Abstract
This Banded Dissertation is comprised of three Scholarly Products that emphasize the need for undergraduate social work educators to become aware of the impact that trauma has on students’ academic achievement. A trauma-informed perspective is used as the framework to explore educators’ teaching practices and their perceptions of their student’s educational experiences. The first Product is a conceptual article titled, “Teaching Strategies to Effectively Engage Undergraduate Students Impacted by Trauma: An Exploration of African American Students”. This article analyzes the effects that adverse childhood experiences have on undergraduate students’ academic success. Trauma-informed teaching strategies are emphasized to support educators in providing students with a safe and liberating learning environment. The second Product is a scoping review titled, “Educational Experiences of Implementing a Trauma-Informed Pedagogy in Baccalaureate Social Work Education: A Scoping Review”. This Product evaluates the current educational experiences of students in social work programs where educators primarily practice from a trauma-informed approach. The third Product is a professional poster presentation that advocates for the inclusion of the six trauma-informed principles within baccalaureate education. This presentation was presented at the Lilly Conference located in San Diego, CA with a core motive to promote active and engaged learning. Empathizing, creating safe spaces, and opportunities within higher education for the oppressed and vulnerable populations is a collective mission and one that helps society shift the cultural narrative from asking “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?”