Curriculum in Focus (Asynchronous Session)
Avant-Garde as Pedagogy: Redefining the College Classroom View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Marci Mazzarotto
This paper is based on a practical research article that seeks to add to the existing, yet limited discourse on utilizing avant-garde inspired methods in the college classroom, particularly to foster higher levels of student engagement and promote critical and creative thinking among students – two common pedagogical issues. Central to modern avant-garde movements such as Dada, Surrealism, and Futurism, was the development and dissemination of easy, simple, creative, and collaborative methods that sought to disrupt established art practices, in turn shifting the power from institution to artist. In re-adapting these practical methods, while grounding them within the theories of critical pedagogy, instructors foster a democratic learning environment that allows for a dynamic and engaging learning experience focused on process over product. In turn, specifics of this experimental research will be shared, along with historical context, and practical pedagogical examples that are designed to be re-adapted and re-invented in classrooms across disciplines and grade levels.
Influence of Personal Variables about Motivation or Barriers to the Practice of Physical Exercise in Adolescents View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Iago Portela, Victor Dominguez Rodriguez
The present study analyzes the relationship between different personal characteristics of adolescents (gender, age, body mass index, habitual practice) and the motivation or barriers that determine the practice of physical exercise. A stratified probability sampling was carried out on 852 Compulsory and Post-Compulsory Secondary Education students aged 11 to 18 years (M: 14.9; SD: 1.75), who answered the Report on Motives for the Practice of Physical Exercise (AMPEF), and the Self-report of Barriers to the Practice of Physical Exercise (ABPEF). The data obtained show important differences in motivation and barriers to the practice of physical exercise. Likewise, they also suggest that as age advances, motivation decreases and barriers in physical exercise practice increase, that the higher the body mass index increases motivation and barriers, and a regular practice of physical exercise improves motivation and decreases physical activity barriers. It is concluded that the results obtained may be of interest for the design of healthy programs for prevention or intervention processes in adolescent populations.
Teaching Digital Media in the English Major View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Mark Mabrito
My paper focuses on a course designed for English majors to teach them about digital media. The course promoted experiential learning by providing opportunities for students to network and produce digital projects for local nonprofits. Additionally, students were challenged to learn a variety of digital tools to create new and innovative projects for their selected organizations. The course addressed several critical needs both within the classroom and in the community. Many students in the humanities lack experience working with and understanding the rhetorical affordances of digital media. As students acquired this knowledge in the classroom, they then produced digital marketing projects for their local nonprofit while building their individual portfolios. Many of these organizations otherwise would not have the funds/resources to produce such projects on their own. Additionally, the course featured a series of digital badges that students could earn to frame and market their digital skills to future employers. The impetus behind the course design was to provide an online framework where students critically thought about digital media for real-world applications, both inside and outside of the traditional classroom, with classmates and with external audiences. Sample student projects included infographics, podcasts, screencasts, vlogs, meme campaigns, among others. As a result of this approach, students synthesized course concepts in unique ways, gained valuable skills working with digital media, and provided a service to the local nonprofit community.
Bringing the Newsroom to the Classroom: Journalism Teachers Find Professional Experience Helps Improve Their Teaching View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Bradley Wilson
It’s been 20 years since California scholastic media adviser Karl Grubaugh examined how professional media and scholastic media work together. To cut to the chase, not much has changed. Although advisers from all over the country said they wanted to work closely with the pros in their area and would even do an internship, few advisers took advantage of any opportunities to work with the pros in the way that, for example, medical school students work with doctors. The ones who did take the time to work with the pros acknowledge through qualitative and quantitative techniques that it helped improve their classroom performance and the opportunities they were able to give their students. This paper reviews, as prior research dating as far back as 1938 shows, concrete experience leads to better learning.
Virtual Histology Laboratory: Improved Learning Experience and Outcomes with Interactive Learning Component in the Covid-19 Pandemic View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Lauren Balentine, Austin Couvillion, Lu Xu
Histology laboratory at Tulane University School of Medicine (TUSOM) adapted to Covid-19 social distancing restrictions by creating an entirely online virtual laboratory session. Due to potential for decreased engagement within a restricted online environment, efforts have been made to increase interaction between students and instructors. A 30-minute interactive clicker session, during which students respond to questions via polling applications and then receive immediate feedback from instructor, was incorporated into each histology lab. Our hypothesis is that the interactive clicker session 1) did not impact attendance, 2) did not decrease exam performance, and 3) positively contributed to students’ histology learning experience. Attendance, module exam grades, satisfaction ratings and surveys from first-year medical students at TUSOM from years 2018-2019, 2019-2020, and 2020-2021 were analyzed. Content analysis was performed for each module survey since the transition to virtual & the incorporation of the clicker session. The transition to completely virtual labs and incorporation of interactive clicker session did not significantly impact attendance, reporting at 90-95% across all modules. Exam grades were not significantly impacted, and in fact a significant increase in academic performance was observed. Mean satisfaction scores increased compared to previous years. Majority of students’ comments were positive (83.4%), with 4.8% explicitly mentioning the clicker questions as the main positive element of the session. Based on our findings, we believe the interactive clicker session is a beneficial tool for histology instruction, could be easily implemented by other institutions, and has potential for positively enhancing the learning process across undergraduate medical curriculum.
The Conceptual in the Skill: The Approaches to Learning from the Concept Perspective View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Sumit Mandhwani
The International Baccalaureate adopted the Approaches to Teaching and Learning (ATT and ATL) across all its programmes. It is one of the defining elements of the IB framework. However, the ATL and ATT are crucial for any good classroom instruction. In this paper, I argue that using the Concept Based Curriculum and Instruction framework by Dr. Lynn Erickson and Dr. Lois Lanning can make skills more transferable and lead to deeper learning. The way knowledge in the subjects is made conceptual paves way for skills to be rethought and reimagined in that way. In this study, I am essentially brining the Approaches to Learning and Teaching in conversation with Concept Based Learning and Teaching. Using exploratory research. The research is essentially an introduction to a concept based outlook to skills.
The Role of Chaplain Students’ Narrative and Self-Identity in Development as a Hospital Chaplain and Authentic Leader View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Tahara Akmal
Historically, the image of the hospital chaplain has been a white, male Christian clergyperson who shows up to offer a prayer for patients at the end of life. Today, hospital chaplains are diverse in spiritual and religious expression, culture, and gender, with several roles within their institutions. In addition to assessing patients, the patient's loved ones, and the hospital staff's spiritual, religious, and emotional needs, the chaplain is a leader with positional authority within the hospital. As a leader serving a vulnerable population, ethically, chaplains must understand how their personal history impacts their sense of self, authenticity, identity, and ministry. Contemporary interest in chaplaincy is an opportunity to review components of chaplaincy education. Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) programs are where chaplains complete clinical ministry training. CPE programs are designed to help students understand the lived experiences that have shaped their identity and what they bring to their role as a chaplain. The first exploration in CPE is for students to understand their spiritual or religious heritage. What were they taught in childhood about God, religion or spirituality, and humanity? The second area of exploration is for students to understand their life history. What are their family system dynamics, close or disconnected relationships, and significant life events? Third, students explore how to utilize their story to connect with others to be an empathic compassionate presence. This paper describes these explorations as being foundational experiences for chaplain students to become competent, ethical chaplains and authentic leaders.
