Graduate Students Present Teaching-as-Research (TAR) Projects in Annual Symposium

We are excited to congratulate the four U of A graduate students who recently presented their teaching-as-research projects at the virtual Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning's (CIRTL) Teaching-as-Research Symposium on April 9, 2025. This symposium brings together over 100 graduate students, postdocs, and faculty across the network who are interested in teaching-as-research as a way to become more reflective teaching practitioners and practice incorporating new teaching strategies.

In spring 2024, the students designed their studies as part of IA627: Teaching-as-Research, taught by Dr. Byron Hempel and Dr. Kristin Winet. By presenting their work at the symposium to a public audience, students earned Scholar Level III designation, the highest level of certification on the CIRTL Network.

Join us in congratulating our newest CIRTL Scholars!

Joanna Joseph, Ph.D. Student in Systems & Industrial Engineering

Bridging Theory and Practice: A Case Study in Engineering Design Education

This project studied student preferences regarding learning material and instruction modality in an upper-level engineering course containing theory & design components. Student learning preferences were determined by observation of teaching, surveys, and focus groups. The primary conclusion is that while students may not fit into singular learning modalities, understanding the relationship between learning style, teaching materials, & modality of instruction allows for a robust pedagogical approach to designing engineering curricula.

Oluchi Okafur-Kanma, Ph.D. Student in Public Health

Empowering Undergraduate Public Health Writers: Enhancing Confidence and Cultivating Unique Voices through Innovative Pedagogical Strategies

This study focuses on enhancing students' confidence and developing their unique writing voices in a blended learning environment. Conducted during the Spring 2024 semester at the University of Arizona, the study involved approximately 40 students enrolled in a class titled Public Health Narratives. Through instructional strategies such as brainstorming workshops, guided reflection, literary analysis, and scenario-based writing, the project aimed to improve writing skills, with assessments indicating increased confidence and distinctiveness in students' writing post-intervention.

Josie Mazzone, Ph.D. Student in Physiology

Can a motivational “pep talk” prior to exams enhance undergraduate physiology students’ self-confidence, motivation, and performance?

This study investigated whether a brief motivational talk before a practical exam impacted undergraduate anatomy and physiology students’ performance, self-esteem, and motivation. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study combined exam scores with a post-exam questionnaire assessing self-confidence and sources of motivation. Findings revealed that, in some classes, students who received a pep talk had higher exam scores and better self-confidence ratings. Additionally, students who received a motivational talk identified their instructors as key motivators in the course. These findings indicate that providing students with words of motivation prior to an exam may improve student performance and confidence.

Sushma Anand Okaju, Ph.D. Student in Computer Science

Impact of Supplemental Instruction (SI) sessions on the stress levels & time spent on homework assignments

The case study, conducted in an upper-division computer science course at the University of Arizona, found that Supplemental Instruction (SI) sessions help reduce stress levels and the amount of time students spend on homework assignments. This work determines that incentivizing students to attend SI sessions is one way to decrease stress in the computer science classroom, which is known to be high-stakes and competitive.

The CIRTL Network is an international network of research institutions designed to prepare graduate students, postdocs, and early-career faculty for teaching positions in higher education and industry.