Elizabethtown College’s Teaching & Learning Design Studio has continued its dedication to supporting faculty success and enhancing teaching methods through a variety of initiatives this fall. The Studio has continued to expand its role after new initiatives began last year under the guidance of the Director of the Teaching & Learning Design Studio Katie Caprino.

“Faculty and students come to Etown because of the emphasis we have on strong, excellent teaching, and the Studio sees its role as supporting that part of the College’s aim,” Caprino said. “We are grateful that our dedicated team, who immerses itself in all things teaching and learning in the higher education landscape, has the opportunity to play a role in supporting our wonderful faculty and instructional staff to continue to be wonderful teachers to our students.”

The Studio provides support to instructors through many avenues, including confidential coaching sessions, design thinking sessions, and engagement with faculty and instructional staff to learn how they can best support teaching practices. They have also provided a variety of events and initiatives throughout the semester.

Jay Bites Programming

JayBites is the Teaching & Learning Design Studio’s lunch-and-learn series, carried out three times per semester. Faculty and instructional staff are invited to facilitate informal discussions about teaching topics. The topics are often determined by the topics that faculty and instructional staff would like to discuss and are based on higher education best practices and literature.

The Studio plans to continue the programming in the spring.

Summer Disruptor Work  

Associate Professor of English Tara Moore and Professor of Psychology Jean Pretz were selected as the Studio’s 2024 Summer Disruptors. Faculty and instructional staff can apply to work with the Studio as a summer disruptor each spring. Summer disruptors select one part of their teaching style to disrupt and improve over the summer, and the Studio staff provides coaching as faculty and instructional staff work on their projects.

Moore’s project centered around Artificial Intelligence (AI) in her English courses, working with literature-based ideas about AI and altering her Business Writing course. She will now serve as an AI expert to faculty around campus.

Pretz worked on creativity in one of her psychology courses, developing new assignments and gaining ideas for future implementation. She will present on creativity in the classroom at the Studio’s Teaching Mini-Conference on Jan. 9.

The Studio will name new summer disruptors in 2025.

Learning Design Fellows

The Studio’s Learning Design Fellows, Biology Lab Coordinator Sarah Noveral and School of Graduate and Professional Studies (SGPS) Assessment and Curriculum Coordinator Matt Bergman have continued their work this semester on their individualized projects.

Noveral has incorporated six different hands-on models into lab activities, increasing student engagement during labs. She’s implemented the process in seven different lab sections and has reached more than 140 students. She will present her results at the Studio’s Teaching Mini-Conference on Jan. 9.

“The Studio has been a very helpful resource for making cross-disciplinary connections across campus,” Noveral said. “I have collaborated with individuals on campus outside of my department that I may not otherwise have worked with, who can help me troubleshoot or discuss challenges from a different perspective.”

Bergman is exploring how cutting-edge technology and AI can transform learning by enhancing access, engagement, and inclusion. As part of his project, he’s spoken at conferences, offered one-on-one coaching, organized an AI Virtual Summit, and developed a new certificate program to help educators integrate AI into the classroom.

During his project, Bergman has delved into the application of AI through the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework and is working on the creation of a website and collection of resources to provide tools for enhancing learning.

“I am deeply grateful for the support of the Studio,” Bergman said. “I truly appreciate the guidance that has helped me stay focused on my goal: equipping students and faculty at Etown with the tools and resources needed to implement AI effectively in the classroom.” 

Support for Physician Assistant Faculty

Each semester, the Studio works closely with faculty in the Physician Assistant (PA) Studies program in a variety of ways. This year, Assistant Director of the Teaching & Learning Design Studio and Instructional Technologist Sharon Birch has been providing workshops on how to use digital learning tools.

In October and November, Birch led two workshop sessions with all the PA Studies faculty on developing effective and transparent assignments and rubrics. She plans to present to faculty on the topic again before the start of the spring semester.

Day of Warmth

To celebrate the hard work of Etown faculty and instructional staff, the Studio hosted an end-of-semester Day of Warmth, giving out cocoa and tea packets.