URI team honored for research
in educational development

ERIC KALDOR, assistant director for faculty development, and Holly Swanson, a doctoral student, at the University of Rhode Island were awarded the Robert J. Menges Award for Outstanding Research in Educational Development. They were honored at a ceremony on Nov. 16. / COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND/MICHAEL SALERNO

SOUTH KINGSTOWN – Now in its 19th year, the Robert J. Menges Award for Outstanding Research in Educational Development was presented to Eric Kaldor, assistant director for faculty development at the University of Rhode Island, and Holly Swanson, a doctoral student at URI.

Diane Goldsmith, director of the Office for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, in a statement called the award “a perfect example of the type of innovation that is the focus of URI’s academic strategic plan. … It exemplifies the new, integrative approaches to teaching, scholarship and outreach.”

Founded in 2000 and presented by the Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education to researchers who show similar commitment as Menges to advancing higher education, Kaldor and Swanson were chosen because of the research they conducted on student engagement with guest speakers and the use of metacognitive learning strategies, specifically in gateway science courses such as chemistry and biology.

“Professors bring speakers to campus to motivate students,” said Kaldor in prepared remarks, “but how do we make sure the impacts of visiting scholars last?”

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With the help of grants from the Office of Teaching and Learning and the Davis Education Foundation, Kaldor and Swanson hosted Sandra McGuire, a nationally recognized speaker specializing in student learning practices. Her suggestions for improving outcomes include using a timer to reduce procrastination, completing homework as if it were a test, teaching course material to others and more-effective reading assignment completion.

Then, Kaldor and Swanson got the student body involved. Through the “Ace Your Course” challenge, they asked students to try one of McGuire’s suggestions for one month and track the difference.

According to their results, students who attended the lecture alone averaged three points higher on their final grade than peers who did not attend. Those who went to the lecture and participated in the challenge averaged five points higher on their final grade.

Kaldor and Swanson plan to partner with various URI academic departments to implement these practices on a broader scale.

Emily Gowdey-Backus is a staff writer for PBN. You can follow her on Twitter @FlashGowdey or contact her via email, gowdey-backus@pbn.com.

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