Education Commons^™

The Eloquent Letter, Daneen Bergland

University Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

Inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” The Eloquent Letter is an authentic, adaptable assignment for acquiring critical skills: identifying and researching social problems, examining value systems and diverse perspectives, communicating effectively, and proposing solutions based on common ground. Moving beyond traditional argumentation essays and debates, this project situates activism and writing “in its native habitat.”

Students identify and research a social problem or issue and write and send a persuasive letter, asking for specific action toward addressing the issue. This assignment is meant to assess DQP proficiencies in Broad and Integrative Knowledge, Intellectual skills, …

Why Faculty Choose To Work In Academic Medicine, Sarah Bunton, Valerie Dandar

University Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

Medical school faculty are crucial to advancing academic medicine’s missions of providing high-quality, patient-centered health care; training the next generation of physicians; and conducting research to inform advancement and innovation in health care delivery. This Analysis in Brief (AIB) takes an in-depth look at why faculty choose careers in academic medicine, by examining faculty responses to that very question. As institutional leadership strives to recruit and retain faculty, understanding these sentiments can inform work to help guide students, provide insight for those considering academic careers, and educate the public about the work of academic medicine and the vital role that …

Online Community-Based Learning As The Practice Of Freedom: The Online Capstone Experience At Portland State University, Deborah Smith Arthur, Zapoura Newton-Calvert

University Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

Given the design of Portland State University’s (PSU) undergraduate curriculum culminating in a capstone experience, the dramatic growth in online courses and online enrollments required a re-thinking of the capstone model to ensure all students could participate in this effective learning model and have a powerful learning experience. In recent years, a number of capstone courses have been developed that are offered fully online. This article examines PSU’s development of and institutional support for community-based learning (CBL) capstone courses in a fully online format. Emerging best practices and lessons learned may be useful for other institutions seeking to integrate experiential …