2023 Pilot Projects

Emma Woelk, Modern Languages, Arts and Humanities and Director, Honors Program, “Thesis Bootcamp: Online Tools for New Researchers”

In this project I will partner with instructional designers and librarians to create a reusable online research methods mini course that can both help evaluate research readiness and provide some of the research method instruction generally provided in the Thesis Prep course, The project will offer lessons about creating, sharing, and maintaining open educational resources (OER).

Steven  Fletcher, Teaching, Learning, and Culture, Behavioral and Social Sciences, “Building Confidence and Connection: A Transformative Experience for College Students through Wetland Exploration and Canoe Building”

The COVID-19 pandemic and global issues have taken a toll on the mental and emotional wellbeing of college students. This project provides a transformative experience for students to reconnect with the physical world and build personal and professional growth through construction of a team-built canoe. The pedagogical value of the project includes developing transferable leadership skills, fostering collaboration and teamwork, promoting cultural and historical awareness, and providing intrinsic rewards for personal satisfaction. The project also serves as a model for faculty to incorporate their own rich background knowledge into instruction to inspire meaningful and engaging content. Activities includes emphasis on safety training, tool use practice, and construction of plywood canoes followed by fieldwork and wetland study. In summary, this work models experiential and exploratory learning and will build self-confidence, collaboration, and leadership skills among college students.

Dustin Joubert, Kinesiology, Natural Sciences, “Teaching Tech in Exercise Science: The Electrocardiogram (ECG)”

The electrocardiogram (ECG) is a front-line screening tool to assess heart health and abnormal heart conditions. Its utility extends beyond resting assessments of heart function, but is also useful in monitoring the hearts response to the stress of exercise. For this reason, the ECG is a valuable tool for exercise scientists/physiologists in the field of Kinesiology. Training students in ECG preparation and interpretation not only further enhances physiological knowledge of the heart, but more importantly provides them with technical skills useful in the workforce for jobs in cardiac rehab, exercise stress testing, and clinical exercise physiology.