Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Commons^™

Enhancing Nutrition Communication Skills Through Community-Based Learning To Create Cooperative Extension Resources, Elizabeth Lucas Combs, Anna Cason, Courtney Luecking, Heather Norman-Burgdolf

Journal of Dietetic Education

Strong communication and transferable skills are essential for future dietitians. This Best Evidence Teaching Strategy describes a community-based approach within an upper-level community nutrition course that partnered with the Cooperative Extension Service. Over six weeks, scaffolded assignments emphasized written, oral, and digital media skills, aligning with current trends in scientific communication. Students created information releases, podcasts, and short videos to translate evidence-based nutrition content into accessible formats for public audiences. Collaboration with Extension provided authentic context and motivation, as high-quality projects could be disseminated statewide.

Exploring The Impact Of Generative Ai On Curriculum Design And Instruction: A Study With Preservice Teachers, Lindsay A. Gold, Vanessa Winn, Jackie M. Arnold

Thomas C. Hunt Building a Research Community Day

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is transforming education by reshaping curriculum design, individualized learning, and professional collaboration. This interpretive study examines how 70 preservice teachers engaged with GenAI through structured learning experiences focused on lesson planning, content development, and reflective practice. Participants, all fourth-year PK–Grade 5 and intervention specialist candidates at the University of Dayton, completed a co-taught seminar led by methods professors in science, social studies, language arts, and mathematics. Data sources included initial reflections on GenAI’s role in education, documentation of prompt exploration, and ongoing reflections during the seminar. Thematic analysis revealed a shift in preservice teachers’ understanding from …

Experiential Learning Through Electric Vehicle Design Using Lego Technics Parts, Abdullah Amin

High-Impact Experiential Learning in Practice: Pedagogical Essays Guided by the PIRA Framework

Abdullah Al Amin is an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

This reflection presents a Lego Technics-based electric vehicle design project that connects mechanics, materials, and fatigue analysis through hands-on prototyping and PIRA-aligned assessment.

Walking The Earthworks: Indigenous Literature, Place, And Embodied Learning, Tereza M. Szeghi

High-Impact Experiential Learning in Practice: Pedagogical Essays Guided by the PIRA Framework

Tereza Szeghi is a professor in the Department of English.

This essay examines a place-based experiential learning trip to the Newark Earthworks that integrates Indigenous literature, guided immersion, student reflection, and assessment using the PIRA framework.

Community, Art, And Hope: Writing, Public Humanities, And Community-Engaged Learning In East Dayton, Maureen (Molly) Keane-Sexton

High-Impact Experiential Learning in Practice: Pedagogical Essays Guided by the PIRA Framework

Maureen (Molly) Keane-Sexton is a principal lecturer in the Department of English.

This reflection documents a community-engaged partnership with the Mosaic Institute in East Dayton, where students created public art while applying writing instruction, Catholic Social Teaching, and PIRA-guided reflection.

Ethical Community Engagement And Leadership Development In A Community-Partnered Course, Joy Kadowaki

High-Impact Experiential Learning in Practice: Pedagogical Essays Guided by the PIRA Framework

Joy Kadowaki is an associate professor in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work.

This essay describes a semester-long, community-partnered leadership project in which students collaborated with Five Oaks residents to co-create neighborhood storytelling tools grounded in ethical community engagement and PIRA.

From Simulation To Fabrication: Integrating Fluid Power Theory And Hands-On Laboratory Design, Sean Cahill

High-Impact Experiential Learning in Practice: Pedagogical Essays Guided by the PIRA Framework

Sean Cahill is a faculty of practice in the Department of Engineering Management, Systems, and Technology.

This report examines the integration of simulation and hands-on laboratory work in fluid power systems, showing how ELIFF-supported equipment strengthened alignment across preparation, immersion, reflection, and assessment.

Mini Case Study: Vertically Integrated, Community-Engaged Engineering Design, Beth Hart, Allison Kinney

High-Impact Experiential Learning in Practice: Pedagogical Essays Guided by the PIRA Framework

Beth Hart is a principal lecturer in the School of Engineering. Allison Kinney is an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

This case study highlights a vertically integrated, community-engaged engineering project with United Rehabilitation Services, where students across course levels designed assistive solutions using human-centered design and the PIRA framework.

Transforming Dietetics Curriculum: A Culinary Nutrition Certificate Grounded In Competency-Based Innovation, Jennifer R. Watson, Rachel C. Sinley, Jangwoo Jo

Journal of Dietetic Education

Culinary nutrition has become a promising interdisciplinary field that combines culinary arts and nutritional science to enhance health outcomes through practical, food-based education. As the healthcare landscape increasingly emphasizes preventive care, dietitians are well-positioned to lead culinary nutrition initiatives; however, formal training opportunities remain scarce. To address this gap, Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver) created a new Culinary Nutrition Certificate that combines experiential cooking coursework from the School of Hospitality with core nutrition education from the Department of Nutrition. This paper places the certificate within the broader context of culinary nutrition and dietetics education, emphasizing the importance of …

Implementing An Interprofessional Virtual Journal Club For Health-Focused Students, Hillary L. Roberts, Cynthia Aurentz, Mccall E. Christian, Jessica K. Willis, Caitlin J. Masterson

Journal of Dietetic Education

Students (N = 135) pursuing degrees in health-focused programs participated in an interprofessional virtual journal club during the spring semesters of 2022 and 2023. The journal club was integrated into multiple courses and facilitated through the university’s learning management system and a web conferencing platform. Students applied the 2016 Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) Core Competencies throughout the activity. The journal club included four pre-selected articles on ethics in healthcare, and students developed one discussion question per article to guide synchronous virtual discussions. The IPEC Competency Self-Assessment Tool was administered before and after participation. Paired samples t-tests showed statistically significant change …

Invited Reflection: Experiential Learning's Effects On Learning, Teaching, And Service, Maureen (Molly) B. Keane-Sexton

Research and Reflection on Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

This article details a multifaceted academic-community partnership between the University of Dayton’s Department of English and the Mosaic Institute, a local nonprofit arts organization. Supported by a faculty fellowship through the Fitz Center for Leadership in Community and the Experiential Learning Innovation Faculty Fund (ELIFF), the partnership provided students in a writing course with real-world experience while supporting the mission of a community arts partner. Students contributed to a memorial mosaic in the Oregon District, developed successful grant proposals for a new mosaic park in East Dayton, created promotional materials for the institute’s anniversary, and led community members in creating …

Teaching With Challenged Books: Connections With Marianist Values, Jeanne Holcomb

Research and Reflection on Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

The focus of this reflective commentary is the use of banned and challenged books as the key reading assignment and pedagogical tool in teaching SOC 101, Principles of Sociology. Although it is estimated that the number of book challenges decreased between 2023 and 2024, there has been a significant increase since 2020, with many of the challenged books portraying issues central to the field of sociology. Starting in the fall 2024 semester, I have incorporated challenged books into my SOC 101 courses, with over 100 students being in those sections during the 2024-25 academic year. In this paper, I provide …

Experiential Learning And The Revitalization Of Manufacturing Education At The University Of Dayton, Sean Cahill

Research and Reflection on Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

This perspective paper explores the role of experiential learning in preparing future-ready manufacturing engineers at the University of Dayton, set against the backdrop of Dayton’s legacy as an industrial innovator and the broader national movement to revitalize domestic manufacturing. As automation, cyber-physical systems, and Industry 4.0 technologies reshape the manufacturing landscape, there is a growing need for engineers who possess both technical fluency and systems-thinking capabilities. To meet this need, the manufacturing engineering technology department implemented hands-on, integrated lab-and-lecture modules through support from the Experiential Learning Innovation Fund for Faculty (ELIFF). Grounded in Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory and constructivist learning …

Educating Using The Discipleship Of Equals: Dialogue For Social Justice And Change, Leslie H. Picca, Leah Ward

Research and Reflection on Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

This reflection explores the experiences teaching a course focused on social justice and change grounded in the Marianist principle of discipleship of equals. Students, faculty, and staff enroll in a semester-long credit-bearing course as equal participants, disrupting traditional hierarchical models of education. This essay explores the class structure, impact on participants, challenges, and recommendations.

Preparation, Immersion, Reflection, Assessment (Pira): A Framework For High-Impact Experiential Learning, Karen Velasquez

Research and Reflection on Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

This article presents the PIRA framework—preparation, immersion, reflection, assessment—as a practical model for intentionally structuring high-impact experiential learning (EL). PIRA serves as a unifying pedagogical tool, bridging foundational frameworks in EL and institutional strategy to facilitate increased coherence across diverse types of EL. The framework’s adoption aligns EL with the University of Dayton’s core mission, advancing equity and student success through intentional design and more uniform standards. This paper examines PIRA’s conceptual foundations, details its benefits for student learning and success, and offers concrete strategies for implementation.

Cover And Front Matter

Research and Reflection on Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

Cover and Table of Contents for Volume 3 (2025)

Evaluating The Impact Of Information Literacy Workshops On Student Success, Amanda Shannon, Aaron Skira, Ying Chen, Matt Shreffler

Roesch Library Faculty Publications

Objective – This study was designed to identify the impact of standalone information literacy tutorials on student success indicators. The study was conducted in two different phases to compare findings across different modalities and to identify whether online, asynchronous delivery of substantively similar content affected outcomes.

Methods – Using institutional records from a mid-sized, Midwestern public university, and attendance and completion data from student participation in asynchronous library workshops, the authors used propensity score matching to construct a control group that mirrored library workshop participants based on like characteristics. Statistical analyses were then conducted comparing the GPA, semester completion, and …

Participatory Community Action Research In Homeless Shelters: Withstanding The Pandemic And Flourishing Beyond It With New Interventions, Kathryn E. Hurley, Roger N. Reeb, Sarah M. Clark, Tia N. Turner, Greg Elvers

Research and Reflection on Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

This article tells the story of a long-term (12-year-old) and ongoing participatory community action research in homeless shelters – the Behavioral Activation Research Project in Homeless Shelters (the project), which represents a long-term collaboration between Roger N. Reeb, PhD (Professor of Psychology) and St. Vincent de Paul (Dayton, Ohio). The first section of this article provides a grand overall description of the project, summarizes past research, and explains how we sustained the project during the COVID-19 pandemic. To demonstrate the project’s ongoing nature, the second section reports an honors thesis completed within the context of the project, accompanied by a …

Marianist Holistic Education: Bridging Divides For The Common Good, Katrina Kelly Wicker

Research and Reflection on Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

Bridging Divides for the Common Good seeks to rediscover and redefine the essence of holistic education within the Marianist tradition, with a steadfast commitment to understanding what a holistic Marianist education is. Key objectives include benchmarking perspectives of both students and staff on the facets of holistic education imbued with the Marianist spirit and integrating pedagogical strategies that incorporate ongoing assessments and dialogues to uphold these principles effectively. The article explores building cultural competence to create an educational environment that is inclusive and safe. The article highlights the importance of incorporating the Five Characteristics of a Marianist education into curricula …

Diversifying Community Connections, Courtney Belt

Research and Reflection on Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

The focus of this reflective commentary is building authentic relationships with a wider variety of community partners toward greater collective impact and equity in community experiential learning. During my time as Clinical Coordinator in the University of Dayton undergraduate music therapy program, we have added 11 new practicum placement sites with one additional starting Spring 2024. The addition of several of these sites stemmed from music therapy faculty discussions about the desire to serve a greater diversity of clientele in our music therapy practicum courses and expand learning opportunities for music therapy students. In this paper, I describe our decision …

Cover And Front Matter

Research and Reflection on Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Creating Shared Equity Leadership: How A Culture Of Equity-Mindedness Transforms Institutional Capacity Toward Greater Collective Outcomes, Gerica Brown, Ione Damasco, Justin Keen, Leslie Picca, Nancy Mchugh

Learning Teaching Forum

As the University of Dayton seeks to distinguish itself through curricular innovation and creating a holistic, integrated and relationship rich learning environment for our students it is evident that doing so with an equitable mind frame is the secret sauce for success. Engaging all students in a meaningful and holistic learning experience where all students participate in rich development opportunities and persist to graduation at higher rates requires a deeper understanding of the why. (ex. Why are some students not engaging? Why do some students fall through the cracks? Why are some students unsatisfied with their University of Dayton …

Virtual Academic Coaching (Vac): A Practical Technology For Student Engagement, Jessica Gregor, Paul Gregor

Learning Teaching Forum

Virtual academic coaching (vAC), distinct from the roles and responsibilities of post-secondary educators or counselors, is a novel method of higher education student development and retention, and is quickly becoming established at both public and private universities throughout the United States and abroad. Although relatively new to the canon of student success in higher education, virtual coaching is foundationally based in longstanding tenets of adult education and relies on principles which educators and counselors have recognized since the formalization of the post secondary classroom. Positive research into efficacy of the virtual academic coaching profession lends credibility to its potential for …

Marianist Holistic Education: Bridging Divides For The Common Good, Katrina Kelly

Learning Teaching Forum

This interactive session seeks to rediscover and redefine the essence of holistic education within the Marianist tradition, with a steadfast commitment to bridging divides and advancing the common good. Key objectives include benchmarking perspectives of both students and staff on the facets of holistic education imbued with the Marianist spirit and integrating pedagogical strategies that incorporate ongoing assessments and dialogues to uphold these principles effectively. The session includes small group discussions, observing and sharing feedback on behaviors indicative of the five core elements defining the Marianist approach to education, synthesizing collective observations, and culminating in creating a comprehensive repository of …

Thinking Outside The Box For Experiential Student Learning: Development Of Remote Experiential Learning And Volunteering During The Pandemic, Amy Christopher

Learning Teaching Forum

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, experiential learning for health care professional programs struggled to find clinical rotation sites and provide students in the didactic curricular phase opportunities to apply health education outside of the classroom. Many healthcare sites and community health screening events were prohibited during an extended period of time due to pandemic isolation. As a health educator, exploration of remote experiential learning took creative planning to ensure students were able to apply their medical knowledge in real-life situations, give back to their community according to Marianist charisms, and fulfill healthcare-related volunteer service hour requirements.

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Teaching To Develop Perspective, Skills, Confidence, And Identity As Problem-Solving Engineers, Russell Kirk Pirlo

Research and Reflection on Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

The “core” of an engineering degree program typically comprises the concepts, equations, and technical skills needed, as well as their practical application to common problems of the profession. This core is then divided into the “content” that must be covered in each course. It is widely recognized, however, that successful individuals do not thrive as professionals on content alone. Thus, there is significant and increasing emphasis across higher education to “educate the whole person.” These efforts aim to develop “deep” qualities like grit, critical thinking, perseverance, learning from failure, valuing diversity, teamwork, leadership, curiosity, recognizing opportunity, creating value, and acting …

Bridging Worlds: The Role Of Universities In Promoting Human Rights, Satang Nabaneh

Research and Reflection on Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

I believe that a compassionate and harmonious society can only be created when the rights of everyone, without distinction, are recognized, appreciated, respected and safeguarded by all others, including in all Nation States. Thus, my end goal is to contribute to a more equitable and just world while shedding light on the issues that marginalized communities are facing and advocating for meaningful 40 and impactful changes to the world order that perpetuate these injustices and inequalities.

Preparing Future Leaders In The Arts Through The Community Arts Engagement Certificate Program: What I Learned From Teaching The First Introductory Seminar, Sharon Davis Gratto

Research and Reflection on Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

The University of Dayton’s Community Arts Engagement certificate program was recently launched with the teaching of its first introductory seminar. The program and this course were conceived to be broader in scope for arts majors than the more familiar arts administration minor program. Several of the outcomes of the seminar—both those planned and those unforeseen—can be informative in thinking more expansively about experiential learning and community collaboration in arts education or other disciplines. This article represents a narrative description of the program and its introductory seminar and a personal reflection after teaching the seminar for the first time.

Calling All Students? Enrollment In Community-Engaged Learning Courses At A Marianist University, Molly Malany Sayre, Castel V. Sweet, Kelly Bohrer

Research and Reflection on Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

‘Community’ is a pervasive concept at the University of Dayton, a Catholic, Marianist institution in Dayton, Ohio. As such, it was unknown how students who enrolled in community engaged learning (CEL) courses were different from their peers in demographic characteristics, previous experiential learning, and views of community engagement. Findings can inform CEL recruitment as well as evaluation of CEL outcomes, especially at institutions with a similar values orientation. This mixed-methods study indicates that among four semesters of students in three selected CEL courses, few differences were found with students in non-CEL control groups. One significant difference found was in racial …

Editors' Message: A New Platform For Pedagogical Practices And Perspectives, Karen Velasquez, Matthew A. Witenstein, Christina Klimo, Katerina Tsouma, Patrick W. Thomas, Maureen E. Schlangen

Research and Reflection on Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

At the heart of the University of Dayton’s mission lies a commitment to learning, scholarship, and excellence in teaching, along with a dedication to sharing and implementing new knowledge across disciplines and among members of our diverse educational community. With these values in mind, Research and Reflection on Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (RRLTHE) is an exciting opportunity for colleagues at UD to join forces and form a community of scholars committed to promoting learning and teaching.