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The science of teaching took center stage Wednesday at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh’s Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Scholars Showcase.

As part of the weeklong 2012 Provost’s Teaching and Learning Summit, UWO researchers presented findings from their scholarly investigations of practices that can enhance student learning.

Assistant communication professor Christy Brazee presented her research, “Incidental Learning in Action Learning Projects,” which considered the types of incidental skills and knowledge —beyond the objectives of the course curriculum— that students learn when taking part in a real-world project.

Brazee studied what undergrads in her communication and training development class learned from working on a project to revise Plexus Corporation’s new hire orientation training program.

“I have always felt that students get so much more out of this project than the course content,” she said.

In analyzing student reflections about their learning and her own notes taken during group reflection discussions, Brazee found evidence that students learned time-management, real-world problem-solving skills, personal confidence, the ability to identify needs and tasks, and communication skills in working with peers and with clients—all forms of learning that previous studies had suggested.

In addition, Brazee’s work revealed additional forms of learning that were taking place: deliberate risk-taking, dual focus on immediate tasks and project goals, recasting the client as a collaborator and openness to revising work and assumptions.

Other presentations at the showcase included Victoria Beck, criminal justice, “Academic Integrity in Online Testing;” Anna Filipova, public administration, “Academic Self-Efficacy and Graduate Students’ Poster Session Experiences; Samantha Looker, English, “Increasing Awareness of Language Diversity Among University Students;” and Jane Purse-Wiedenhoeft, theatre, “Incorporating a Sustainability Research Project in an Improvisational Acting Course.”

The summit continues today with a panel discussion of Civic Engagement, Higher Education and Democracy from 3 to 5 p.m. in Sage Hall, Room 1214. On Friday, the week wraps up with Peer Mentor Recruitment: Student Opportunity, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Reeve Union Concourse.

See a full summit schedule and register for summit sessions at uwosh.edu/cetl/summit.