Department of Educational Services

The Department of Educational Services (DES) plays a key role in supporting all students and faculty at SGU, and the academic and professional success of all our students is our primary goal.

Comprised of many dedicated academic professionals, DES’s unique and highly effective faculty is the largest on campus. Close to 100 percent of the University’s students and many of the professors in all schools avail themselves of the support offered through the department’s innovative programs, including time management, note-taking skills, and utilizing technology effectively in teaching and learning, as well as individualized programs with training in reading efficiency and comprehension, writing, oral communication, pronunciation, and grammatical accuracy. Most fundamentally, DES assists students individually and in groups as they prepare for course and licensure examinations.

DES is a central and established part of the academic culture at SGU, and the department works closely with all schools and programs, as well as with the Dean of Students Office, to provide custom-tailored support regarding academic and non-academic issues. DES also offers a faculty development program designed to support faculty in their pursuit of excellence in scholarship, teaching and learning with seminars and workshops in new and evolving methods of instruction.

Members of the SGU community can access many of our resources directly through the DES pages on the SGU portal.

Programs for Students and Faculty

The Specialized English Language Programs (SELP) Unit

Learn more at our Specialized English Language Programs (SELP) Unit page.

SUPPLEMENTAL LEARNING (SL)

The Supplemental Learning (SL) Program runs weekly small group review sessions, hosts an assortment of on-line modules and small group facilitator training workshops to facilitators and Clinical Tutors, and provides general support to SGU’s collaborative learning community.

Supplemental Learning small groups are provided for pre-professional and undergraduate students who want to deepen their understanding of course material, improve long-term learning, and improve their grades in large sized pre-professional courses that are traditionally most rigorous. The program is designed to assist students by developing learning communities, integrating study strategies, and applying effective test-taking skills.

The Supplemental Learning Program schedule is announced in class during the first week of classes each term.  Students are allocated to groups depending on their program and course schedule.  The SL faculty attend classes along with the students and frequently make announcements regarding the schedule and examination reviews.

Collaborative learning in small groups is a practice that has gained increased popularity at SGU.  Small group collaborative learning is supported by numerous studies and by positive student feedback at SGU.  In order to ensure excellent well-run small groups, DES offers several SAKAI training modules for Facilitators located at the True Blue and Northumbria campuses.

SL Small Group Facilitator Training Program

Collaborative learning in small groups is a practice that has gained increased popularity at SGU.  Small group collaborative learning is supported by numerous studies and by positive student feedback at SGU.  In order to ensure excellent well-run small groups, DES offers several SAKAI training modules for Facilitators located at the True Blue and Northumbria campuses.

The objective of conducting this training is to:

  • Help facilitators make their sessions more efficient and effective.
  • Anticipate collaborative learning issues and proactively resolve them.
  • Make sessions enjoyable and creative for all participants.

The Supplemental Learning (SL) Program focuses on the techniques surrounding the facilitation of the group review sessions. We also train small group observers and visit groups to see how they are doing and give constructive advice.

Small Group Facilitation Workshops for New Clinical Tutors and DES Facilitators

The SL program conducts several hands-on training workshops for DES Facilitators and Clinical Tutors each term.  These sessions are designed to compliment the above training modules.  They are an opportunity for new facilitators and clinical tutors to practice working in small groups.  They also help facilitators to brainstorm, reflect and plan their upcoming sessions together with awarded returning facilitators, other clinical tutors, SL faculty, and their peers.

LEARNING STRATEGIES PROGRAM

The DES Learning Skills Program was designed to provide all students with the opportunity to evaluate and improve their academic skills, becoming more efficient and effective learners. Common issues include: Time ManagementTest Taking SkillsFocusStress and Anxiety Management, and Taking/Making Notes.

Individual consultation, workshops, lectures, and presentations are arranged to address such topics as:

  • Practical application of study methods to specific academic curricula in order to develop new study skills and techniques.
  • Learning styles assessment and application, including memory techniques.
  • Time management strategies to keep up with coursework.
  • Test-taking strategies for multiple choice questions (MCQ) in order to improve test preparation and performance skills.

Time Management Assistance

Time management is an essential element for all students who want to attain their highest level of academic success. Students can receive information on how to create a realistic schedule that includes not only time for studies, but also the important daily needs necessary for creating a balanced student life. (Yes, there really can be time to eat, sleep, and have a little fun.)

Multiple Choice Question Assistance

Students are offered an opportunity to improve their overall test-taking skills through workshops and/or individual meetings. These meetings address ways to prepare for MCQ exams as well as techniques to use during the exams. It is hypothesized that good test-taking skills can improve exam scores from 5 to 15 percent.

Leadership and Excellence in Academic Development (LEAD) Division in DES

We support learning, leadership, and innovation projects on our campuses to enhance the student learning experience. 

Our Mission is to promote an institutional culture that values effective teaching and meaningful learning. We collaborate with faculty, peer tutors, as well as academic and student support units to enhance teaching and learning in online and face-to-face settings.

Our services focus on developing a continuous improvement process for faculty and learning facilitators that is reflective and iterative in nature.  We know that teaching and learning are lifelong arts and our programming is designed to build capacity and foster innovation. 

Our Programs include:

  • Academic Development Programming for Faculty

We offer faculty regular learning opportunities each term.  Our workshops and communities of practice enable participants to learn at their own pace, receiving coaching and guidance from the LEAD team as well as from their peers.  All of our offerings stand-alone or can be used toward earning one of our Certificates in University Teaching & Learning.  Additionally, all programming is designed to suit teaching and learning in multiple modalities.

  • Small-Group Facilitator Training

We provide facilitation training to Clinical Tutors in the School of Medicine responsible for facilitating small groups, faculty members in each school, as well as SGU Peer Learning Facilitators and Tutors, upper-term students who lead small group sessions for their peers.

  • Supplemental Learning (SL)

Our SL faculty facilitate small group review sessions for undergraduate senior science students in Biochemistry, Human Anatomy, Molecular Biology, Microbiology, and Physiology.  SL sessions are aimed at helping students master course content by utilizing active learning techniques, enabling learners to develop skills essential to success in a variety of professional careers.

  • Technology for Online/Blended Learning

We evaluate technology that can help support both online and blended learning programs.  Some examples of technologies our Online Instructional Innovation (OII) unit has implemented and used throughout SGU include online (virtual) classrooms/conferencing (Zoom), and online proctored exams.  We leverage our expertise to enable programs across campus to successfully incorporate a variety of tools and technologies to support student success.

  • Individual and Group Consultations

We work by invitation with individuals and groups (such as Schools or departments) to support professional growth through coaching, observation & feedback on a range of teaching and learning issues.  We also provide support for faculty as they document their teaching and learning in professional portfolios.

  • Educational Leadership Development

We believe that every teacher is also a leader and are committed to enabling the development of leadership capacity at SGU.  We provide scaffolded opportunities for faculty to develop the expertise needed to serve their communities as they develop their own skills and abilities to serve the university communities.

  • Educational Research

We are committed to employing an evidence-based approach in all that we do.  We leverage and contribute to the rich body of research on effective teaching and learning and also provide support to faculty and staff interested in conducting their own research on teaching to make their own contributions to the literature.

Contact Us: DESLead@sgu.edu

Award-Winning Academic Support Programs

DES programs at SGU have been recognized by the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA), a US-based international organization that represents more than 11,000 members from all 50 United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, and many other countries. Members include faculty, advisors, counselors, administrators, and students – all working to promote and support the educational and academic development of students.

St. George’s University student academic support programs have been awarded the Outstanding Institutional Advising Program Certificate of Merit Award by NACADA three times:

  • In 2015, the SGU Academic Enhancement Program was awarded.
  • In 2011, the SGU’s Supplemental Learning Program was awarded for its efforts connected to collaborative learning.
  • In 2003, the SGU School of Medicine preclinical program became the first Caribbean institution outside of Puerto Rico to be recognized.

In 2019 the Certificates in University Teaching Program: Basics and Beyond, was awarded the D2L Innovation Award from the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE).

Faculty Listing

Department Of Educational Services Chair
Dr. Sara Rabie | srabie@sgu.edu

Leadership and Excellence in Academic Development (LEAD)
LEAD Division Director
Dr. Caroline Henry-Packer, Division Director | chenrypa@sgu.edu

Division of Academic Student Success Initiatives, Supports and Training (ASSIST)
ASSIST Division Leadership Team
Ms. Kasey Larson, Director of SELP | klarson@sgu.edu
Ms. Donna Walker, Director of LSU | dwalker3@sgu.edu
Ms. Asha Lessey-Charles, Director of ASAI | alessey@sgu.edu
Dr. Joanne Buckland, Director of Innovation and Development, LSU | jbucklan@sgu.edu
Mr. Stephen Boddy, Associate Director of ASSIST, DES at NU | sboddy@sgu.edu

Administrative Support Team
Ms. Kamille Williams, Administrative Assistantkwilliams@sgu.edu
Ms. Maisha Archibald, Executive Secretary | myarchibald@sgu.edu
Ms. Zahirah Antoine, Executive Secretary | zantoin1@sgu.edu
Ms. Zhona Joseph, Executive SecretaryZjosph1@sgu.edu
Ms. Deslyn Abraham, Clerical Assistant |  dabraha2@sgu.edu
Department Email: des@sgu.edu

 

Director
Ms. Kasey Larson | klarson@sgu.edu

SELP Faculty
Ms. Ayanna Lee | alee9@sgu.edu
Mr. Brenard Malcolm | bmalcolm2@sgu.edu
Ms. Carolyn Harris | charris3@sgu.edu
Ms. Deborah Weinheimer | dweinhei@sgu.edu
Ms. Dorcina Noel | dnoel7@sgu.edu
Ms. Emily Harms | eharms@sgu.edu
Ms. Karina Daniel | kdanie1@sgu.edu
Ms. Leandra Lee | llee4@sgu.edu|
Ms. Marie Benjamin | mbenjam2@sgu.edu
Ms. Micah Balwah-Ramcharan | mbalwahr1@sgu.edu
Ms. Reetuparna Nath | RNath@sgu.edu

Director, Learning Strategies Unit
Ms. Donna Walker | DWalker3@sgu.edu

Director, Innovation & Development (LSU)
Dr. Joanne Buckland | jbucklan@sgu.edu

Learning Strategists
Dr. Alena Wade | AWade@sgu.edu
SOM3/4; SOM5; SVM2

Dr. Alyson Reuben | areuben2@sgu.edu
SOM1; SOM2

Ms. Ariel Wildman | awildma3@sgu.edu
SOM1; SOM2; MSAP

Ms. Crystal DeRiggs | cderiggs3@sgu.edu
SOM1; SOM2

Dr. Fomba Kanneh | fkanneh@sgu.edu
SOM3/4; SOM5

Ms. Jaclyn Tuason | jtuason@sgu.edu
PreVet YR 1-3; FTV; SVM1

Dr. Jessica Milner | jmilner1@sgu.edu
SOM3/4; SOM5; Post SOM5

Ms. Kemi Burgen | kburgen1@sgu.edu
SAS; PCLN YR1 & 2

Mr. Kimon Sandy | ksandy1@sgu.edu
SOM1; SOM2; SVM

Dr. Meaad Elsharif | melshar1@sgu.edu
SOM1; SOM2

Dr. Peter Slinger | pslinger@sgu.edu
SVM 2-6

Mr. Stephen Boddy | sboddy@sgu.edu
SOM1; SOM2; PCLN

Director
Ms. Asha Lessey-Charles | alessey@sgu.edu

Coordinators
Ms. Bevalin Alexander | balexan1@sgu.edu
Ms. Golda Mahesh | gmahesh@sgu.edu
Ms. Tandy James | tjames4@sgu.edu
Mr. Darren St. Bernard | dstbernar@sgu.edu
Ms. Davette St. Louis | dstlouis@sgu.edu
Ms. Gillian Francis | gfrancis5@sgu.edu
Ms. Neisha Salfarlie | NSalfarl@sgu.edu

Division Director
Dr. Caroline Henry-Packer | chenrypa@sgu.edu

Faculty Development
Director, Faculty Development
Dr. Lisa Francis-Charles | LFrancha@sgu.edu

Faculty Development Faculty
Ms. Nicole Welsh | welnic1@sgu.edu

Coordinators, OII
Mr. Jonathan Modica | jmodica@sgu.edu
Mr. John Swope | jswope@sgu.edu

OII Faculty
Ms. Reba David-Andrew | rrdavid@sgu.edu

Coordinator
Ms. Lisa Findley-Stroud | lfindley@sgu.edu

SL Faculty
Ms. Carlene Chasteau | cchastea1@sgu.edu
Ms. Kamini Wall | kwall1@sgu.edu
Ms. Leeann Dowden | ldowden1@sgu.edu
Ms. Timiah Fletcher | tfletch4@sgu.edu

Director, M.Ed
Dr. Caroline Henry-Packer | chenrypa@sgu.edu