Home
2022 Midwest SoTL Program

2022 Midwest SoTL Program

Welcome!

The 2022 Midwest SoTL Conference was April 1, 2022 on the Indiana University South Bend campus. The keynote speaker was Dr. Susan Blum, Professor of Anthropology at the University of Notre Dame, addressing the conference theme Authentic and Joyous Learning. Dr. Blum's keynote is titled: "Making Authentic and Joyous Learning the Goal: Ungrading, UnEssays, and Other Pedagogical Practices."

8:00-9:00am	Registration & Networking in the Education & Arts Lobby Continental Breakfast in EA 1010
9:00-10:30am	Keynote in the University Grill - Susan D. Blum: "Making Authentic and Joyous Learning the Goal: Ungrading, UnEssays, and Other Pedagogical Practices"
10:30-10:45am	Break
10:45-11:15am	Concurrent Session #1
EA 1013	Changes to the Clinical Experience and Impact on Student Learning Sharon Jones, Kristy Ludy (Indiana University South Bend) We are presenting the findings from a qualitative, descriptive study of nursing student and faculty perceptions of the impact on student learning to changes to clinical group size and timing factors (hours, days per week). These findings have implications for nursing education and other disciplines with an experiential learning component. We discuss the research method including use of archived data.
EA 1015	Authentic and Joyous Learning on Zoom: How to Keep Learners Engaged David Pratt (Purdue University Northwest) After Covid-19 moved faculty and students to learn remotely, it proved difficult to keep students' attention and focus. This session describes steps taken to make online meetings more interactive and engaging. One shift was in providing more opportunities for interaction, but more importantly a shift in focus on students' self-reflection and goal setting related to improving attention and removing distractions.
EA 1017	Engaging Diversity and Inclusivity in the Classroom: Strategies for Learning Stacie Merken, AJ Schmitz, Chloe Robinson (Indiana University South Bend) Diversity initiatives have increased at the university level. However, more efforts need to be made to introduce inclusive teaching strategies in the classroom--providing students with the foundation to become productive and inclusive in society. This presentation will provide ways to revise courses to engage students in self-awareness and exploration through the addition of inclusive and diverse activities in the classroom.
EA 1019 (Zoom Presentation)	The Joy of Syllabus Design Christopher Adamson (University of South Dakota) Do you feel joy while writing your syllabus? Do you think students feel joy when they read your syllabus? If not, the problem could be the metaphor guiding your syllabus design. In this active workshop, participants will practice preserving joy through intentional syllabus design that prioritizes the personhood of learner and educator alike and revise in a collegial environment.
EA 1021	Susan D. Blum book signing & chat
11:15-11:25am	Break
11:25-11:55am	Concurrent Session #2
EA 1013	Student Perceptions and Outcomes after a Virtual Simulated Clinical Experience Lori Pajakowski, Taryn Liechty (Indiana University South Bend) Indiana University South Bend nursing faculty created a virtual clinical day to replace traditional clinical hours in a 1:1 exchange with the goal of realistically imitating an in person clinical day. When compared with a traditional clinical day, students perceived the virtual experience to be equal or better than a traditional clinical for promoting critical thinking and meeting course outcomes.
EA 1015	Which Online Course Content Release Strategy Impacts Engagement and Performance Sarah Johnson (Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis) Online instructors can release content to learners in a variety of ways. However, there is little evidence on which content release approach may have the most impact on student engagement and performance. A study was conducted in which students enrolled in an online, asynchronous course were randomly assigned to one of three content release types.
EA 1017	Universal Design for Learning (UDL): Authentic Learning in College Courses Jane Leatherman(Purdue University Fort Wayne) College classrooms contain diverse learners: age, culture, ability levels, and experiences. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework and set of guiding principles for curriculum development that provides equal opportunities for all individuals to learn. This session will present an overview of UDL guidelines, syllabus evaluation using UDL principles, and examples of uses in higher education with multiple resources.
EA 1019 (Zoom Presentation)	A Modified Approach to Specs Grading in Writing Intensive Courses Miranda Rodak, Emily Esola, Sarah Pedzinski (Indiana University Bloomington) A set of institutional and pedagogical pressures threaten to undermine authentic, joyous, and effective learning in intensive writing courses, which are a cross-curriculum feature of many GenEd programs. This panel overviews an IW course pilot intent on disentangling grading from learning through the design of a modified version of specifications grading used in conjunction with formative and summative writing assessments.
EA 1021	Susan D. Blum book signing and chat
12 noon - 1:00pm	Networking Lunch - University Grill
1:10-1:40pm	Concurrent Session #3
EA 1013	Measuring Fun in Student Game Projects: A Qualitative Analysis Rob Howard, Luchcha Lam, Alexander Wills (Purdue University) Students in game development programs develop game projects. These projects form the basis of student portfolios. The study analyzed participants’ open-ended responses to three questions regarding enjoyment and attributes of student-created game projects (N = 85, students in game development classes). Results demonstrated that players valued movement of the player avatar, narrative content, and exploration of the game environment.
EA 1015	Hope as Transdisciplinary Inquiry: A Course Design Workshop Ellen Moll (Michigan State University) Courses that grapple with “wicked problems” help students integrate their learning into issues they care about, but may also leave students feeling hopeless as they discover how complex and challenging these problems can be. This session theorizes hope as a process of transdisciplinary inquiry that teaches students how to understand and act on their own agency.
EA 1017	Impostor Phenomenon in Undergraduates at a Small Private University Jessica Hinson, Dylan McWilliams, Mitchell Block, Karen Kier (Ohio Northern University) This study observed the prevalence of imposter phenomenon (IP) among students attending Ohio Northern University (ONU) utilizing the validated Clance Imposter Phenomenon Scale. Investigators hypothesized based on previous literature that students in the College of Pharmacy would experience more intense IP feelings than in other colleges. Results demonstrated that students “frequently experience imposter feelings” in all five colleges at ONU.
EA 1019 (Zoom Presentation)	Reinvention of the Teacher: The Camera as Classroom Carla-Elaine Johnson (Saint Paul College) The current pandemic forced a reinvention of the teacher. Part-theater, part-academic, student comprehension and academic success now depends in part on how well the camera is used as the classroom. This study explores how teaching needs changed to best utilize virtual classroom techniques in Zoom- synchronous composition and literary courses at an urban community college.
1:40-2:20pm	Poster Sessions - EA 1010
EA 1010	Effects of Extracurriculars on College Student GPA and Mental Health Austin Burkhart, Jason Guy, Morgan Knerr, Hannah Henning (University of Findlay College of Pharmacy) Extracurriculars are commonly encouraged for college students to gain experiential education and build resumes; however, supporting literature regarding the correlation between extracurricular activities and GPA as a measure of academic performance is incomplete. This poster focuses on analyzing results of a survey given to students to depict trends between hours spent on extracurriculars each week with GPA and mental health. Understanding College Students with Disabilities: Laws, Self-determination, and Resources Kate Jones, Jeong Il Cho (Purdue University Fort Wayne) The anonymous online survey study investigated the level of understanding of college students with disabilities on laws, self-advocacy, self-determination, campus and community resources. College students with disabilities had a strong understanding of self-determination, self-advocacy, and campus resources, but reported a lack of understanding about the laws and community resources. Authentic Learning through Podcasts in a Pharmacy Course Jason Guy (University of Findlay College of Pharmacy) The use of podcasts in higher education has not been researched extensively. Podcasts offer an engaging way to review and discuss content covered in a course. This poster focuses on the development and rationale for a podcast assignment in a pharmacy course and advantages and challenges associated with its use. Accounting for Student Loan Debt in Our Teaching Hubert Izienicki (Purdue University Northwest) The increased cost of college and its corresponding student loan debt has changed students’ relationship with higher education, but has it changed how college instructor teach? In this presentation, I consider if and how our teaching should change in response to students’ financial burdens. I argue that an authentic and joyous approach to learning must account for students’ financial experiences. Sustaining Teaching During a Crisis Julie Saam (Indiana University Kokomo), Marcia Dixson (Purdue University Fort Wayne) This poster will explore two questions about teaching during a crisis: 1. What factors (time, motivation and/or support) are necessary for high quality teaching, satisfaction with the job of teaching, and/or liking what we do as teachers? 2. What specific things do teachers find motivating, find supportive and/or need time to do in order to maintain effective teaching? A Pedestrian Pedagogy: The Pleasure of Praxis AJ Schmitz (Indiana University South Bend) Walking is the most effective heuristic through which contemporary pedagogies should be understood. The act of walking—specifically urban walking—is presented as the model which all approaches to course construction should be viewed and offers significant opportunities to allow experience to construct expertise.
2:20-2:50pm	Concurrent Session #4
EA 1013	The Integration of Simulation into Courses Robert Bennett (Indiana University South Bend) Join this session for the opportunity to brainstorm and initially plan a simulation for your classroom. Learn about the benefits of simulation for student growth and development. Then, participate in small groups to (a) identify part of a course for simulation, (b) define the purpose of the simulation, (c) create objectives for the simulation, and (d) list simulation materials.
EA 1015	What We Wish We Knew: Insights from Novice Ungraders Kyle Schwieterman, Jake Mattox, Diane Economakis, Monica Tetzlaff (Indiana University South Bend) The concept of “ungrading” a classroom can be daunting, and you may be asking how you can apply it to your classroom. In this panel instructors from various disciplines will explain how the tackled the concept of ungrading by sharing tips, tricks, course materials, and the “what we wish we knew” stories that they’ve experienced and created.
EA 1017	High Impact Practices to Foster Personal and Professional Growth Jenny Deranek (Indiana University South Bend) The journey to senior year of college is often met with excitement and apprehension. High-impact practices can be integrated into seminar/capstone courses to deepen the connection to program-level content and support student development. These practices foster opportunities for students to move from technical training in career-specific courses to focus on soft skills that will benefit their personal and professional growth.

3:00-4:00 pm	Quick Hits - EA 1011
	Question of the Day: Developing Collegiality in Classrooms Keely Floyd (IUPUI) Incorporating Civic Action Projects into In-Person and Online Courses Elizabeth Bennion (IU South Bend) The Application of Experiential Learning in Marketing Settings Yllka Azemi (IU Northwest) Growing Diversity Awareness: The Diversity Index Assignment Kathy Ritchie (IU South Bend) Build 'Em UP! A Creative Teamwork Action Activity HelenMarie Harmon (IU Northwest) Using Discord to Promote Student Dialogue and Engagement Elizabeth Bennion (IU South Bend) Building Writing Skills by Incorporating a Team Approach Marshelia Harris (IU Northwest) Co-creation Course in Learning and Teaching as an Antiracist Perspective Tarek Zidan (IU South Bend)

Thank You to the Consortium Members
Indiana University South Bend University of Notre Dame Saint Mary's College Holy Cross College Purdue University Fort Wayne Valparaiso University Ivy Tech Community College	Indiana University Northwest Purdue University Northwest Southwestern Michigan College Aurora University Michigan State University Indiana State University
Thank You to the SoTL Committee Members
Raman Adaikkalavan (IU South Bend) Alex Ambrose (University of Notre Dame) Linda Behrendt (Indiana State University) Jeong-il Cho (Purdue University Fort Wayne) Marcia Dixson (Purdue University Fort Wayne) Terri Hebert (Saint Mary's College) Emily Hixon (Purdue University Northwest) Beth Kern (IU South Bend) Gisele Kuhn (Andrews University) Joel Langston (IU South Bend) Caleb Lewis (Aurora University) Amanda McKendree (University of Notre Dame)	Cody Miller (Southwestern Michigan College) Ellen Moll (Michigan State University) Amy Pawlosky (IU South Bend) Felicia Reid-Metoyer (Holy Cross College) Cynthia Rutz (Valparaiso University) Carolyn Schult (IU South Bend) Tiziana Serafini (University of Notre Dame) Sheila Smyth (IU South Bend) Jay VanderVeen (IU South Bend) Kathryn Waltz-Freel (Ivy Tech North Central) Chris Young (Indiana University Northwest) Chenfeng Zhang (Indiana University Northwest)

2022 Midwest SoTL Program

Welcome!

Poster Sessions - EA 1010