The Haven Magazine Spring 2018

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COVER STORY connections LHU faculty bring tech to the classroom in exciting, innovative ways 8 SPRING 2018 THE HAVEN LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY Professor Walt Eisenhauer looks on as PA students practice proper casting technique.
drop in to a session of LHU Music Professor Mahlon Grass’s world music course and you’re likely to hear melodies from around the world. But that’s not the only thing that has Grass’s students excited about the course, it’s the opportunity to meet and interact with students from world music courses in other countries that has created unique learning connections. Grass has developed partnerships with universities in Ireland and Nova Scotia, Canada which bring together world music courses from each institution to learn about music and culture together. “When we work with classes in Ireland or Canada, we’re able to look directly at how that country’s compositions were influenced by American culture,” says Grass. Irish students spend a week presenting on their music and culture; LHU students access those presentations through the online D2L learning platform and then do the same for the Irish students. The online platform integrates text, narrative, slides, and audio and Dr. Grass is able to narrate the content for both American and Irish students. “It’s the next best thing to live study abroad for many of our students,” says Grass. “They have the ability to interact with students from other cultures and to learn from one another in really meaningful ways.” The proof that students are responding is evident in more than the class signup rate. Grass says student learning outcomes have improved noticeably since the collaborations began. “I see technology as a way to connect with visual learners. When I introduced the technology components, the grade point average for the course went up 10%.” Grass believes that’s because students are using tools they identify with in ways that allow for interesting connections.” “Students today want to interact. They want to make connections. We see that in their use of social media. The standard lecture doesn’t work for this generation of students and so it’s been Professor Mahlon Grass has developed innovative ways to connect with music students around the world. exciting for me to find ways to engage with them,” he shares. While he believes the high grade point averages are proof the students are connecting to the content, Grass says he can’t take credit in the shift. “It’s not because of me. It’s because they’re engaged and interested in what they’re learning—that has really made the difference.” allows them to interact directly with the instructor. The lectures are augmented with faculty and small group discussions at each campus. A majority of the learning is handson at each location in a model that Eisenhauer says embodies a studentcentered approach to case-based learning. He says, “Every campus “Students today want to interact. They want to make connections. We see that in their use of social media. The standard lecture doesn’t work for this generation of students and so it’s been exciting for me to find ways to engage with them.” -Mahlon Grass since its start in 1996, the LHU physician assistant program has been a campus leader in integrating technology into the classroom. Much of the program’s use of technology focuses on bringing together the four campuses—LHU main, Clearfield, Coudersport, and Dixon University Center—that deliver content to LHU’s PA program students. According to PA Program Professor and Chair Walt Eisenhauer, the content delivery focuses on a hybrid distance education model. Students from each campus location view lectures remotely with the use of video technology that utilizes a physical diagnosis lab and a cadaver lab, but the ability for students to learn from instructors and specialty care providers across the state does a lot to increase students’ exposure to valuable material.” The video component of LHU’s PA program mirrors current trends in health care distribution across the country, particularly in rural areas where many of LHU’s PA program graduates eventually set up practice. “Telemedicine is a growing field. You see it in areas from dermatology to emergency medicine, and beyond,” says Eisenhauer. He adds that it’s a way for patients to LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY THE HAVEN SPRING 2018 9
Page 1 and 2: the connections issue
Page 3 and 4: CAMPUS VIEW On April 7th LHU and th
Page 5 and 6: letter From the editors You can enj
Page 7 and 8: HAVEN HAPPENINGS Lock Haven Univers
Page 9: monetary support. Bill owned our wo
Page 13 and 14: training they receive at LHU prepar
Page 15 and 16: Commencement Last December, Lock Ha
Page 17 and 18: From those early days with New Holl
Page 19 and 20: ALUMNI news Alumni Board Spotlight
Page 21 and 22: SPORTS CORNER Wrestling caps histor
Page 23 and 24: DONOR PROFILE Tau Kappa Epsilon (TK
Page 25 and 26: LHU Holds 3rd Annual Business Sympo
Page 27 and 28: FROM THE ARCHIVES Technology in the

The Haven Magazine Spring 2018

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