Dr. Josh Woods and Megan Doran Publish in International Teaching Journal

January 3, 2025

Dr. Josh Woods and Megan Doran, a Master's student in GV Clinical Mental Health Counseling, recently co-authored a research article titled A Little Transparency Goes a Long Way: TILT Enhances Student Perceptions of an Interdisciplinary Research Symposium, published in the International Journal of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. This work represents a significant collaboration, involving Dr. Jesse Wilcox from the University of Northern Iowa, Grand View University's Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, and the SHAPE Symposium Committee.

The project was initiated when Dr. Simone Sorteberg led a series of sessions on the Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) method. Dr. Woods, alongside Megan Doran, then developed a research project to empirically assess the effectiveness of TILT in enhancing the widely respected SHAPE Symposium at Grand View University. The SHAPE Symposium team—Dr. Cathy Beck-Cross, Dr. Jaci Easter, Dr. Kris Owens, Prof. Myke Selha, and Prof. Julie Weichman—helped gather data from students over the course of a year. After analyzing the results and preparing the manuscript, Dr. Woods and Ms. Doran partnered with Dr. Wilcox to ready the study for publication.

Their findings emphasize the significant benefits of the TILT method, particularly for non-majors and students new to a subject. The research also demonstrates its positive impact across all academic levels, from first-year undergraduates to seniors. Despite growing interest in TILT within the teaching community, empirical studies confirming its advantages had been limited—until now. This study shows how small, intentional adjustments to course design can lead to meaningful improvements in student experiences and outcomes.

Read the full article here: A Little Transparency Goes a Long Way: TILT Enhances Student Perceptions of an Interdisciplinary Research Symposium