The Future of Learning at JMU

This course offers an opportunity to embark on a semester-long project to re-think student learning and development in and out of the classroom. Students work in interdisciplinary teams alongside other students and faculty from across the university using design and innovation methods that are applicable to a variety of professional contexts. This semester, students collaborated with JMU’s Student Affairs division and craft projects that are informed by the following topics: student health and well-being; student life and success; and access, inclusion and diversity. At the end of the semester, teams present projects that demonstrate a compelling vision of the future of student learning and development at our institution to members of the university administration, who will assess the projects’ merits for further development and possible implementation.

This course is designed to provide students with a significant opportunity to shape the future of the university. This year, it represents a collaboration between Student Affairs, College of Health and Behavioral Studies, the College of Arts and Letters, and JMU X-Labs.

Sections
UNST 300
PSYC 403
WRTC 328
HONS 300 (section 0020)

Faculty Team
Kenn Barron (Psychology)
Seán McCarthy (Writing, Rhetoric & Technical Communication)
Jonathan Stewart (Student Affairs)

The Future of Learning

Working in interdisciplinary teams, students and faculty in this JMU X-Labs course will prototype ambitious hybrid and online education projects with the expected goal of contributing to the future of learning at JMU. Students will explore best theory and practice in hybrid and online learning, gain experience working in interdisciplinary teams while using a variety of innovation and design methods, and practice skills that enable effective responses to complex and pressing problems.

At semester’s end, course participants will showcase their work to members of the university administration and faculty, who will assess those ideas for potential future development and implementation.

This course is supported by President Alger’s Pandemic-Related Learning and Innovation Taskforce, JMU X-Labs, the Office of Student Affairs, and the colleges of Arts and Letters, Education, Integrated Science and Engineering, and Visual and Performing Arts.