Faculty Spotlight: Fig Lefevre - Twine for Gamified Learning
Gamification in educational settings has gained attention for its effects on motivating students and enhancing cognitive and behavioral learning outcomes (Sailer & Homner, 2019). It involves using game design elements in non-game contexts (Deterding et al., 2011). For example, integrating game-like features such as points or leaderboards can enhance traditional learning activities (Landers et al., 2018). Gamification can also refer to designing games with specific learning outcomes; students achieve educational goals by engaging directly with the gameplay (Plass et al., 2011).
Faculty Spotlight: Michael Pease - Increasing Student Resilience with The Positivity and Relaxation Training Program (PART)
Research on student wellbeing is on the rise due to growing recognition of its importance in student academic success (Kaya & Erdem, 2021). Academic institutions and teachers play a central role in fostering learning environments that support student well-being (Baik et al., 2019; Schmitz, 2024). In an effort to increase student resilience on campus, Michael Pease MS, MPPA, CPT, CHC, CYT, MHC, the UMass/BHI Health Promotion Specialist on campus implemented The Positivity and Relaxation Training (PART) course.
Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Sofija Zagarins - Universal Design for Learning Made Easier with Canvas
As online learning continues to grow, learners come from more diverse backgrounds (Dabbagh, 2007) and require various accommodations (Kumi-Yeboah et al., 2020; Markey et al., 2023). Dr. Sofija Zagarins, a lecturer in Epidemiology at the School of Public Health and Health Sciences (SPHHS), UMass Amherst, and an experienced online instructor, has been working to ensure equitable access for all of her students to her online courses.
Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Jennie Donohue - Practicing Mindfulness and Tech Breaks in Classrooms
Recent research on college student well-being has emphasized the importance of understanding college student ‘burnout’ and its effects on student academic achievement (Madigan & Curran, 2021), dropout rate (Marôco et al., 2020), and motivation to learn (Chang et al., 2016). Student ‘burnout’ – which can be characterized by...
Dr. Bjorn Nordtveit - Keeping Students Engaged with Mentimeter
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced many educators to shift to teaching online, instructors had to innovate, adapt, and find new ways to interact with their students (Dhawan, 2020; Hodges et al., 2020). Keeping students involved and interested can be particularly challenging online, but it is crucial for success in....
Prof. Lisa Lehmberg - Human Library for Music Education Dialogue
Seeking to bring more personal connections and experiential learning into her online courses, Professor of Music Education Lisa Lehmberg was inspired by the Human Library project. In this non-profit learning platform, printed books are replaced with human ones: it’s a safe space where...
Dr. Kelly Klingler - Course Undergraduate-based Research Experience (CUREs)
Undergraduate research experience is a high-impact learning practice that offers myriad benefits for students. Being involved in real-world research strengthens their academic foundation and enhances their professional and personal...
Dr. Dandan Xu - Gamifying Student Presentations
Fields like engineering are often viewed as rigorous and rigid—consisting of complex equations, detailed diagrams, and structured protocols. The ‘seriousness’ of the topic can leave instructors, and students, feeling as though there is...
Dr. Brokk Toggerson - 3D Printing and Equity
Making content and concepts accessible for all of his students is at the forefront of Dr Brokk Toggerson’s mind. As he designs and iterates on aspects of his physics courses, he is informed by the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) guidelines....