Faculty Fellows in Course Development Spring 2022 Cohort
This program invites seasoned faculty members to step out of their routine to think more deeply about teaching practice and to develop learning materials that match their vision.
Fostering Inclusion
Prof. Nominanda Barbosa
Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science | BIOL 2100/BIOL 2100L: Microbiology and Health
Inspired by her father's 35 years as an educator, Prof. Barbosa's first job was a middle school natural science teacher. She has served as a teaching assistant, a part-time instructor, and been a full-time faculty member at UTC since 2011.
With this Fellowship, Prof. Barbosa aims to develop her skills for teaching diverse classrooms, empowering students to overcome barriers and increase their chances of acceptance to nursing schools. She believes that "education is a never-ending learning process for both students and educators.”
Dr. Francesco Barioli
Mathematics | MATH 1951: Calculus with Analytic Geometry I (Part I)
Dr. Barioli's 20-year long teaching experience has helped him understand how the role of an instructor is to act as a “learning facilitator” rather than weed out students.
MATH 1950 is a core requirement for students in Mathematics and Engineering, yet students often struggle in such a course. In response, Dr. Barioli’s project will design two slower-paced courses (MATH 1951 and MATH 1952). With this Fellowship, he intends to design the first class in a hybrid modality, incorporate active learning in-class activities, design equity-oriented pedagogy, improve diversity in the classroom, and implement strategies to improve student retention and success.
Prof. Jeannie Hacker-Cerulean
Performing Arts, Theatre Division, Theatre & Speech | THSP 1090: Public Speaking
Prof. Hacker-Cerulean strives to create assignments that take learners step-by-step into the creative space of preparing speeches. She believes that the more positive experiences they have, their confidence will increase—one of the keys to public speaking.
With the Fellowship, Prof. Hacker-Cerulean aims to create a better course design for her asynchronous online course that students—especially first-generation college students—can more easily access. In addition, she aims to setup cohorts to facilitate connectedness and inclusivity among students.
Dr. Chandler Harriss
Communication | COMM 3200: Mass Communication Perspectives
Dr. Harriss became a professor in order to teach. His vision for teaching at UTC is actually more of a vision for UTC: "If I could wave a magic wand, then UTC would embrace an identity that revolves around teaching."
Part of his plans for the Fellowship include: building a more effective scaffold to help students move from the base-level toward the mastery-level of understanding; developing the needed scaffolding for struggling students; and creating a more equitable and inclusive course structure.
Cultivating Experiential Learning
Dr. Kara Hamilton
Health and Human Performance | HHP 4400: Advanced Exercise Physiology
Dr. Hamilton's vision for teaching at UTC is to give her students the best education possible and instill in them a passion for using their knowledge to benefit the community around them after they leave UTC as health-related professionals.
Through this Fellowship, Dr. Hamilton plans to create an elective course titled Advanced Exercise Physiology, primarily for Exercise Science majors. As a part of the course, students will participate in an experiential learning component by evaluating a physical activity program for school-aged children attending Title I schools in the Chattanooga area.
Dr. Irina Khmelko
Political Science and Public Service | PSPS 4700: World Poverty
Dr. Khmelko learned that every professor has their own style of teaching and works best when they stay true to their approach. Over several years, she's developed and refined her own approach by challenging students to achieve through setting high expectations, all while providing encouragement and support.
With this Fellowship, Dr. Khmelko plans to include experiential and community-based learning in her class. In addition, she hopes to incentivize students to conduct library research and aims to change the overall course design by building engaged and active learning environments.
Prof. Catherine Meeks
English/Environmental Studies | EVST 2000: Introduction to Environmental Studies
During her time as a professor in higher education, Prof. Meeks has striven to meet students "where they are" with genuine enthusiasm and unwavering support.
This past summer, she collaborated with two other colleagues to design and propose a new interdisciplinary program in Environmental Studies for UTC undergraduates. EVST 2000 will be a foundational course in this new minor. Through this Fellowship, Prof. Meeks plans to build on existing experiential learning partnerships and resources (such as the Teaching and Learning Garden) and develop new ones.
Dr. Anne Swedberg
Performing Arts/Theatre | THSP 3570: Theatre History II and/or THSP 1110: Introduction to the Theatre
Dr. Swedberg's vision for teaching at UTC is to meet students where they are in their exploration and development as theatre artists and foster strong foundational training in theatre, especially voice and acting.
With this Fellowship, Dr. Swedberg plans to incorporate experiential learning into her history and general education classes by incorporating hands-on exercises that will facilitate more engaged learning.
Trailblazing New Paths
Prof. Tina Benkiser, JD
Accounting | BUS 3999: Fundamentals of International Business
Having served as corporate counsel for many years, Tina Benkiser has been teaching fulltime since 2016. Since then, she has helped students learn legal philosophy, law, ethics, and the analytical skills needed to excel in their chosen professions.
Through this Fellowship, Prof. Benkiser aims to create a new course in international business that prepares students not only to work across transnational boundaries but also to appreciate and navigate cultural differences, thereby giving them the business acumen to develop healthy, mutually beneficial relationships.
Dr. Anthony Cepak
Communication | COMM 4010: Visualizing Data
Through his pedagogy, Dr. Cepak aims to build meaningful connections between conceptual principles and experiential practice. He collaborates with students to engage thoughtful approaches to creative decision making that is rooted in visual literacy and cultural presence.
Through the Fellowship, Dr. Cepak aims to develop a new course from the ground up titled "Visualizing Data," which will have a critical, analytical, and data-driven focus.
Dr. Bernadette Deprez
Doctor of Nursing Practice: Nursing Administration Systems Program | NURS 5310 Advanced Resource Management
After a career shift into education in 2017, Dr. Deprez worked with DNP faculty to continuously improve program outcomes by helping the School of Nursing (SON) achieve accreditation and host the first annual DNP Intensive Conference.
With this Fellowship, Dr. Deprez hopes to enhance online learning experiences for DNP students, connecting DNP Nursing Administration System (NAS) distance learning students to the UTC community.
Dr. Talia Welsh
Philosophy & Religion | PHIL 4940: Topics in the Philosophy of Health, Illness, and Medicine
Dr. Welsh's vision for teaching at UTC includes helping students link what they learn in class to the world beyond the classroom: to other courses, to their personal lives, and to their participation as members of a social and political body.
Through this Fellowship, Dr. Welsh seeks to foster this connectivity through a course that will contribute to a new major track under review: Philosophies of Health, Medicine, and Illness (PHMI), bridging the gap between philosophy and health.