{"id":374,"date":"2025-05-09T18:58:39","date_gmt":"2025-05-09T18:58:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/ctl-2025\/?page_id=373"},"modified":"2026-04-23T19:53:57","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T19:53:57","slug":"presentations","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/ctl-2026\/presentations\/","title":{"rendered":"Presentations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
9:30 AM – 10:10 AM<\/summary>\n
\n

Using AI to Increase Student Engagement and Interest in Course Content and Skill Development<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Jon Spike<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This presentation explores the use of personalized weekly instructor messaging and student choice opportunities to improve student engagement and perceived value of course content for Generation Alpha learners. Drawing on research highlighting Gen Alpha\u2019s preference for authentic, relevant, and individualized communication and assessment, the project uses student survey data and a secure AI tool to align weekly course material with students\u2019 academic goals, interests, and career aspirations. The session will also explore AI-infused projects to engage generation alpha learners in authentic experimentation with emerging tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Room: UC261<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Learning Chemistry: What a Pitch<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Steven Girard<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This presentation outlines an entrepreneurial pitch project embedded in introductory undergraduate chemistry courses that connects core chemical concepts to real\u2011world problem solving. Students work in teams to develop and present short pitches proposing chemistry\u2011based products, processes, or services, integrating course content with innovation and societal impact. The session shares project design, interdisciplinary collaboration with business and entrepreneurship partners, and assessment strategies used to evaluate student learning, communication, and engagement\u2014highlighting how the model aligns with Generation Alpha\u2019s preference for purpose\u2011driven, collaborative, and applied learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Room: UC262<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Reducing Student Cognitive Load and Boosting Motivation through Course Scaffolding<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Kim Ehrhardt<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Differences in prior knowledge have important implications for how instruction should be structured within the same classroom. This session examines the instructional value of teaching novices and experts differently, drawing on cognitive load theory, self\u2011determination theory, and research on the expertise reversal effect. An adaptive approach is described in which instructional structure is adjusted lesson by lesson to align with students\u2019 developing expertise. The session also outlines assessment strategies\u2014including readiness checks, performance data, and student surveys\u2014used to examine the impact of this differentiated approach on learning and student engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Room: UC264<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Constructing Phenomena-Centered Instructional Resources for Future Teachers<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Adam Schafer<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Learn how a collaborative professional development model helps teacher candidates design phenomena-centered units, co-create resources, and troubleshoot problems of practice. The session shares design features, participant artifacts, and discourse patterns, alongside emerging models for how future teachers shape learning environments and support peer sensemaking. Attendees will take away structures they can adapt for interdisciplinary, coherence-building instruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Room: UC266<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

10:20 AM – 11:00 AM<\/summary>\n
\n

AI for Neurodivergent Learners<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Michael Betker<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Introducing Myth-OS, a next-generation learning system that transforms how students interact with AI\u2014from passive tool use to active cognitive engagement. Built on Recursive Symbolic Intelligence, Myth-OS helps learners identify patterns in their thinking, translate insight into action, and develop creative coherence over time. Designed with neurodivergent learners in mind, the system reduces friction around executive function by structuring reflection through story, symbol, and guided interaction. Early classroom results show a measurable shift toward sustained engagement, deeper self-recognition, and more intentional creative output. This session explores how AI can move beyond efficiency toward meaning-making, and what it takes to design learning environments that meet the cognitive realities of the next generation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Room: UC261<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Designing Courses for Student Agency: Cycled, Community-Connected Courses<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Veronica Soria-Martinez<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This presentation describes a cyclic course design for teacher preparation built around four-week sequences of modeling, community of practice, planning, and teaching in community settings, followed by reflection and iteration. Grounded in the learning needs of post\u2011pandemic, digital\u2011native students, the structure prioritizes meaningful experiences, relationships, and student agency. The presentation also shares qualitative insights from student reflections, artifacts, and discussions to illustrate how the model supports learning and professional identity development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Room: UC262<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

The Syllabus as a Genre<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Amy Menzel<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Learn how prompting students to design a mini-course and mini-course syllabus \u2014 on a topic of interest or on an assigned topic related to your curriculum \u2014 can help them further develop and demonstrate their synthesis skills. A unit outline, lesson plans, and teaching materials will be shared. Student perspectives (including insight on what students want in syllabi) and student examples from English 100\/101 will also be shared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Room: UC264<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Using GIS to Empower Student Autonomy and Learning<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Jeff Olson + Eric Compas<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

GIS can promote authentic, student\u2011centered work. This session examines AI\u2011supported GIS labs and StoryMpas that use structured prompts, reflections, and comparisons with traditional workflows to help students frame analyses, generate and debug Python, and critically evaluate results. Presenters will share example tasks, scaffolds, and assessment approaches that support technical rigor, autonomy, and meaningful learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Room: UC266<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n
11:10 AM – 11:50 AM<\/summary>\n
\n

AI Tools For Student Engagement<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Nicole Weber\/Jon Spike + Brian Schanen\/Camden Harland<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

AI\u2011supported tools can extend feedback, expert presence, and student engagement in writing\u2011 and communication\u2011focused courses. We describe an approach that pairs targeted guest speaker contributions with a custom AI \u201csidekick\u201d to extend expert perspectives across the semester and support real\u2011world learning despite limited guest availability. We also explore lessons learned from piloting AI writing platforms\u2014Packback and Visable AI\u2014in undergraduate courses, focusing on real\u2011time feedback, student experience, and instructional challenges. Together, the presentations offer complementary insights into the opportunities and limits of AI\u2011mediated support for student writing and engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Room: UC261<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Blending art and science to enhance learning: Hand-Drawn Geology for Deeper Observation<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Juk Bhattacharyya<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This presentation describes the implementation of hand sketching as a learning strategy in an upper-level geology course to strengthen observation, critical thinking, and scientific communication. Designed for Generation Alpha students immersed in digital media, the project emphasizes drawing labeled sketches of rock and mineral samples to support deeper cognitive engagement than photography alone. The presentation shares course design, collaboration with an art educator, and qualitative assessments of student sketches, reflections, and peer critiques to illustrate learning gains and inform broader applications in geoscience education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Room: UC262<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Optimizing Software for Student Learning<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Davazdahemami Behrooz + Amin Aslani<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Supporting student learning in quantitative and computational courses often depends on timely feedback and structured progression from novice to more independent problem solving. This session introduces a GPT\u2011based coding coach aligned with Python for Everybody that provides stepwise hints and context\u2011aware guidance without revealing solutions. Designed to build metacognition and persistence, the tool offers immediate, personalized feedback for novice programmers, with evidence drawn from interaction patterns and learning outcomes. We also explore an inquiry\u2011based supply chain optimization module in which students model transportation problems using Excel Solver, progressing from guided cases to student\u2011designed scenarios. Assessment includes rubric\u2011based evaluations, discussion artifacts, and a brief student survey. Together, the presentations illustrate complementary approaches to supporting problem solving, feedback, and learner independence in technical courses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Room: UC264<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Student Take-Aways from Faculty-Led Travel Programs<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Sue Wildermuth\/Amal Ibrahim<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This session shares the product of a UW-Whitewater Assessment Grant project that implements IRB-approve instruments to measure student learning in faculty-led travel programs and the transformative impact of travel as a high-impact practice. The presentation highlights how qualitative reflection artifacts inform systematic assessment design and offers a transferable model for faculty\u2011led travel and other high\u2011impact learning experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Room: UC266<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

2:20 PM – 3:00 PM<\/summary>\n
\n

AI-Enhanced Course Design<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Matt Baier + David Simkins<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

AI is reshaping both instructional design processes and design\u2011based classroom practice. Presenters share case studies highlighting how AI supported content development, structure, and interactivity while remaining guided by instructional expertise. They also discuss AI use in a design\u2011based learning course, grounding practice in constructivist frameworks to explore how AI can scaffold authentic assignments and serve as a just\u2011in\u2011time learning tool. Together, the talks offer complementary perspectives on using AI thoughtfully to support learning design and student development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Room: UC261<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Using Simulations to encourage Authentic Learning<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Larry Anderson<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This presentation explores the redesign of an online simulation used in a CORE 140 Global Perspectives course to better align with the learning preferences of Generation Alpha. Rather than retrofitting the simulation into an existing structure, the project involves a front\u2011end course revision to more intentionally integrate the activity, emphasizing transparency, immediate feedback, and hands\u2011on, holistic learning. The presentation shares the rationale for the redesign, examples of revised course integration, and mixed\u2011methods assessment approaches comparing student engagement and learning outcomes in courses with and without the intervention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Room: UC262<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Promoting Campus Civil Discourse through Empathy, Humility, and Dialogue<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Mastewal Seyeneh<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This presentation profiles a campus civil discourse event engages counseling students with peers and international students to practice empathy, perspective-taking, and respectful disagreement. Pre\/post mixed-methods assessment captures shifts in cultural humility and communication skills. Implementation insights and scaling strategies will be shared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Room: UC264<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Pushing Back Against Overreliance on AI: Implementing the R.E.A.C.H. for Integrity Campaign<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Dan Stalder<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I will present results from an initiative called, \u201cR.E.A.C.H. for Integrity,\u201d a classroom initiative designed to promote ethical academic behavior and reduce overreliance on AI. R.E.A.C.H.\u2014Responsibility, Equity, Awareness, Courage, and Honesty\u2014was introduced through targeted discussion, visual reminders on assessments, and embedded references throughout the course. Drawing on survey data comparing participating classes with a control group, the session shares evidence of increased student awareness of AI\u2011related risks and stronger intentions to act with academic integrity, highlighting the approach\u2019s potential for scalable, cross\u2011disciplinary application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Room: UC266<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

3:10 PM – 3:50 PM<\/summary>\n
\n

Using an AI Teaching Assistant: Ups, downs, and student outcomes<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

David Beyea<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This project examines the use of AI-powered Teaching Assistants (AITAs) embedded in university courses to support the learning needs of Generation Alpha. Students in Dr. Beyea\u2019s classes receive 24\/7 access to an AI assistant that provides responsive, personalized support for course content and assignments. By aligning with Generation Alpha\u2019s preference for immediate feedback and intuitive technology, this initiative aims to inform future models of inclusive teaching support in higher education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Room: UC261<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Teaching Students Professionalism and Career Readiness<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Lynn Gilbertson\/Cody Busch + Kim Apel\/Pilar Joseph\/Grace Peterson\/Tarryl Janik<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Faculty and academic staff play a key role in helping students develop and communicate professional and career\u2011readiness skills. This session introduces a formative and summative assessment framework designed to support student growth in professional disposition skills that are essential for workplace success but often difficult to define and measure. We will also explore how instructors can make career\u2011readiness more visible by integrating the NACE Career Readiness Competencies into coursework, syllabi, and classroom conversations. Together, these presentations offer practical strategies for clarifying expectations, strengthening assessment, and helping students recognize and articulate transferable skills developed through their academic work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Room: UC262<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Feedback Reimagined: Moving from Surveys to Solutions<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Heather Pelzel\/Kim Naber<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Relying solely on end\u2011of\u2011course evaluations limits instructors\u2019 ability to respond to students while learning is still underway. This session proposes formative, just\u2011in\u2011time feedback strategies that support responsive teaching throughout the semester. Highlighted approaches include low\u2011stakes mid\u2011semester surveys, student consultants or focus groups, and digital backchannels that allow instructors to gather and act on feedback in real time. Emphasis is placed on transparently closing the feedback loop with students to build agency, trust, and instructional effectiveness, while also offering an alternative to traditional end\u2011of\u2011semester evaluation practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Room: UC264<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Leveraging Navigate for Student Success<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Jessica Stein\/Esther Frontuto\/Nathan Callope<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So you’ve documented something in Navigate, now what? Join the Navigate team to see what the student experience in Navigate looks like, and how what you do in the platform impacts students. We’ll explore the student app, interventions, features in Navigate, and answer any questions you have about the platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Room: UC266<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Posters<\/summary>\n
\n

Blending Inquiry, Writing, and Critical AI Engagement<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Andrea Romero<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Inquiry\u2011based learning provides a strong foundation for teaching both research skills and responsible AI use. This project engages students in developing an environmental science research grant proposal, beginning with independent research and drafting before introducing AI as a reflective feedback tool alongside peer and instructor input. A mixed\u2011methods assessment evaluates changes in students\u2019 research skills, writing confidence, and perceptions of AI\u2019s role in the learning process.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

AI Use with Accountability: What Students Report and Learn<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Anna Lindell<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Balancing ethical AI use with limited instructional time is an ongoing challenge in undergraduate teaching. This project examines a pragmatic course\u2011level AI policy designed to support Generation Alpha students\u2019 critical engagement with AI through a reflective \u201cAI statement\u201d approach. Students are permitted limited AI use for tasks such as brainstorming and editing, while documenting and evaluating how AI supported their work. Drawing on descriptive data from multiple undergraduate courses, the project highlights patterns in self\u2011reported AI use, student perceptions of AI\u2019s usefulness, and relationships between AI use and academic performance to inform realistic, transferable AI policy design.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Leveling Up Theatre\/Dance: Craft, Credentials, and Pathways<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Bruce Cohen<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rethinking arts education for Generation Alpha calls for programs that emphasize skill development, clarity of progression, and real\u2011world relevance. This project introduces the design of a reimagined Theatre and Dance curriculum that prioritizes craft\u2011centric, credential\u2011integrated pathways over abstract, passion\u2011only models. Drawing on game\u2011theory principles, the proposed structure organizes coursework and credentials as progressive levels with clear skill development, prerequisites, and industry\u2011aligned outcomes. The poster outlines the envisioned core curriculum, differentiated BFA and BA pathways, and early design work on modular credentials, partnerships, and AI\u2011enhanced feedback, offering a forward\u2011looking model for Gen\u2011Alpha\u2011ready performing arts education.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Real-World Data, Real-World Storytelling in Advanced Stats<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Charu Rajapaksha<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Replacing traditional exams with authentic, student\u2011driven assessment can deepen engagement in advanced statistics courses. This project redesigns the final assessment in an upper\u2011level statistics course by introducing a data\u2011based project in which students select and analyze real\u2011world datasets connected to their personal or professional interests. Applying experimental design and ANOVA techniques, students communicate findings through multimedia formats that emphasize collaboration and interpretation. The project aligns with Generation Alpha\u2019s preference for personalized, authentic learning while strengthening applied statistical reasoning and peer\u2011to\u2011peer learning through a structured project showcase and feedback process.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

From Classroom to Career: Integrating Professional Development Through a Career Compass Project Framework<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Courtney Powers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Supporting Generation Alpha learners requires course designs that foreground collaboration, inquiry, and digital fluency. This poster focuses on the design and execution of a scaffolded inquiry career compass project in an applied workplace competencies course. Supported by the UWW Teaching and Learning Grant, this project guided students through career exploration, informational interviews, and team\u2011based resource development that connects academic learning to professional pathways. Ultimately, this project illustrates how personalized, collaborative learning environments can enhance student engagement, skill development, professional development, and readiness for a connected, technology\u2011driven workplace.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Designing Tabletop Stories: A Collaborative Media Lab<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Donald Jellerson<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Interactive storytelling offers a powerful way to build media literacy and creativity for Generation Alpha learners. This project designs a collaborative storytelling laboratory that uses tabletop role\u2011playing games (TTRPGs) as a framework for student\u2011driven inquiry and creation. Grounded in emergent digital storytelling practices, students analyze existing TTRPG models and \u201cactual play\u201d formats before designing humanist\u2011centered games and producing recorded storytelling performances for online platforms. Through research, game design, and audio\u2011visual production, students move from content consumers to content creators, developing transferable storytelling and media skills while exploring how interactive narratives can foster connection, creativity, and positive social impact.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Communicating Personal Sampling: An Industrial Hygiene Case<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Donna Vosburgh<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Communicating effectively during personal sampling is a critical yet challenging skill for early\u2011career safety professionals. This project develops a new case study for an upper\u2011level Industrial Hygiene course that focuses on strengthening students\u2019 communication skills when entering a worker\u2019s personal space. Recognizing that Generation Alpha students may have fewer in\u2011person professional interactions and heightened concerns about public failure, the case study emphasizes realistic sampling scenarios, effective communication strategies, and techniques for de\u2011escalation and emotional regulation. Developed in collaboration with experts from the American Industrial Hygiene Association\u2019s Aerosol Technology Committee, the project addresses a gap in existing instructional materials by preparing students to engage workers with confidence, authenticity, and professionalism before entering the workforce.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Game-Based Quizzes for Applied Stats with Kahoot.<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Dulanjalee Devage Dona<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Game\u2011based practice offers a promising way to increase engagement in introductory statistics. This project develops a homework platform using Flippity to supplement traditional worksheets with interactive activities such as flashcards, matching tasks, and quizzes focused on core statistical concepts including data collection, distributions, confidence intervals, and hypothesis testing. Designed with Generation Alpha in mind, the project emphasizes instant feedback, experimentation, and a sense of progress to support motivation and conceptual understanding. Assessment compares traditional and game\u2011based homework using quizzes, student surveys, and cognitive load measures to examine differences in learning, engagement, and perceived effort.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Macro, Simplified: Gamified Data Hunts and Instant Feedback<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Eylem Ersal<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Adapting economics instruction for Generation Alpha requires attention to how students process information and engage with content. This project redesigns a Principles of Macroeconomics course to emphasize low\u2011stakes, interactive learning activities aligned with contemporary information\u2011processing styles. Using a literacy\u2011targeted approach, the course pares down content to reduce cognitive overload and make room for collaborative, game\u2011based in\u2011class activities that provide instant feedback. Activities such as data\u2011collection \u201chunts\u201d and AI cross\u2011checking tasks engage students in applied economic reasoning while fostering critical evaluation of data sources and AI\u2011generated information. Assessment strategies\u2014including pre\/post quizzes, activity artifacts, exam comparisons, and engagement observations\u2014are used to examine impacts on learning, retention, and student engagement in a fast\u2011paced, tech\u2011mediated learning environment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Teaching Python with GenAI: Personalized, Responsible Support<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Hairi Fnu<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Introducing students to programming in an AI\u2011rich environment requires balancing personalization with critical thinking. This project integrates generative AI tools into an Introduction to Python programming course to support Generation Alpha students\u2019 learning preferences through AI\u2011powered coding assistants and adaptive practice activities. Students receive immediate, personalized feedback while being guided to critically evaluate and revise AI\u2011generated code, rather than relying on it unreflectively. Dedicated instructional sessions address effective and ethical AI use, and assessment through student surveys and reflections examines engagement, problem\u2011solving confidence, and perceptions of AI\u2019s role in learning Python, offering insight into responsible GenAI integration in introductory computing courses.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Small Questions, Shared Inquiry: A Supportive Community of Practice for SoTL<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Jess Bonjour, Heather Pelzel, Nadine Kriska<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This poster shares a new Community of Practice designed to bring faculty and instructional staff together around the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). The focus is on creating a friendly, low pressure space where people can explore teaching ideas, develop small SoTL projects, and support one another along the way. The poster gives an overview of how the group connects from summer into the academic year and how simple structures help turn everyday teaching questions into meaningful inquiry. Overall, viewers will see how a small, supportive community can spark new ideas, encourage reflective teaching, and help participants feel more comfortable sharing their work\u2014offering a model that others can easily adapt on their own campuses.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

The Unessay in Human Evolution: Creative Paths to Understanding<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Jess Walz<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Creative assessment formats can deepen engagement with complex scientific content, particularly for Generation Alpha students. This project implements a scaffolded \u201cunessay\u201d final project in a Human Evolution course, replacing a traditional written exam with interdisciplinary, student\u2011designed work. Students connect biological anthropology concepts to artistic, cultural, or applied formats such as visual art, playlists, games, marketing campaigns, podcasts, or hands\u2011on experimentation. The project blends scientific understanding with creative critical thinking, allowing students from diverse majors to leverage their strengths while deepening conceptual learning. Assessment includes student reflection, peer feedback in a museum\u2011style showcase, and instructor evaluation aligned with course learning objectives, highlighting the value of creative assessment in non\u2011lab science education.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Reframing Information Literacy for Gen Alpha<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Katie McBride Moench<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Evaluating the credibility of information has become increasingly complex for Generation Alpha students navigating constant access to online and AI\u2011generated content. This project focuses on identifying contemporary information literacy needs among Gen Alpha learners and developing instructional supports for pre\u2011service librarians who work with them. Following a review of existing research on Generation Alpha and information literacy, the project designs and implements curriculum within a Library Media program to address credibility assessment across both academic and everyday contexts. Feedback from pre\u2011service librarians and K\u201312 educators will guide refinement, with the long\u2011term goal of creating transferable information\u2011literacy supports relevant to future librarians and first\u2011year university instruction.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Making Chemistry Visible: Teaching Image Accessibility<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Kim Naber<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Digital accessibility offers a powerful entry point for engaging Generation Alpha students in chemistry learning. This project integrates accessibility\u2011centered activities that ask students to evaluate and create image captions for chemically relevant visuals, including graphs, molecular structures, and particulate\u2011level representations. Students refine captions to accurately communicate chemical meaning for screen\u2011reader access and then recreate images based solely on descriptions. Assessment includes pre\u2011 and post\u2011surveys on perceptions of accessibility and comparisons of quiz performance on image interpretation, examining gains in molecular\u2011level understanding and awareness of inclusive scientific communication.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

The Crime Media Lab: Analyzing Crime Narratives Across Platforms<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Krista McQueeney<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Crime in the Digital Age reshapes how students understand deviance, justice, and social control. This project redesigns an introductory criminology course around the Crime Media Lab, a collaborative digital research archive where students collect and analyze crime\u2011related content from social media platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, Instagram, and X. Through weekly contributions and analysis, students examine how crime is represented, sensationalized, and debated online while applying criminological theory to real\u2011world digital contexts. The poster outlines the structure of the archive, student\u2011generated research artifacts, and assessment strategies that emphasize applied analysis, pattern recognition, and critical engagement with contemporary crime narratives.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Grading for Growth: Pass\/Fail to Elevate Design Process<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Matthew Imhoff<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Product\u2011focused thinking can limit learning in design\u2011based courses, particularly for Generation Alpha students who tend to practice privately and share work only when complete. This project examines the use of pass\/fail grading in an advanced stage design and technology course as a way to shift attention from grades to process, experimentation, and collaborative feedback. By replacing letter grades with milestone\u2011based feedback that emphasizes skill development and progress, the course aims to encourage risk\u2011taking, transparency, and iterative design practices. Instructor observations and comparisons with graded design courses will be used to explore how pass\/fail assessment influences student engagement with process and the quality of final design work.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Scientific Literacy in Action: Four Topical Investigations<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Nadine Kriska\/Irene Broughan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Scientific literacy is a core goal of non\u2011majors biology courses, yet Generation Alpha students often struggle to evaluate the credibility of biology\u2011related information encountered online. This project introduces a series of four scaffolded assignments in an introductory biology course that ask students to analyze real\u2011world topics connected to course units such as genetics, human health, and ecology. Students investigate primary and secondary sources\u2014including peer\u2011reviewed research, popular media, and social media\u2014and use structured prompts to assess evidence, bias, and credibility. Reflection activities track changes in student confidence, perceived relevance, and reasoning, examining how repeated practice strengthens scientific literacy and informed decision\u2011making beyond the classroom.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Rethinking Plant Taxonomy with Digital Identification Tools<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Nic Tipperty<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rapid advances in digital tools are reshaping how students learn plant identification and taxonomy. This project rethinks a Plant Taxonomy course by integrating software\u2011based resources\u2014including online species databases, geospatial distribution data, and AI\u2011enabled identification tools\u2014in place of an emphasis on memorization and exclusive reliance on traditional dichotomous keys. Designed to align with Generation Alpha\u2019s technological fluency and career\u2011oriented expectations, the course focuses on applied practice, data integration, and real\u2011world relevance in plant identification. Student surveys administered throughout the semester, along with instructor reflection, are used to examine changes in students\u2019 confidence, engagement, and perceptions of the usefulness of taxonomy skills for future professional contexts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

AI-Powered Peer Collaboration in PETE<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Nikki Hollet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Preparing future educators to teach Generation Alpha requires rethinking how collaboration, feedback, and digital tools are modeled in teacher preparation. This project integrates AI\u2011supported peer collaboration into the Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) curriculum, engaging students in curating, co\u2011creating, and reflecting on multimedia resources such as videos, podcasts, and interactive guides. Guided prompts and adaptive AI feedback support student agency, digital literacy, and personalized learning while modeling instructional strategies applicable to both physical and digital classrooms. Assessment includes surveys of student engagement and confidence, rubric\u2011based evaluation of digital artifacts, observation of instructional practices in micro\u2011teaching labs, and qualitative analysis of reflective work to examine the project\u2019s impact on learning and professional preparation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Looping In Success: Peer-Built SIE Study Hub<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Pengyu Qian<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Professional certification courses demand both mastery of technical content and effective study strategies. This project introduces a collaborative digital learning platform using Microsoft Loop in a Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) course, enabling students to share study tips, practice questions, and curated online resources such as videos and blogs. Organized around exam chapters and test\u2011taking strategies, the platform supports personalized, peer\u2011driven preparation while leveraging tools students already use outside the classroom. Student surveys and exam pass rates are used to assess the project\u2019s impact, examining how collaborative resource\u2011building influences engagement, confidence, and success on the FINRA SIE exam.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

From Scroll to Studio: Teaching Voice with Social Media<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Rachel Wood<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Social media has become a primary source of musical instruction, inspiration, and misinformation for many Generation Alpha voice students. This project examines how applied voice instruction can intentionally leverage students\u2019 existing engagement with singer\u2011 and pedagogy\u2011focused online content to strengthen critical evaluation skills and personalize learning. Students analyze selected social media videos using disciplinary vocabulary and pedagogical criteria, then share and discuss their evaluations with peers. Pre\u2011 and post\u2011project surveys assess changes in students\u2019 attitudes toward online voice content and their habits as consumers of digital instruction, highlighting how guided analysis can transform passive scrolling into informed, reflective musicianship.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Reconstructing the Past: Paleontology as a Bridge from STEM to STEAM<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Rex Hanger<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Paleontology uniquely bridges STEM and STEAM, requiring scientific evidence to be interpreted through creative reconstruction. This project develops a Course\u2011Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) in which students generate artistic reconstructions\u2014both physical and digital\u2014of Silurian reef fauna using museum research collections. Through hands\u2011on access to fossil specimens and interdisciplinary inquiry, students integrate geology, biology, climate history, and artistic practice to interpret fragmentary data from deep time. Student reflections and final reconstructions will inform the expansion of this STEAM\u2011based CURE model into additional paleontology and general education courses designed to engage Generation Alpha learners through experiential, creative science learning.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

AI-Informed Lesson Planning for Music Educators<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Sharri VanAlstine<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Preparing future music educators to meaningfully integrate AI requires moving beyond tools toward thoughtful pedagogical decision\u2011making. This project embeds generative AI exploration into a music education assessment and literacy course, guiding pre\u2011service teachers through structured use, critique, and revision of AI\u2011supported lesson planning. After completing ISTE modules on AI in education, students use tools such as ChatGPT and Magic School AI to generate standards\u2011aligned music activities, then critically evaluate and adapt that content to fit learning targets, age appropriateness, and their own teaching styles. Lesson plans and peer presentations are assessed using a rubric, with instructor observations examining how guided AI use supports reflective practice, pedagogical alignment, and emerging teacher confidence.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Teaching Sentiment with AI: From Tweets to Tactics<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Soheil Kafiliveyjuyeh<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Understanding how emotion is conveyed\u2014and misread\u2014by AI is increasingly central to communication education. This project integrates a sentiment\u2011analysis tool (SentiStrength) into scaffolded modules in undergraduate communication courses, allowing students to compare AI interpretations of emotion in tweets, news coverage, and campaigns with their own human judgments. Through short, hands\u2011on activities, students analyze mismatches caused by sarcasm, culture, or context and translate insights into journalism and public relations tasks. Pre\u2011 and post\u2011assessments, reflection prompts, and rubric\u2011based evaluations examine growth in AI literacy, ethical reasoning, and confidence using data\u2011driven tools, offering a practical framework for helping Generation Alpha critically engage with AI\u2011mediated communication.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Running Real Accounts: Experiential Social Media Learning<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Tracy Khan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Experiential learning offers a powerful way to connect social media theory to real\u2011world practice for Generation Alpha students. This project embeds client\u2011based social media management into an undergraduate social media course, partnering students with local organizations to create content, analyze analytics, and grow audience engagement over the semester. By managing live accounts for nonprofits and small businesses, students gain hands\u2011on experience aligned with professional digital marketing roles while developing confidence and competence beyond passive coursework. Longitudinal surveys and reflective assignments collected throughout the semester examine changes in self\u2011efficacy, engagement, and skill development, contributing evidence on the impact of sustained experiential learning in social media education.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Advocacy Letters, Upgraded: AI-Assisted Policy Writing<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Yeongmin Kim<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Civic writing assignments offer an opportunity to combine policy analysis, advocacy, and emerging technologies. This project revises a \u201cLetter to a Legislator\u201d assignment in a Social Welfare Policy course to incorporate guided use of generative AI as a revision tool alongside instructor feedback. Students draft letters on policy issues affecting their communities, use AI tools to refine clarity and persuasiveness, and reflect on how technology\u2011assisted revision shaped their thinking. Designed to meet Generation Alpha\u2019s expectations for immediate and personalized feedback, the project examines how structured AI integration supports skill development, responsible technology use, and effective policy communication through surveys and comparative analysis of draft and final student work.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":17942,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-374","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/ctl-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/374","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/ctl-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/ctl-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/ctl-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17942"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/ctl-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=374"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/ctl-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/374\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":511,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/ctl-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/374\/revisions\/511"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uww.edu\/ctl-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=374"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}