displays to celebrate the Fourth of July. Here’s your guide to the best local shows…

Retiring University Professor and Decorated Public Servant Sean O’Keefe G’78 Reflects on a Legacy of Service

For most of his time as a public servant, Sean O’Keefe G’78 adhered to a few guiding principles: Step up when someone calls upon you to serve. Be open to anything. Challenge yourself. Those values helped O’Keefe navigate a career…

Jorge Morales ’26 Named a 2025 Beinecke Scholar

Jorge Morales ’26, a double major in history and anthropology in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs with a minor in English and textual studies in the College of Arts and Sciences, has been awarded the highly competitive…

Registration Open for Esports Campus Takeover Hosted by University and Gen.G

Syracuse University and global esports and gaming organization Gen.G have opened general registration at campustakeover.gg for its first Campus Takeover Sept. 20-21. The two-day conference will bring students and administrators to Syracuse to highlight career opportunities within the esports industry…

Subscribe to SU Today

If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.

Connect With Us

  • X
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
Social Media Directory

For the Media

Find an Expert Follow @SyracuseUNews
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
  • @SyracuseU
  • @SyracuseUNews
  • Social Media Directory
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Campus Status
  • Syracuse.edu
© 2025 Syracuse University News. All Rights Reserved.