Faculty grants support teaching, learning

Tue, March 24, 2009 |

Ten Valparaiso University professors have received grants from the University's Committee to Enhance Learning and Teaching for classroom tools, travel expenses and other activities designed to improve student learning.

Grants totaling $6,500 were awarded to:

• Becky Byrum, marketing and outreach librarian, to present research on the use of student focus groups in academic libraries at a national conference;

• Dr. Amy Cory, assistant professor of nursing, to travel with nursing students to present research on an ongoing community partnership for health in rural Nicaragua at the 2009 American Public Health Association conference;

• Dr. Sara Crawford, assistant professor of mathematics and computer science, to present a talk regarding her work leading an undergraduate research team in applied statistics at the Mathematical Association of America's Mathfest 2009 conference;

• Dr. Sherry DeMik, assistant professor of education, to travel with VU education majors to the annual conference of the Council for Exceptional Children, an international organization for professionals working with students with disabilities;

• Sarah Jantzi, assistant professor of art, to participate in a panel on developing foundational programs for art students at the Foundations in Art: Theory and Education national conference;

• Dr. Stacy Maugans, assistant dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, to perform two works by American composers at the World Saxophone Congress in Bangkok;

• Dr. Gregory Maytan, assistant professor of music, to study violin pedagogy and begin work on a collaborative pedagogical DVD or teaching publication with acclaimed violin teacher Terje Moe Hansen in Oslo;

• Dr. Carmine Polito, associate professor of civil engineering, to present his work developing an affordable cyclic triaxial system for use in soil testing at the national conference of the American Society of Engineering Education;

• Dr. Phillip Powell, assistant professor of communication, to acquire a computer work station and media production software for use by students and to present research on how institutions of higher education select course management software;

• Dr. Jennifer Ziegler, assistant professor of communication, to attend a program on India and communication studies sponsored by the International Communication Association that will support development of a new class in digital media.

Valpo's Committee to Enhance Learning and Teaching works to promote and enhance teaching and learning on campus and assist in faculty development. It awards grants annually to faculty members developing new courses, enhancing current courses, presenting their scholarship and engaging in other activities that benefit student learning.