In this episode of Limed: Teaching with a Twist, members of Team Augmentors – Krista Craven (Carleton University), Maggie Safronova (University of California Santa Barbara), Diana Gregory (Kennesaw State University), and Olivia Choplin (Elon University) – share insights from their cross-institutional research on peer mentoring programs.

Through campus scans, surveys, and in-depth interviews with program leaders across multiple campuses, their team explored how peer mentoring supports student success and equity. Their findings suggest that while these programs consistently promote access, belonging, and navigation of the hidden curriculum, the extent to which they are explicitly framed as equity-driven often depends on institutional context and climate.

We discuss the role of peer mentors in demystifying higher education, the importance of training and support, and the challenges of embedding equity and social justice into program design. As the team looks ahead to expanding their framework and studying mentor experiences more deeply, this conversation invites us to rethink mentoring as a shared, relational process that makes opportunity more visible, more accessible, and can involve student partnership at every level.

This episode was hosted and edited by Matt Wittstein, and produced by Matt Wittstein in collaboration with Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

Themes and music composed and produced by Kai Mitchell, Elon University Music Production and Recording Arts class of 2024. Kai produces music and releases it across streaming platforms with the producer’s name KVI. You can follow Kai on Instagram @theofficial_kvi.

Show art was created by Jennie Goforth, Nolan Schultheis, and Matt Wittstein.

The Center for Engaged Learning uses Rev to create transcripts for each episode.

What actually happens in a successful mentoring conversation? In this episode of Limed: Teaching with a Twist, Katia Levintova (University of Wisconsin–Green Bay) and Mario Sto. Domingo (University of Maryland, Baltimore County) share findings from their multi-institutional research on what they call mentoring moves. Through interviews with several mentor–mentee pairs across institutions in the U.S. and Europe, their team examined the specific conversational techniques mentors use and how students experience those same interactions.

We explore encouragement, human connection, navigating the hidden curriculum, reframing strengths, and the subtle dynamics that foster trust and belonging. We also discuss where mentors and mentees align — and where gaps emerge — particularly around unseen advocacy and in-the-moment mentoring.

If mentoring is one of the most important practices in higher education, this conversation invites us to think more intentionally about the moves we make.

Episode Credits

This episode was hosted and edited by Matt Wittstein, and produced by Matt Wittstein in collaboration with Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning. 

Themes and music composed and produced by Kai Mitchell, Elon University Music Production and Recording Arts class of 2024. Kai produces music and releases it across streaming platforms with the producer’s name KVI. You can follow Kai on Instagram @theofficial_kvi. 

Show art was created by Jennie Goforth, Nolan Schultheis, and Matt Wittstein.  

The Center for Engaged Learning uses Rev to create transcripts for each episode. 

In this episode, host Matt Wittstein joins fellow researchers Jenn Aumiller (University of Maryland School of Medicine), Sarah Burns Gilchrist (American University), and Alexis Hart (Allegheny College) to discuss their collaborative research on mentorship as a constellation of relationships rather than a single dyad. Sparked by shared questions about student support, belonging, and engagement, the team explores how students understand and navigate networks of meaningful, supportive, and mentoring relationships across academic and personal contexts.

Drawing on survey data, interviews, and an interactive constellation mapping process, the conversation highlights how visualizing mentorship networks can prompt reflection, surface gaps, and challenge assumptions about who “counts” as a mentor. The group reflects on key findings, including students’ realization that they themselves act as mentors, the importance of relationships beyond formal academic roles, and how mentoring needs shift over time. The episode closes with discussion of how constellation mapping might be adapted for professional development, faculty mentoring, and other non-student settings.

This episode was hosted and edited by Matt Wittstein, and produced by Matt Wittstein in collaboration with Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

Themes and music composed and produced by Kai Mitchell, Elon University Music Production and Recording Arts class of 2024. Kai produces music and releases it across streaming platforms with the producer’s name KVI. You can follow Kai on Instagram @theofficial_kvi.

Show art was created by Jennie Goforth and Matt Wittstein. ChatGPT 5.1 was used to generate the background image, with an initial prompt of “I'd like to create episode artwork for an episode titled Mapping Mentorship. I'm thinking something like an old style constellation chart." Prompts for revision included, "Let's try a concept that shows someone trying to chart the stars," and finally, "Take the people out of it, and let's just see a cartographic map of the stars and constellations."

The Center for Engaged Learning uses Rev to create transcripts for each episode.

Center for Engaged Learning participants in the 2023-2025 research seminar on Mentoring Meaningful Learning Experiences were invited to share their responses to several mentoring related questions. Karina Hamamouche (Butler University), Alexis Hart (Allegheny College), Katia Levintova (University of Wisconsin Green Bay), Gabi Pleschová (Comenius University), and Nira Rahman (University of Melbourne) recorded their responses to a few guided questions about who mentors, what mentoring looks like, and how to improve mentoring in higher education.

This episode was hosted and edited by Matt Wittstein, and produced by Matt Wittstein in collaboration with Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

Themes and music composed and produced by Kai Mitchell, Elon University Music Production and Recording Arts class of 2024. Kai produces music and releases it across streaming platforms with the producer’s name KVI. You can follow Kai on Instagram @theofficial_kvi. 

Show art was created by Jennie Goforth and Matt Wittstein with the episode-specific image generated and revised by ChatGPT 5.1 using prompts and re-iterations by Matt. 

The Center for Engaged Learning uses Rev.com to create transcripts for each episode.  

Participants from the Center for Engaged Learning's research seminar on Mentoring Meaningful Learning Experiences were invited to share their responses to several mentoring related questions. Karina Hamamouche (Butler University), Alexis Hart (Allegheny College), Katia Levintova (University of Wisconsin Green Bay), and Gabi Pleschová (Comenius University) recorded their responses to a few guided questions about practices and misconceptions in mentoring. This month, hear the first of their rapid responses and join us again next month for a few more ideas you can act on. 

This episode was hosted and edited by Matt Wittstein, and produced by Matt Wittstein in collaboration with Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

Themes and music composed and produced by Kai Mitchell, Elon University Music Production and Recording Arts class of 2024. Kai produces music and releases it across streaming platforms with the producer’s name KVI. You can follow Kai on Instagram @theofficial_kvi.

Show art was created by Jennie Goforth and Matt Wittstein.

In this episode, guests Azul Bellot and Tiffanie Grant, both Center for Engaged Learning Student Scholars at Elon University, share how mentorship has shaped their confidence, sense of belonging, and academic journeys. Through their experiences, we explore the balance of responsibility between students and faculty, the difference between transactional and transformational mentorship, and how open, authentic relationships can empower growth on both sides. Azul and Tiffanie remind us that students aren’t just recipients of mentorship – they’re active contributors to the process, offering lessons that can benefit both students and their mentors.

This episode was hosted and edited by Matt Wittstein, and produced by Matt Wittstein in collaboration with Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning, an international research center.

Themes and music composed and produced by Kai Mitchell, Elon University Music Production and Recording Arts class of 2024. Kai produces music and releases it across streaming platforms with the producer’s name KVI. You can follow Kai on Instagram @theofficial_kvi.

Show art was created by Jennie Goforth and Nolan Schultheis.

The Center for Engaged Learning uses Rev.com to create transcripts for each episode.

What can the research on mentoring teach us about building stronger, more equitable learning environments? In this episode, guests Ashley Finley, Jane Greer, and Jessie Moore unpack the scholarly roots of mentoring in higher education from foundational studies to the newest approaches shaping the field today.

They discuss how theories from psychology, feminist practice, and relationship-rich education inform mentoring across disciplines, and why understanding mentorship as both an individual experience and a systemic force matters now more than ever. Along the way, they explore key questions about intentionality, equity, and what it means to study mentoring not just as an act of support, but as a catalyst for institutional change.

This episode was hosted by hosted and edited by Matt Wittstein, and produced by Matt Wittstein in collaboration with Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

Themes and music composed and produced by Kai Mitchell, Elon University Music Production and Recording Arts class of 2024. Kai produces music and releases it across streaming platforms with the producer’s name KVI. You can follow Kai on Instagram @theofficial_kvi.

Show art was created by Jennie Goforth and Nolan Schultheis.

In this kickoff to our new season, we explore the heart of mentorship in higher education. Guests Titch Madzima, Sabrina Perkins, and Maureen Vandermass-Peeler share personal stories of the mentors who shaped their paths and reflect on what mentoring really means beyond a casual conversation over coffee.

Together, they discuss why mentoring is central to student and faculty success, the challenges institutions face in making it accessible, and why “mentoring constellations” may be the future of more inclusive and supportive academic communities. From authenticity and reciprocity to the barriers of availability and representation, this episode highlights how intentional mentoring can transform both individuals and institutions.

This episode was hosted, produced, and edited by Matt Wittstein in collaboration with Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

Original music: Kai Mitchell

Since January 20, 2025, a plethora of political activity and announcements have created instability and concern across the U.S. higher education sector, with ripple effects in the international landscape. In this episode, Denise Bartell, Senior Associate Vice President for Regional System Faculty and Student Success at Kent State University, Amy Johnson, Assistant Vice President for Academic Success at Old Dominion University, and Jessica Riddell, holds the Stephen A. Jarislowsky Chair of Undergraduate Teaching Excellence at Bishop’s University and author of Hope Circuits: Rewiring Universities and Other Organizations for Human Flourishing, join the show to have an open conversation about how higher education is being impacted by the political climate. Our conversation includes the battles around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, why higher education is worth fighting for, and seeds of hope to help us write a yet unwritten future with optimism.

This episode was hosted and edited by Matt Wittstein, and produced by Matt Wittstein in collaboration with the Center for Engaged Learning. 

Artwork: Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash (locker)  

Original music: Kai Mitchell 

Last month, we talked with student guests about artificial intelligence use in their computer science education. This month, we continue the conversation with Robert Duvall (Duke University) and Nisha Talagala (AIClub and AIClubPro) who share professional and faculty wisdom about AI in the classroom and eventually the workplace. Robert and Nisha wrestle with the tension between product and process and share some ways that incorporating AI into even the introductory computer science curriculum will be essential in preparing future developers. We wrap with our guest, Ryan Mattfeld, Associate Professor of Computer Science at Elon University, to continue exploring how an unrestricted AI course could shift goals and outcomes for student learning.

This episode was hosted and edited by Matt Wittstein and produced by Olivia Taylor in collaboration with the Elon University Center for Engaged Learning.

The use of artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT has become the topic of serious discussion in higher education. Ryan Mattfeld, associate professor of computer science at Elon University, shares with us some of his challenges in the introductory computer science classroom and the potential negative effects AI has in training future computer scientists. He also asks what could be possible in a course where students have very few restrictions on AI use. In this first part of a two episode series, we explore student perspectives with Anna David, a first-year computer science and robotics student at Carnegie Mellon University, and graduating computer science major, Arav Patel, from the University of Maryland. Anna and Arav share insights about AI use, as well as ideas of what is really most important to students in early computer science courses. The conversation sets the stage to learn about the faculty perspective in our next episode.

This episode was hosted by Matt Wittstein and produced by Matt Wittstein and the Elon University Center for Engaged Learning, with editing and production support by Olivia Taylor. 

Episode art created by Matt Wittstein and Olivia Taylor.

Original music by Kai Mitchell.

The first-year seminar is a challenging, yet impactful, space to introduce habits of mind that lead to long-term student success. In this episode, Adam Keul, Associate Professor of Tourism and Hospitality Management at Plymouth State University, discusses how he employs democratic practices in his first-year seminar course. He hopes to instill the power of agency and advocacy within an educational context that will allow his students to be critical thinkers and engaged citizens. He’s found that his students seem to prefer being told what to do and not having choices in their own education. Our panel – Sophia Abbot from the University of Rhode Island, Riley Alkove, an Elon University first-year economics major, and Anine Kelly, from the University of Cincinnati – share ideas about how to form better personal connections with first year students and the implications of co-creation at an early developmental stage for college students.

This episode was hosted by Matt Wittstein, edited by Olivia Taylor and Matt Wittstein, and produced by Olivia Taylor and Matt Wittstein in collaboration with the Elon University Center for Engaged Learning.

By necessity, ATI Physical Therapy uses elements of online, in-person, synchronous, and asynchronous learning in its residency programs. Jackie Davenport, Clinical Development Program Lead and Residency Director for ATI Physical therapy, is interested in learning more about developing her network of clinical educators to be prepared to create and sustain engagement with their students. asynchronous and how it could fit into the continuing education courses that ATI offers. Host Matt Wittstein shares Jackie’s context with Jesse Stommel from University of Denver, Dale Munday from the University of Central Lancashire, and Eric Mulford a senior Nursing major at Elon University. Their conversation considers different teaching modalities, hard versus soft rules (or policies versus social contracts) in the classroom, and how technology can be leveraged to enrich connection in this setting.

This episode was hosted by Matt Wittstein, edited by Olivia Taylor and Matt Wittstein, and produced by Olivia Taylor in collaboration with the Elon University Center for Engaged Learning.

Matt Wittstein hosts Blake Hament from Elon University and Siobhan Oca from Duke University. Both are early career faculty teaching engineering courses and are considering ways to be empathetic while still maintaining the high expectations of engineering coursework. Our panel included Dr. Kay C. Dee, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology’s Associate Dean of Learning and Technology, Dr. Bryan Dewsbury, Associate Professor of Biology at Florida International University and Director of the STEM Transformational Institute, and Tiffanie Grant, a third-year Exercise Science student and Center for Engaged Learning Student Scholar at Elon University. They share their experiences and philosophies on rigor, difficulty, empathy, authenticity, and developing resilience, and they provide some strategies to help balance rigor and empathy.

This episode was hosted and edited by Matt Wittstein and produced by Matt Wittstein in collaboration with the Elon University Center for Engaged Learning.

Dhvani Toprani hosts this month’s episode with her longtime colleague, Saadeddine (Saad) Shehab from the University of Illinois’ Siebel Center for Design. As the Director of Assessment and Research for the Siebel Center, Saad wants to identify strategies for near- and far- term assessment of the transfer of learning and mindsets in participants in their center’s workshops. Our panel included Sarah Bunnell, Director of Elon University’s Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, Adam Kanowitz, a senior Entrepreneurship and Innovation student at Elon University, and Dawan Stanford, President and Founder of Fluid Hive, a consultancy for using human-centered design for innovation. The panel discusses the challenges associated with measuring transfer and offer some ways to align assessment with goals.

This episode was hosted by Dhvani Toprani, edited by Matt Wittstein, and produced by Matt Wittstein in collaboration with the Elon University Center for Engaged Learning.

Pierce Johnson, a graduate student at the University of Albany, finds himself knowing he wants to be teaching-centered as a professor in the future, but his graduate program, as many are, emphasizes research. Host, Matt Wittstein talks to Pierce and a panel that included Marcela Borge from Penn State University, Leo Lambert, president emeritus of Elon University, and Sophie Miller, a first-year graduate student at Purdue University. Together, we talk about building a resume that aligns with your goals, considering how research and mentoring experiences develop teaching related skills, and even touch a bit on imposter syndrome.

This episode was hosted by Matt Wittstein, edited by Matt Wittstein and Olivia Taylor, and produced by Olivia Taylor in collaboration with Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

Host Matt Wittstein joins this month’s guest, Israel Balderas, to discuss civil discourse in what is a tense political climate on many college campuses. Israel wants to ensure his Media Law and Ethics course is taking advantage of the opportunity to practice student-led discourse with an eventful political calendar and dynamic news cycles. Panelists Miriam Glaser Lipsky from the University of Miami, Timothy McCarthy from Harvard University, and Natalie Peeples, an Elon University Psychology student, share their beliefs about dialogue and civic engagement in higher education, discuss how to invite others into discussion, and provide some practical advice for building trust and civility in the classroom.

This episode was hosted by Matt Wittstein, edited by Olivia Taylor, and co-produced by Olivia Taylor and Matt Wittstein in partnership with the Elon University Center for Engaged Learning.

In this episode, Matt Wittstein interviews Lucy Arnold from Season 1, Episode 1 - “Critical Service Learning: Letters with Incarcerated People.” Dr. Arnold is the Director of Educational Partnerships the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and has been connecting students with incarcerated people in her courses. She discusses her experiences with this service-learning activity and highlights several student experiences as well as a few challenges along the way.

This episode was hosted by Matt Wittstein, edited by Olivia Taylor, and produced by Matt Wittstein in collaboration with Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

This month, Matt Wittstein checks in with Dr. Jessica Gisclair from Season 2, Episode 1 “Preparing Students to Be Literate and Critical AI Users.” Jessica is an Associate Professor of Strategic Communication and was wrestling with strategies for preparing her students to use AI in her Media Law course at Elon University. In this episode, we learn about Jessica’s and her students’ experiences in her course, as well as a little about her research on artificial intelligence in legal and political spaces in China.

This episode was hosted by Matt Wittstein, edited by Olivia Taylor, and produced by Matt Wittstein in collaboration with Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

On this episode of Limed: Teaching with a Twist, host Matt Wittstein checks in with Lynette Carlson from Season 2, Episode 6 “KAPOW! Comic Strip Conversations” and her colleague, Carolyn Padalino, from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Matt learns about how they are collaborating to engage students in interprofessional education (IPE) and how Carolyn adapted the activity to demonstrate their use to educators. Lynette and Carolyn look forward to continuing sharing, collaborating, and growing this pedagogy.

This episode was hosted, produced, and edited by Matt Wittstein in collaboration with Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

How does understanding yourself improve your practice of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the classroom? This month, our guest Carla Fullwood talks to us about how to get faculty to engage in self-reflection before jumping to the tactics they should use in their courses when doing DEI work. Our panel of Tracie Addy, Ethan Lane-Blake, and Laura Pipe talk about different pedagogical approaches to inclusive teaching and how understanding our own identity can become a strength when practicing DEI in our classrooms.

This episode was edited by Matt Wittstein in collaboration with Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

In this episode of “Limed: Teaching with a Twist,” we finish our conversation about designing a capstone course for a new Global Film and Cultures minor at Elon University. Student panelists from Elon University, Gianna Smurro and Mia Kass share their viewpoints on interdisciplinary work and culminating experiences. Echoing some of the points from last month’s episode with faculty panelists, Gianna and Mia offer separate ideas of how to make sure students feel supported by both the professors and their classmates. Guests Lina Kuhn and Kai Swanson return to hear what the students think.

This episode was hosted, produced, and edited by Matt Wittstein in collaboration with Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

Designing a capstone course is a challenging task that presents an opportunity to innovate. Lina Kuhn and Kai Swanson from Elon University join the show to get some advice on how to build a Global Film and Cultures minor capstone that reflects the interdisciplinary nature of their program. Janet Bean from the University of Akron and Drew Pearl from the University of Alabama share their wisdom and experiences on how to make the most of an opportunity to create a capstone course. The panel discusses what a capstone is, how to co-create with students, and the tension between providing too much and too little structure for student assignments, among other topics. Next month, we will hear what our student panelists had to say.

This episode was hosted, produced, and edited by Matt Wittstein in collaboration with Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

This month, we talk with Lynette Carlson, who has created comic strips to help her athletic training students discuss topics like identity and bias. Associate Professor of Human Service Studies, Vanessa Drew-Branch, Exercise Science student and Center for Engaged Learning student scholar, Tiffanie Grant, and Associate Professor of Learning Sciences, Ty Hollett embrace the idea of using a fun, visual medium and meeting students where they are in their learning. The panel discusses what they like about this approach, the importance of representation in the classroom, and think of other ways to co-create learning aids like Dr. Carlson’s comic strips.

This episode was hosted, produced, and edited by Matt Wittstein in collaboration with Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

Tugçe Aldemir recently transitioned into an Assistant Professor position at Texas A&M University in the Department of Teaching, Learning, and Culture. As an international faculty member from Turkey, she is especially aware of the differences in her cultural upbringing and the experiences and the American education system. We interviewed Dr. Aldemir about her experiences teaching primarily international graduate students with varying diverse backgrounds and they ask our panel about how to foster learning across cultural perspectives. Azul Bellot, a second-year psychology student and Center for Engaged Learning student scholar at Elon University, Nermin Vehabovic, an Elon University Assistant Professor of Education and Wellness who has a special interest in literacy and refugee education, and Lisa Wolf-Wendel, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies in the School of Education and Human Sciences at the University of Kansas share their perspectives and approaches to fostering diverse cultural identities. The conversation highlights brave spaces, learning with and from each other, and getting students to think beyond the polarity of “right” and “wrong” answers.

This episode was edited by Jeremiah Timberlake and Matt Wittstein. The episode was produced by Matt Wittstein in collaboration with Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

Justin Shaffer teaches Anatomy and Physiology, among other Biomedical and Chemical Engineering courses at Colorado School of Mines. He introduces the idea of PodCases, using popular podcasts to engage his students with real-world examples of course concepts for case study. Our panel includes Cara Frankenfeld, an epidemiologist and public health scholar from MaineHealth Institute for Research; Jill McSweeney, Elon University’s Assistant Director of the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning; and Gianna Smurro, a third year Cinema and Television Arts and Journalism major and Center for Engaged Learning Student Scholar at Elon University. The panel talks about the value of podcasts as an engaging tool for content delivery, an alternate modality for diverse learners, and a way to bring outside ideas, perspectives, and expertise into a teaching environment. PodCases present a fun way to connect the concepts and applications to real-world stories and examples.

This episode was hosted by Matt Wittstein and edited by Jeremiah Timberlake and Matt Wittstein. Limed: Teaching with a Twist is produced by Matt Wittstein in collaboration with Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

Rafael da Silva teaches e-Learning design and development courses at Boise State University. As an instructional designer, Rafael is passionate about ensuring his course materials are accessible for his students. In this episode, Ann Gagné, Senior Educational Developer from Brock University, Clare Mullaney, Assistant Professor of English at Clemson University, and Vanessa Truelove, Masters of Higher Education graduate student at Elon University share some useable tips to make your classes more accessible and other ideas to help you self-assess accessibility features of your teaching. While Rafael’s context is a distinctly online and asynchronous setting, our panel’s advice extends across teaching settings and encourages teachers to make small changes and work toward continual growth.

This episode was edited by Jeremiah Timberlake and Matt Wittstein. Limed: Teaching with a Twist is produced by Matt Wittstein in collaboration with Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

William “Quayd” Snell teaches Rhetoric, Argumentation, and other writing courses at Sinclair Community College and Wright State University. Over the years, he has developed the “Try a Claim Game,” a board game that requires students to walk through the steps of argumentation and interact with each other to improve their rhetorical skills. Sophie Miller, Elon University Senior and Center for Engaged Learning Student Scholar, Pratheep Paranthaman, Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Coordinator of the Game Design Minor at Elon University, and Shane Wood, Associate Professor of English and Director of First-Year Composition at the University of Central Florida discuss Quayd’s board game and suggest ideas to improve the game and align it with learning outcomes. The panel also discuss ways in which games can make learning fun and engaging that can translate to other fields and learning goals.

This episode was hosted by Matt Wittstein and edited by Jeremiah Timberlake and Matt Wittstein. Limed: Teaching with a Twist is produced by Matt Wittstein in collaboration with Elon University’s Center for Engaged Learning.

Jessica Gisclair, an Associate Professor of Strategic Communications, is wrestling with how artificial intelligence might change her teaching practices. She is optimistic that educators can leverage AI as a tool to enhance learning outcomes and shares some of her ideas and concerns with our podcast. Panelists Derek Bruff, Jill McSweeney, and Gianna Smurro offer some practical and philosophical insight that helps us think about positive use cases for AI in the classroom, the importance of having a plan for AI use, and some of the ethical concerns raised by both instructors and students about how AI and the information we share with it may be used.

This episode was hosted by Matt Wittstein and edited by Jeremiah Timberlake and Matt Wittstein. Limed: Teaching with a Twist is produced in collaboration with Elon University's Center for Engaged Learning.

In this episode of Limed: Teaching with a Twist, intern Jeremiah Timberlake checks in with Katherine Fox from Season 1, Episode 6, “Course Construction: Bridging the Academy.” Jeremiah and Katherine talk about the current stage of her work developing a new course that cultivates creativity, building connections in a new community, and where to focus her initial efforts.

This episode was hosted and edited by Jeremiah Timberlake and produced by Matt Wittstein in collaboration with the Elon University Center for Engaged Learning.

In this episode of Limed: Teaching with a Twist, host Matt Wittstein follows up with Mark Burnham from Season 1, Episode 8, “Demonstrating Knowledge Using Oral Assessments.” Matt and Mark discuss Mark’s experience with implementing oral exams in his Biology coursework, the feedback and reactions he gauged from his students, and his future plans with oral assessments and other non-traditional methods of assessment in the classroom.

This episode was hosted by Matt Wittstein, edited by Jeremiah Timberlake, and produced by Matt Wittstein in collaboration with the Center for Engaged Learning.

In this episode of Limed: Teaching with a Twist, host, Matt Wittstein follows-up with Dr. Ben Machado from Season 1, Episode 3 “Place-Based Learning Along the Duwamish.” Matt and Ben have a casual conversation about how Ben’s course went, some of the successes and challenges he faced, and what Ben is hopeful for in the future of their multi-disciplinary project centering the indigenous people of Seattle and the region.

This episode was hosted by Matt Wittstein, edited by Jeremiah Timberlake, and produced by Matt Wittstein in collaboration with the Elon University Center for Engaged Learning.

Jon Chesky, Senior Project Manager at L.F. Jennings, Inc., teaches within their Developing Young Professionals program. Faced with the challenge of engaging adult learners in a short-form workshop session, Jon asks our panel for ideas of how to be efficient in this bite-sized context with students participating in a voluntary program. Our panel included Brooke Buffington, Director of Elon University's Student Professional Development Center; Jen Platania, Associate Provost of Academic Affairs at Elon; and Elon alumna Andrea Sheetz ’22, who is a Workforce and Economic Development Analyst for Forsyth County, North Carolina. Panelists discuss trends in preparing graduates for the ever-changing workforce and provide ideas for how to connect with young professional as learners in short-format settings.

This episode of Limed: Teaching with a Twist is hosted by Matt Wittstein and produced by Dhvani Toprani and Matt Wittstein in collaboration with the Elon University Center for Engaged Learning.

Mark Burnham wants to help his students get more practice and feel psychologically more prepared for their oral graduation examinations in Emerson and Henry College’s biology program. He already plans to include oral assessments in some of his courses and our panel shares their thoughts on oral assessments as a practice, the importance of connecting your assessment with your learning outcomes, and tips to help oral assessments go smoothly. Panelists include Dr. Laura Pipe (UNC Greensboro), Dr. Olivia Choplin (Elon University), and Maddie Fayne (Elon University). 

This episode of Limed: Teaching with a Twist is hosted by Matt Wittstein and produced by Dhvani Toprani and Matt Wittstein in collaboration with the Elon University Center for Engaged Learning.

Dr. Travis Maynard found a game called “Silicon Valley Startups” at a Goodwill store and turned it into the basis for introducing his professional writing and rhetoric students to the skills and concepts needed for brand development and producing print, digital, audio, and video campaigns. He joins the podcast to share some of his lessons learned and ask our panel about ways to battle project and semester fatigue while making subtle improvements to a fun idea. Jill McSweeney rejoins the podcast along with John Spencer and Annelise Weaver to share their insights and ideas to keep students engaged and compare and contrast class projects from working on projects as a professional.  

This episode of Limed: Teaching with a Twist is hosted by Matt Wittstein and produced by Dhvani Toprani and Matt Wittstein in collaboration with the Elon University Center for Engaged Learning.

Dr. Katherine Fox is a medical anthropologist from Southern Oregon University. As her university is adopting a new general education requirement, she is working on developing a new course that centers creativity and innovation and could be taught by different faculty members. Yuzu Do, Jeff Grabill, and Danielle Lake share their insights on course development that bridges the academy and community and helps students translate their experiences into professional skills. 

This episode of Limed: Teaching with a Twist is hosted by Matt Wittstein and produced by Dhvani Toprani and Matt Wittstein in collaboration with the Elon University Center for Engaged Learning.

Derek O’Leary from Virginia Commonwealth University teaches advertising, a field known to require collaboration and cooperation with diverse teams, often remotely. David Buck, Gianna Smurro, and our producer Dhvani Toprani consider how to create an authentic group work experience in a remote setting. The panel provides some advice on creating groups, providing support, and assessing group work.

This episode of Limed: Teaching with a Twist is hosted by Matt Wittstein and produced by Dhvani Toprani and Matt Wittstein in collaboration with the Center for Engaged Learning.

Dr. Sarah Morrison-Smith is a new faculty member at Hamilton College, where the institutional culture leans away from PowerPoint in the classroom. Our panel of Jill McSweeney, Scott Spurlock, and Christina Wyatt reinforce the ethos that PowerPoint is a great tool… when you use it well, and they provide tips and advice for Sarah in her new position and her Computer Science classroom.

This episode of Limed: Teaching with a Twist is hosted and produced by Matt Wittstein and Dhvani Toprani in collaboration with the Center for Engaged Learning at Elon University.

About the Guest 

Sarah Morrison Smith is an Assistant Professor at Hamilton College and has been teaching computer science at small, liberal arts colleges for the past four years. In her teaching, Sarah focuses on practical applications of computer science for the betterment of humanity, particularly with regard to accessibility. Her research focuses on building systems that support collaboration, especially when working remotely. More info about Sarah's lab can be found at mochiresearch.com. 

About the Panel

Jill McSweeney has been working in Educational Development for almost a decade. She began her work at Dalhousie University, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, where she completed her PhD, and is now an Assistant Director for the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning and an Assistant Professor at Elon University. She actively engages in scholarship around educational development and the scholarship of teaching and learning, publishing in journals such as Teaching and Learning Inquiry, the International Journal of Academic Development and The International Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. She approaches her teaching and educational development work with the focus of facilitating a space where learners and colleagues can create connections and meaning with themselves and their learning/teaching. To learn more about her teaching and ongoing scholarship, visit her on Twitter or her Faculty Profile.

Scott Spurlock is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at Elon University. He teaches a variety of courses, including Algorithm Analysis, Computer Vision, and Data Mining and Machine Learning. He enjoys experimenting with new teaching approaches, such as Scrumage (Improving Content Learning and Student Perceptions in CS1 with Scrumage) and Ungrading (Improving Student Motivation by Ungrading), that structure courses in ways that improve student attitudes and motivation. In addition to Computer Science Education, his research focuses on applied machine learning and computer vision. Visit his website and connect on LinkedIn.

Christina Wyatt is a senior Finance and Economic Consulting double major at Elon University. While she is originally from Sarasota, FL, she plans to move to northern Virginia post-grad and work at Capital One located near Washington DC. Christina’s interest in research stems from her insatiable pursuit of knowledge, which she’s embedded in her research as both a CEL Student Scholar with Elon’s Center for Engaged Learning as well as her independent body of economic research. After beginning her independent research and her research role as a CEL student scholar 2 years ago, she’s seen her work flourish in unexpected ways—she’s attended 3 national and international conferences on engaged learning, been awarded the Cavarretta Award for the thesis she’s publishing in economics, and has had the opportunity to publish numerous blog posts on the subject of student advocacy. Beyond her research and classwork, Christina can be seen in Elon’s design thinking spaces (whether it be the Doherty Center for Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship or the Maker Hub) creatively thinking and encouraging others to do the same.

This episode of Limed: Teaching with a Twist is hosted by Matt Wittstein and produced by Dhvani Toprani and Matt Wittstein in collaboration with the Center for Engaged Learning.

About the Guest 

Ben Machado has been teaching biology to community college students for the last 15 years in Oregon, California, and Washington, where he currently teaches at South Seattle College. He tries to imbue high-impact teaching practices into every part of his curriculum and thinks that helping underserved populations of students experience the joy of learning biology is always the best part of his day. Currently Ben is trying to bring a greater awareness of the area around South Seattle College to his students by focusing some of his lessons on the Duwamish River. More info on this incredible river that has shaped Seattle’s history can be found here: http://www.duwamishalive.org/our-duwamish-river/  

About the Panel 

Kelsey Bitting is an Assistant Professor in the Environmental Studies Department at Elon University, and a former Associate Director for Elon’s Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning. In her teaching, she incorporates a wide range of active and student-centered pedagogies, including place-based, community-engaged, and inquiry-based activities as well as contemplative pedagogy practices. She is the co-author of the peer-reviewed place-based unit curriculum, What’s in the Water?, and co-editor of the Guided Inquiry Introductory Geology Labs collection, both available on Teach the Earth. As a geoscience education researcher, she has published in The Journal of Geoscience Education and Research in Science Education, contributed to the development of the Geoscience Education Research community’s Grand Challenges effort, and formerly served as the president of the Geoscience Education Research Division of the National Association of Geoscience Teachers.  Learn more about her work and connect on LinkedIn.

Scott Morrison is an Associate Professor of Education at Elon University. He spent 11 years as a middle school English, social studies, and science teacher in Blowing Rock, NC, where he built and maintained a garden with his students. In graduate school he realized that he was an ecologically minded teacher (Moroye, 2009). That is, he brought his environmental values and beliefs into the classroom even though he was not trained or required to do so. Scott teaches courses on environmental education and garden-based learning so that future teachers have the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary for taking students outside during the school day. His research focuses on everyday environmental education, abolitionist teaching outside, ecologically minded teaching, nature-based learning, and social media in teacher education.  Find him on Twitter (@scomorrison) and Instagram (@sco.morrison and @teachingoutside).  

Dani Toma-Harrold is a senior Elementary Education major with minors in African and African American Studies and Environmental Education at Elon University in North Carolina. While she is originally from Decatur, GA, she plans to stay in NC to teach (hopefully 3rd grade!). Dani is incredibly passionate about her research on the connections between antiracism, abolitionist teaching and place-based environmental education, or teaching and learning outside. Starting this study almost 2 years ago, she has presented at 7 national and international conferences, hosted a 2-part webinar series for a national garden support organization, created 2 workshops preparing a manuscript to publish her findings. Outside of classes, her 3rd grade student-teaching placement, and research, you can find Dani running around campus with Elon Runs or working at the local elementary school’s garden club! 

This episode of Limed: Teaching with a Twist is hosted by Matt Wittstein and produced by Dhvani Toprani and Matt Wittstein in collaboration with the Center for Engaged Learning.

About the Guest

Dr. Chris Trimby is an Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Delaware, where he teaches a variety of courses in Biology. He was previously the Director of Professional Development in Teaching at the Wisconsin Institute for Science Education and Community Engagement (WISCIENCE) at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Outside of work, his interests have been centered on building and painting various craft projects and working with his wife to get their ambulance camper conversion completed. 

About the Panel

Derek Bruff is an educator, author, and consultant. He directed the Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching for more than a decade, where he helped faculty and other instructors develop foundational teaching skills and explore new ideas in teaching. Bruff has written two books, Intentional Tech: Principles to Guide the Use of Educational Technology in College Teaching (West Virginia University Press, 2019) and Teaching with Classroom Response Systems: Creating Active Learning Environments (Jossey-Bass, 2009), and he was producer and host for the educational technology podcast Leading Lines. Bruff has a PhD in mathematics and taught math courses at Vanderbilt and Harvard University. Visit his website and connect on LinkedIn.

Ellery Ewell is a fourth-year student at Elon University studying Psychology with a minor in Exercise Science. She is a Center for Engaged Learning Student Scholar, providing a student perspective on the three-year research seminar on Re-Examining Conditions for Meaningful Learning Experiences. She also independently works on an undergraduate research project focused on mentoring networks for Black college students. 

Jen Uno, Associate Professor of Biology and an Associate Director of the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, is passionate about sharing her love of human physiology and anatomy using innovative teaching and learning strategies to connect with her students in meaningful ways. Dr. Uno’s research interests involve gastrointestinal (GI) physiology with a focus on the Gut Brain Axis, and she enjoys cultivating student interest in science through mentored research experiences. In addition, Dr. Uno has led Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives in STEM at Elon, aimed at fostering a sense of belonging among underrepresented STEM students and evaluating successful practices that cultivate a welcoming place for everyone in STEM. Learn more about her work.

This episode of Limed: Teaching with a Twist is hosted by Matt Wittstein and produced by Dhvani Toprani and Matt Wittstein in collaboration with the Center for Engaged Learning.

About the Guest

Dr. Lucy Arnold is the Director of Educational Partnerships at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where she also teaches in the College of Education, Honors College, and English Department. She published her first book, Transformative Critical Service-Learning: Theory and Practice for Engaging Community College and University Learners in Building an Activist Mindset (co-authored with Heather Coffey, Myers Education Press, 2022), in February and is working on two new social justice education-oriented projects now. She is also a runner, yoga practitioner, podcast fanatic, poet, and general purpose nerd in Charlotte, NC. Visit her blog.

About the Panel

Vanessa Drew-Branch. A member of Elon’s faculty since 2018, Dr. Drew-Branch is an Associate Professor of Human Services Studies and African and African American Studies and the Director of Poverty and Social Justice Studies program. Dr. Drew-Branch regularly incorporates a variety of innovative, inclusive, and equity-minded teaching and learning strategies into her courses, including culturally responsive teaching, alternative modes of assessing knowledge, and community-engaged courses. Learn more about Dr. Drew-Branch and connect with her on LinkedIn.

Phillip Motley. Phillip Motley is an associate professor in the Department of Communication Design at Elon University, where he teaches visual communication and interactive media courses to undergraduate and graduate students and is Elon’s fourth Faculty Fellow for Service Learning and Community Engagement. His research interests include design and studio-based learning, community-engaged practices, and immersive pedagogies. He is a co-author of An Introduction to Visual Theory and Practice in the Digital Age, a co-editor of Redesigning Liberal Education: Innovative Design for a Twenty-First-Century Undergraduate Education, and has published his scholarship in peer-reviewed journals including Communication Teacher, Teaching and Learning Inquiry, Arts and Humanities in Higher Education, New Directions for Teaching and Learning, and Journalism and Mass Communication Educator.

Sophie Miller. Sophie Miller is a third-year student at Elon University studying Psychology with minors in Early Childhood Education as well as Adventure Based Learning. As a CEL Student Scholar with the Center for Engaged Learning, she provides a student perspective on a three-year research seminar on Re-Examining Conditions for Meaningful Learning Experiences. Additionally, she has recently begun her undergraduate research as a Lumen Scholar; she is examining How Children and Teachers Co-Facilitate Inquiry and Reflection Outdoors.

Learn more about this podcast at https://www.centerforengagedlearning.org/podcasts/limed/