Limed: Teaching with a Twist – Episode 2

Dr. Chris Trimby from the University of Delaware wants to rethink how to engage his physiology students as we emerge from COVID. Panelists Derek Bruff, Ellery Ewell, and Jen Uno discuss how student engagement may be changing and how teachers might adapt and help reinvigorate their learners.

This episode of Limed: Teaching with a Twist is hosted by Matt Wittstein and produced by Dhvani Toprani and Matt Wittstein in collaboration with the Center for Engaged Learning.

View a transcript of this episode.

About the Guest

Dr. Chris Trimby is an Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Delaware, where he teaches a variety of courses in Biology. He was previously the Director of Professional Development in Teaching at the Wisconsin Institute for Science Education and Community Engagement (WISCIENCE) at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Outside of work, his interests have been centered on building and painting various craft projects and working with his wife to get their ambulance camper conversion completed. 

About the Panel

Derek Bruff is an educator, author, and consultant. He directed the Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching for more than a decade, where he helped faculty and other instructors develop foundational teaching skills and explore new ideas in teaching. Bruff has written two books, Intentional Tech: Principles to Guide the Use of Educational Technology in College Teaching (West Virginia University Press, 2019) and Teaching with Classroom Response Systems: Creating Active Learning Environments (Jossey-Bass, 2009), and he was producer and host for the educational technology podcast Leading Lines. Bruff has a PhD in mathematics and taught math courses at Vanderbilt and Harvard University. Visit his website and connect on LinkedIn.

Ellery Ewell is a fourth-year student at Elon University studying Psychology with a minor in Exercise Science. She is a Center for Engaged Learning Student Scholar, providing a student perspective on the three-year research seminar on Re-Examining Conditions for Meaningful Learning Experiences. She also independently works on an undergraduate research project focused on mentoring networks for Black college students. 

Jen Uno, Associate Professor of Biology and an Associate Director of the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, is passionate about sharing her love of human physiology and anatomy using innovative teaching and learning strategies to connect with her students in meaningful ways. Dr. Uno’s research interests involve gastrointestinal (GI) physiology with a focus on the Gut Brain Axis, and she enjoys cultivating student interest in science through mentored research experiences. In addition, Dr. Uno has led Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives in STEM at Elon, aimed at fostering a sense of belonging among underrepresented STEM students and evaluating successful practices that cultivate a welcoming place for everyone in STEM. Learn more about her work.

Resources Related to This Episode

• Bruff, Derek. n.d. Backchannel. Agile Learning.
• Bruff, Derek. 2011. Mobile Learning and the Inverted Classroom (#EDUSprint). Agile Learning (blog). April 28, 2011.
• Elon University. 2016. A Tale of Two Classes with Todd Lee and Kristina Meinking. https://blogs.elon.edu/ondemand/a-tale-of-two-classes-todd-lee-and-kristina-meinking/
• Hrach, Susan. 2021. Minding Bodies: How Physical Space, Sensation, and Movement Affect Learning. West Virginia University Press.

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