Monthly Archives: August 2019

Engaging Scholarship: Data Literacy and Service Learning in Undergraduate Research

Diego Mendez-Carbajo (Economics) and Stephanie Davis-Kahl (Ames Library) have co-authored a new article reporting the results of their study of undergraduate research projects in the field of Economics in Scholarship and Practice in Undergraduate Research. This study of 85 “capstone-level research projects” completed between 2012 – 2014 demonstrated that undergraduate research projects “with a community service focus displayed a stronger mastery by students of particular expected proficiencies … [than those with a traditional focus].”

The Center for Engaged Learning promotes student and faculty engagement in high-impact practices including community engagement, service learning, and undergraduate research, as well as opportunities to bring these initiatives together in a meaningful way across the IWU community.

Citation: Mendez-Carbajo, D., & Davis-Kahl, S. (2019). Experiential and service learning through local data projects. Scholarship and Practice in Undergraduate Research, 2 (4), 23-29.

Titan Central Now Available through IWU Mobile App

IWU mobile app

Titan Central is now just “one click away” for anyone who has downloaded the IWU mobile app. Thanks to our partners in the Division of Student Affairs, you can now find Titan Central alongside other essential campus resources, including Moodle and The Ames Library, in the “Academics” menu in the IWU app.

Funded by Student Senate, the IWU app “provides a centralized platform for academic and campus life information” designed, like Titan Central, to provide “one-stop” access to resources essential to student success.

The IWU mobile app can be downloaded for free by searching “Illinois Wesleyan” in the Apple App Store, for iPhones and iPads, and in the Google Play store, for Android devices.

Titan Central “Pops-Up” at the RSO Fair

Titan Central students and staff will host the first “pop-up” event at the annual Registered Student Organization (RSO) Fair at Illinois Wesleyan University on August 29th between 4:00 – 6:00 pm in the Memorial Center. We will be there to answer your questions about resources available to help students succeed in the classroom and beyond, and to connect students with the people and programs that can help them to make the most out of the college experience.

We will also be asking you for ideas about how to make this service even better – have you had questions that were difficult to answer as you navigated campus, or did your friend find out about a really great program that you didn’t know existed? We want to hear from you as we build Titan Central into “the place to go when you need to know.” Titan Central “pop-ups” and other programs will continue throughout the Fall semester, and questions, comments, and suggestions for TC can always be sent through the web site or directly to titancentral@iwu.edu

Titan Central Launches for Fall Semester

Titan Central

Titan Central, a one-stop resource designed to meet students’ information and learner support needs, will launch this Fall as part of Turning Titan orientation sessions and grow throughout the year as part of the new Center for Engaged Learning.

While Illinois Wesleyan already provides students with access to a number of learner support programs – from research assistance in the library to tutors in the Writing Center and the Language Resource Center to advisors in the Career Center, and more – we have heard from students that we can do more to coordinate these programs and make it easier for students to find them when they need them. Working together as part of Titan Central, faculty, staff, and peer tutors from around the university will work together to answer your questions about how to make the most out of your student experience at IWU and to direct you to the resources on campus on in the community that you need to be successful.

Look for Titan Central “pop-up” desks this Fall in places like The Ames Library, Memorial Center, Hansen Student Center, as well as classroom buildings and student events. In addition to answering your questions, we will be asking you our questions: how can we make it easier for you to find and make use of the services IWU provides to help you to be successful in the classroom and outside of it?

Titan Central – The Place to Go When You Need to Know!