In the Classroom

Healing in Harmony

BBENSON@bridgew.edu — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 13:38:25 +0000

Healing in Harmony BBENSON@bridgew.edu Tue, 01/19/2021 - 08:38

New program in music therapy opening doors for students

January 19, 2021

Brian Benson

While growing up, Alexandria Pesa, ’21, was no stranger to hospitals as she overcame severe scoliosis that required surgery. Despite the support she received, she felt something missing from her life during her time in the hospital: music.

“It would have been helpful to have something to uplift me during the hard times,” the 51�Թ�� student said. “I want to do that for others.”

BSU is helping Alexandria accomplish that goal. She is one of the first students pursuing a pre-music therapy concentration within the music major. Students complete core psychology, science, and music courses that are needed for studying the field in graduate school.

“We are making it easier for students who want to become music therapists to get into graduate school,” said Kari O’Briant, a part-time faculty member in the Department of Music.

Bridgewater State is working with Cambridge’s Lesley University, which offers the closest graduate program.

The growing field combines music with other disciplines. Therapists improve lives by working with clients in hospitals, schools, homes and elsewhere; people of all ages need their services.

“It’s so rewarding because I get to see my clients grow and change through music,” said O’Briant, who is also a music therapist. “It’s a wonderful thing we get to share together.”

O’Briant encourages BSU students wondering if the career is for them to take an introductory course in the discipline.

Alexandria, who is from Norton and also studying music education, hopes to pursue a degree in music therapy in graduate school and work in a hospital. She’s grateful that BSU is offering the concentration.

“I’m just really excited,” she said. “I’ve always been a people person. … I want to help people like everyone did for me.”

Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu.

We are making it easier for students who want to become music therapists to get into graduate school.

Kari O’Briant, part-time music faculty member

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In the Classroom

Arts

Distance Learning

BBENSON@bridgew.edu — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 13:50:46 +0000

Distance Learning BBENSON@bridgew.edu Thu, 12/03/2020 - 08:50

Students connect virtually with peers in Japan

December 3, 2020

Brian Benson

Even the pandemic cannot stop students from exploring the globe. Now, they’re doing so without leaving home.

To that end, 51�Թ�� students participated in course-based virtual exchanges with peers from other nations.

“You’re traveling, but you’re not really traveling,” said Christian Cabral, ’22, an aspiring physical education teacher who is collaborating with Japanese students. “It’s nice to see faces and hear everyone’s voices.”

BSU received a grant from the American Council on Education to support the initiative, which connected students taking physical education classes with Dr. Karen Richardson at BSU and Dr. Naoki Suzuki at Tokyo Gakugei University in Japan.

Japanese and American students worked in groups to compare each other’s physical education systems. Swimming, for instance, the Bridgewater students learned, is a staple of Japanese physical education, unlike in the U.S.

“Through the cross-cultural exchange, students from Japan and the U.S. are collaborating and working together as global citizens in the field of physical education,” Suzuki said.

Students hope to incorporate aspects of each other’s educational systems in their future classrooms.

“It’s not necessary to make it the same,” said Yuka Saito, a Tokyo Gakugei sophomore studying to be a physical education teacher. “I think good points should be shared with each other.”

A separate exchange connected a political science class taught by Dr. Inkyoung Kim of BSU and an international relations course taught by Dr. Sung Ho Park of Yonsei University in South Korea. Those students researched and debated systems of government and elections.

Global education is even more important during COVID-19 when students feel isolated, said Richardson, a professor in the Department of Movement Arts, Health Promotion and Leisure Studies.

“They were able to have these connections and really feel their world is opening up in new ways,” she said. “We’re thrilled to have this collaboration.”

The pandemic allowed students to bond over the shared challenges they faced.

“It’s been really helpful to see other people dealing with a similar situation,” said Mark Bentley, a post-baccalaureate student working toward his teaching licensure. “It’s nice to have a common thing we can all relate to.”

Japanese and American students appreciated the chance to broaden their horizons in a time when studying abroad is not possible.

“In this pandemic, we can’t do such things, but through this program we can connect with other students from foreign countries,” said Shiori Yamaguchi, a Tokyo Gakugei junior studying to become an English teacher. “I think it’s very important.”

Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu.

“They were able to have these connections and really feel their world is opening up in new ways. We’re thrilled to have this collaboration.”

Dr. Karen Richardson

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In the Classroom

Net Gains

BBENSON@bridgew.edu — Thu, 01 Oct 2020 13:00:28 +0000

Net Gains BBENSON@bridgew.edu Thu, 10/01/2020 - 09:00

Sharing the love of tennis management graduate program

October 1, 2020

Brian Benson

A new graduate program for current and aspiring tennis professionals is serving up all aces, according to its first students.

The professional tennis management certificate, developed by 51�Թ�� in partnership with the U.S. Tennis Association, is the first of its kind in New England. It prepares students for careers in all facets of the game, from coaching to running tennis facilities and organizations. Participants complete the certificate separately or as part of a master’s degree in physical education.

The six-course program includes a two-week residency on campus, where students work in the classroom, on the courts and in the community.

We spoke with two students about their experiences:

Putting a new spin on a lifelong pastime

Sara Hewitt has enjoyed tennis her whole life, but she never played the game using her non-dominant hand until she pursued the certificate.

“It really showed you a very unique perspective and really opened my eyes,” Hewitt said, adding it helped her understand new players’ struggles.

Hewitt particularly appreciated the residency, where students bonded with each other over a game they love and developed relationships with faculty.

“Other universities are so big. You want to feel a part of the program,” said Hewitt, who completed her residency in 2019. “We were able to establish great working relationships with all of our professors and colleagues in the program.”

Hewitt, who lives in Florida, completed the program’s internship requirement at the USTA’s headquarters, where she also works in operations. She was recently nominated to serve on the board of the USTA Florida Section Foundation, which financially supports organizations that help people of all ages and abilities experience the sport.

Hewitt continues to promote BSU to people interested in expanding their tennis knowledge.

“Even though I completed the program, I will always be a supporter of Bridgewater State and am so honored to have had the experience,” she said.

Turning coaching inside out

Jordan Zimmerman, G’21, is turning the traditional model of coaching on its head because of lessons from his master’s program.

Traditionally, coaches teach technique before athletes play a game at the end of a practice. Zimmerman now does the opposite. By playing tennis first, they realize what skills they need to improve.

“That was one of the first things I learned, and I’ve used it every day since,” he said.

Zimmerman, who picked up the sport in high school at the encouragement of his friends, is now assistant director of tennis growth at the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park, Maryland. He has a bachelor’s degree in education from Nebraska Wesleyan University, but Zimmerman found better career opportunities in tennis.

He praises his professors, including Drs. Jennifer Mead, Karen Richardson and Tim Hopper, for challenging traditional ways of coaching and presenting research on alternative methods. Instead of dictating what players do, Zimmerman learned to be student-centered and let athletes make decisions about their development.

“They have stepped up and found a way to make this program something really special,” he said. “It was amazing to have all of my horizons expanded to a ridiculous degree.”

Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu.

Professors "have stepped up and found a way to make this program something really special. It was amazing to have all of my horizons expanded to a ridiculous degree.”

Jordan Zimmerman, G’21

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In the Classroom

Virtual Lessons

BBENSON@bridgew.edu — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 12:25:16 +0000

Virtual Lessons BBENSON@bridgew.edu Tue, 07/14/2020 - 08:25

New programs help educators in shift to online teaching

July 14, 2020

Brian Benson

Falmouth teachers Nichole Freeman, ’98, G’06, and Daria Kasparian abruptly pivoted when the COVID-19 pandemic forced school online. Fortunately, they knew how to continue serving their students thanks in large part to their virtual education classes at 51�Թ��.

“Had I not had those experiences, I wouldn't have been as confident with what I was doing with my students,” said Freeman, a third-grade teacher at Teaticket Elementary School.

Kasparian, who teaches high school English, added: “Those lessons became more relevant and even more significant.”

Freeman and Kasparian are part of a group of Falmouth educators pursuing the Teaching in a Virtual/Online Setting graduate certificate. Launched in 2018, the four-course program covers topics such as using digital tools, designing coursework, and fostering consultation and collaboration.

BSU also offers an undergraduate certificate through the College of Continuing Studies where students gain valuable online teaching skills before they enter the workforce.

“It’s so timely,” said Program Coordinator Tracy Charbonnier, ’03, G’17. “It’s really providing new teachers walking out the door from Bridgewater with confidence they can do it.”

Veteran educators such as Freeman and Kasparian praise the classes for introducing academic research and assisting them with challenges they faced during the pandemic.

“It helped me to not be afraid to seek and try out new things,” Freeman said. She also had praise for Dr. Eliason, an associate professor in the Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education. “Having taken a course with Sue, I had a variety of plan Bs.”

Meanwhile, the College of Graduate Studies recently launched a four-class certificate in online course design. Geared to higher education faculty and even corporate HR specialists and trainers, it covers ways to develop rigorous, accessible, inclusive virtual learning experiences. Full- and part-time BSU faculty can complete it for free.

“Our institution is really supporting it,” Eliason said. “Bridgewater State is very committed to effective online teaching.”

The course-design program grew out of BSU’s Teaching and Technology Center’s Online Teaching Institute. More than 200 BSU faculty are participating in this summer’s institute in preparation for fall classes that will be mostly online.

In Falmouth, Freeman and Kasparian feel ready for whatever comes when school resumes, including remote learning.

“It doesn't replace the in-classroom experience, but it does certainly enhance it,” Kasparian said of online education. “It’s something I will use going forward whether we’re in class or remote.”

Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu.

“Had I not had those experiences (at BSU), I wouldn't have been as confident with what I was doing with my students."

Nichole Freeman, ’98, G’06

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In the Classroom

Continuing Studies

Ups and Downs

BBENSON@bridgew.edu — Tue, 07 Jul 2020 12:20:30 +0000

Ups and Downs BBENSON@bridgew.edu Tue, 07/07/2020 - 08:20

Virus provides student investors with valuable object lessons

July 7, 2020

Brian Benson

Wild swings in the stock market sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic left many people reeling. But on the upside, 51�Թ�� students participating in the student-managed investment fund saw an opportunity to sharpen their financial literacy skills and prepare for their careers.

“It helps me get my foot in the door and gives me something to build on versus coming in a complete novice,” said Petroy Thompson, ’20, who aims to work at an investment firm after finishing his business degree this summer. “Having some sense of what’s going on is priceless.”

The program began several years ago with $200,000 raised by a group of benefactors led by Louis M. Ricciardi, ’81, and President Emeritus Dana Mohler-Faria. The money was divided equally between a traditional Standard & Poor’s 500 fund and one focused on socially responsible investing.

Students researched companies, identified sound investments and presented to the fund’s governing committee of financial experts. This marked the first time the program was also tied to a course.

“For most students, this course was their first real exposure to stock market analysis,” said Dr. Jeanean Davis-Street, who serves as dean of the Ricciardi College of Business and taught the class. “They were able to participate in an investment simulation, learn ratio analysis, assess their own risk tolerance, and learn the nomenclature of investing.”

They accessed real-time data using on-campus Bloomberg terminals and resourcefully found other sources of information when the pandemic forced classes to move online.

“In a time of so much uncertainty, it gave us a great opportunity to buy when the market is low,” said Ben O’Brien, ’23, an aviation science major from Belchertown, who recommended buying Molson Coors Brewing Company stock. “You really don’t see that many opportunities, thankfully.”

Working with actual money instead of a hypothetical situation added an essential dimension to the course.

“It’s one thing to teach that and another to actually experience that,” said Petroy, who is from Hyde Park and recommended buying Royal Dutch Shell stock.

Petroy and Ben are putting their knowledge from the course to use with personal investments.

“I learned a lot about financial investments and picking the right stocks,” Ben said. “It’s so well run and the content you get out of it is absolutely worthwhile.”

Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu.

“It helps me get my foot in the door and gives me something to build on versus coming in a complete novice. Having some sense of what’s going on is priceless.”

Petroy Thompson, ’20

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In the Classroom

City Champions

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Jan 2020 15:35:58 +0000

City Champions Anonymous Thu, 01/09/2020 - 10:35

Geography students study Brockton’s government, diversity and more

December 26, 2019

Brian Benson

Story Series

News Feature

Georgia Lane, ’23, used to wonder if Brockton was safe. After taking a first-year seminar at 51�Թ��, she began looking at the local city differently – as an ethnically and geographically diverse community waiting to be studied.

“It’s a thriving city,” said Georgia, a health science major from Pembroke. “I had assumptions about Brockton and (the class) has helped break the assumptions.”

That is one of the goals for Dr. James Hayes-Bohanan, who first taught a class about Brockton a decade ago. The city, he said, is a perfect municipality to study. It is multicultural, urban (some students walk down their first city alley while taking this course), and close to campus. Students explore its connections to Cape Verde, Haiti and elsewhere.

“It’s a lens on the wider world that they can learn,” the geography professor said. “They can have international experiences within 10 miles of campus. … I hope it helps them to value the diversity of the communities they live in.”

Geography, after all, is about much more than maps. It involves truly understanding another community.

This semester, students talked with a Brockton Hospital nurse, visited the Brightfield solar power facility, and met locals at Elvera’s Café. Sometimes, they just drove around the city making observations and working to dispel stereotypes.

Students found fruits and vegetables as diverse as the grocery store’s customers, natural areas to enjoy a walk in the woods, and Little Free Libraries where anyone can take and leave books.

Even Brocktonian Dale Quimby, ’23, learned more about his home city’s manufacturing history. He praised BSU for offering this course.

“I think it shows they care about the communities they have around them,” the physics major said.

During a recent class, students visited Old Colony Planning Council, which helps cities and towns coordinate environmental, transportation, and economic initiatives that cross municipal boundaries.

The council employs a number of Bridgewater alumni, including Charles Kilmer, ’93, who showed students a textbook from his days as a geography major.

Being a Bear “helped set the stage for what I wanted to do for a career,” Kilmer said.

Kilmer, now the council’s assistant director and transportation program manager, hopes students understand Brockton is comprised of people working together to improve their community. That’s a sentiment BSU students share after spending a semester in the City of Champions.

“When you first hear about it, you look at Brockton as an unsafe place,” said Mikey Skwarto, ’23, a secondary education and math major from Taunton. “But, there’s a lot more to Brockton.”

Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu.

It’s a thriving city. I had assumptions about Brockton and (the class) has helped break the assumptions.

Georgia Lane, ’23

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Brockton

In the Classroom

Honors Program

Publishing Stories

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Jan 2020 15:35:58 +0000

Publishing Stories Anonymous Thu, 01/09/2020 - 10:35

Students working on The Bridge gain critical experience

November 25, 2019

Brian Benson

Story Series

News Feature

Walking into Dr. Sarah Fawn Montgomery’s class, you might think you’ve entered a publishing house – and that’s exactly the point.

Undergraduates in the interdisciplinary course produce 51�Թ��’s literary and arts journal, The Bridge. The staff solicits works from students and alumni, decides which submissions to print, designs and markets the journal, organizes events and writes a blog.

“Being able to create a whole book as a college student … is an amazing experience to take part in,” said Syllina Ramalho, ’20, a graphic design major from Acushnet minoring in art history.

Not only will Syllina and her peers leave the yearlong class having produced the annual publication, they’ll gain valuable skills employers in their fields seek.

Collaboration, public speaking, and experiential learning are critical for artists’ growth, said Dr. Alain Blunt, an assistant professor of art.

“The Bridge is a wonderful model for cross-disciplinary work and creative interaction, where English and art inform each other toward the common goal of producing an excellent academic publication of literary and fine arts,” said Blunt, who co-advises The Bridge with Montgomery, an assistant professor of English.

Working on the journal prepares senior English majors Jennifer Berard and Erin Ryan for publishing careers.

“I love being able to take raw works and help authors get them out in the world,” said Jennifer, who is from Norton and minoring in communication studies

Erin, who is minoring in public relations and hails from Gloucester, agreed: “I think everybody has a story that needs to be told and I’d love to be that person to help them.”

Students emphasize that the journal is not just for art and English majors. Anyone with a creative passion is welcome to submit content.

Staff members such as graphic design major Kelsey Long, ’20, have their own passion.

"We get to create something that emphasizes what we love – art and creative writing and literature,” said Long, a Hull resident minoring in accounting and management. “It’s a great opportunity for us.”

Students and alumni can submit content electronically through the journal’s website until Dec. 1.

Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu.

Being able to create a whole book as a college student … is an amazing experience to take part in.

Syllina Ramalho, ’20

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In the Classroom

Arts

Slippery Subject

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Jan 2020 15:35:58 +0000

Slippery Subject Anonymous Thu, 01/09/2020 - 10:35

NSF grant brings salamander research into classrooms

November 22, 2019

Brian Benson

Story Series

News Feature

Laboratory work is an integral component of science courses, but it often focuses on conducting experiments for which there is already a known answer. 51�Թ��’s Dr. Caitlin Fisher-Reid wants to lead her classes into the unknown.

Thanks to a National Science Foundation grant, she is bringing ongoing research on salamanders into the classroom.

Fisher-Reid mentors some students through independent research (see video above), but the grant enables her to extend the project to those just taking a class.

“They’ll have a better grasp on research and what it means to be a scientist,” said Fisher-Reid, an assistant professor of biological sciences. “And they are doing real science, not just a cookbook lab.”

Fisher-Reid studies salamanders whose habitats range from southern Canada south to Virginia and west to Minnesota. She is part of the Salamander Population and Adaptation Research Collaboration Network, which connects researchers studying the tiny creatures. The work helps scientists learn about the amphibians (including an endangered type found on only a few Virginia mountain tops) and better understand changes to climate and forests.

“They’re a good indicator of a healthy forest,” she said of salamanders. “If you cut down the forest or make it too hot or too dry, you won’t find them.”

Fisher-Reid is collaborating on the grant project with colleagues at Michigan State University, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Pennsylvania State University and the University of Richmond. Educators envision having classes communicate with one another through Skype.

Fisher-Reid is focused this year on finalizing the course-based research experiences and plans to pilot them next year at BSU. Students will conduct data analysis to determine population size and other attributes, as well as work in Great Hill woods, an area on campus where salamanders live.

Ultimately, Fisher-Reid hopes to reach more students than faculty can through one-on-one research mentoring.

“We know research is really critical for students in science to be successful,” she said.

Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu.

We know research is really critical for students in science to be successful.

Dr. Caitlin Fisher-Reid

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Undergraduate Research

In the Classroom

Korean Spoken Here

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Jan 2020 15:35:58 +0000

Korean Spoken Here Anonymous Thu, 01/09/2020 - 10:35

New course draws students interested in country’s language and culture

October 2, 2019

Brian Benson

Story Series

News Feature

This holiday season, Kaitlin Gallagher, ’21, will give her mother a present she hopes she’ll never forget, thanks to a new 51�Թ�� class.

Kaitlin is taking Elementary Korean with the goal of talking with her mom – who is Korean and came to the United States as a teenager – in her mother’s native tongue.

“It’s going to be a complete surprise,” said the Taunton resident, who is majoring in health studies and minoring in psychology.

This semester, BSU expanded its foreign language offerings to include Korean, thanks in part to a grant from the Korea Foundation. Drs. Inkyoung Kim, an assistant political science professor, and Sean McPherson, an associate art and art history professor, applied for funding from the foundation after discovering a need for and student interest in Korean language classes.

“The Korean language program will be a good starting point that will bring Korean content to campus and widen the scope of Asian studies,” said Kim, who is originally from South Korea.

She works with the Korean Student Association and was impressed when more than 30 students attended a basic Korean language workshop the club held.

“They were eager to learn more,” she said.

The new program, run by the Department of Global Languages and Literatures, offers an introductory course this semester and two levels in the spring.

The Korea Foundation enhances understanding of Korea throughout the world. Its grants often go to the most elite schools. BSU had an advocate in Kim Yonghyon, the consul general of the Republic of Korea in Boston, as well as a reputation as a top educator of many of the area’s future teachers. The consul general understood that aspiring educators who study Korean language and culture can spread those lessons to their future students.

Learning Korean also benefits those who seek to study current events in that important region, according to McPherson. He added that students will find Korean to be a relatively accessible language to learn.

“I think it’s a wonderfully efficient and logical and beautiful writing system,” he said. “It’s possible to learn it much more quickly than what would be the case for elementary Japanese or Chinese.”

And, it shows Korean international students who come to Bridgewater that others on campus care about their culture and language, said Carmira Tessier, ’20, a communication studies major from Brockton, who is currently enrolled in Elementary Korean.

Carmira enjoys Korean dramas and K-pop music, so she aspires to learn the language. She even tried to teach herself in junior high.

“It never stuck with me,” she said. “I wanted to learn the right way.”

Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu.

The Korean language program will be a good starting point that will bring Korean content to campus and widen the scope of Asian studies.

Dr. Inkyoung Kim

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In the Classroom

Game On!

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Jan 2020 15:35:58 +0000

Game On! Anonymous Thu, 01/09/2020 - 10:35

Class uses gambling as a way to teach high-level math

March 15, 2019

Brian Benson

Story Series

News Feature

In Alison Salomone’s 51�Թ�� math seminar you’re more likely to hear the shuffling of cards and the clinking of chips than the squeaking of a marker on a board.

Her students often sit in groups around tables covered in green cloth playing games like blackjack. But make no mistake, this is a math class. Just look at the probability calculation on the board and listen to the discussions about the math behind the games.

“I think it speaks to the fact that we’re open to different kinds of learning, that there’s not just value in a traditional learning system,” said Ramses Riviere, ’21, a management major and philosophy minor from Malden taking the second-year seminar.

Salomone, an instructor in the Department of Mathematics, started the What are the Odds course in 2017. She hoped to attract students who may not otherwise pursue a math seminar.

While playing cards is fun, students learn valuable skills in quantitative reasoning, probability and statistics that are applicable to whatever field they study. And, by understanding the math behind games, they realize how hard it is to win.

“We’re showing how games that look enticing are mathematically in the casino’s favor,” Salomone said.

In addition to covering poker, craps, blackjack and fantasy sports, the class debates the pros and cons of casinos, a discussion that delves into gambling addiction.

The course comes as an emerging casino industry takes hold in Massachusetts. Salomone focuses on the Bay State, particularly prospects for a casino in Southeastern Massachusetts.

The lessons students learn are also applicable outside academia, when they need to assess major decisions such as buying a house, Salomone said.

“It helps with decision making as well,” said Denis Kwesiga, ’19, (pictured above) a math major with a statistics concentration.

Denis, who is originally from Uganda, said this course is unlike other math classes.

“It’s more relaxed,” he said. “She makes it fun. It’s more engaging. You get to meet your fellow students. There’s a bit of laughter as well.”

Denis smiled as he played blackjack next to Brianna Wangnoon, ’20, who claims she’s bad at math. But, Brianna, a psychology major and special education minor from Brockton, decided to take this class rather than a seminar in another discipline.

“I think it makes (math) a lot easier and allows you to think of it in a different way,” Brianna said.

Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu.

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In the Classroom