Join us on Thursday, October 1st, as the AVA Webinar Series presents Teaching to Reach Diverse Learners: From Classrooms to Professional Training, featuring Dr. Anjana Balakrishnan from Kwantlen Polytechnic University.
Thursday, October 1, 2026
12 – 1:30pm MST
Educational inequities exist across settings and have powerful impacts on the experiences of diverse learners, particularly those with intersecting identities. Using culturally responsive and inclusive teaching frameworks as a foundation for this webinar, Dr. Anjana Balakrishnan will offer a research-informed overview of how diverse learners are supported by educators, research supervisors, and within professional training programs. The webinar will also introduce attendees to practical resources, contemporary academic and practice-related considerations, and implementable actions for designing more equitable and welcoming learning spaces. The topics explored will be relevant to individuals working across education, research, policy and practice settings.
About the Speaker
Dr. Anjana Balakrishnan is a faculty member at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. She holds a PhD in Psychology from Western University, where she specialized in Migration and Ethnic Relations. She has experience teaching across modalities, has supported Inuit learners, and has published on inclusive teaching. Anjana has extensive training in evidence-informed teaching practices, including the Instructional Skills Workshop, and recently completed the AVA Online Certificate. She is a strong advocate for student success for all learners and strives to reduce barriers to learning through intentional educational practices that emphasize learner belonging and self-efficacy. Through her teaching and research, Anjana has an active interest in the practical implementation of evidence-informed, culturally responsive, and inclusive teaching practices across educational contexts.