This episode features Pamela Walter, MFA, the Director of the Office for Professional Writing, Publishing, and Communication (OPWPC). Pam shares how the OPWPC supports researchers in writing, publishing, presenting, and navigating the complexities of scholarly communication. This episode also highlights common writing challenges, the importance of narrative flow in scientific communication, team-based approaches to increasing publication output, and the influence of generative AI in academic writing.

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Guest: Pamela Walter, MFA

• Role: Medical Editor/Writer and Director of the Office for Professional Writing, Publishing, and Communication
• Expertise: Professional writing skills, publishing practices, and presentation skills.

Quote from the Episode:

• "If you can speak, you can write, and there are plenty of resources available to turn that unpolished writing into polished writing." Pam Walter, MFA

Getting Started:

• Participate in writing retreats for focused, uninterrupted writing time, and use short writing sprints to overcome writer's block and make consistent progress.
• Take advantage of in-house services like manuscript reviews, presentation feedback, and workshops to enhance the quality and impact of your research communication.
• Use connective words and a logical flow to make your research writing more engaging and easier to follow, even for technical audiences.
• Utilize tools like BioRender to create graphical abstracts and visually summarize your research.
• Contact us to improve your academic writing.

Terms to Know:

The terms below are mentioned in the episode, and for context and clarity, we've provided brief definitions of potentially unfamiliar terms you may hear.

• Connective Words: A word or phrase whose function is to link linguistic units together.
• Narrative Writing: In essence, story writing; it can be fiction or nonfiction. If it has a narrative structure and tells a story, it is narrative writing.
• Generative AI: An AI system capable of generating text, images, or other media in response to prompts.

Selected Resources:

The Learning Curve team curated this list based on university resources or guest recommendations.

1. Professional Writing & Communication (OPWPC)
2. Jefferson Libraries Homepage
3. AI for Educators: From Basics to Best Practices
4. Research Administration Center of Excellence (RACE)
5. Hillier, A., Kelly, R. P., & Klinger, T. (2016). Narrative Style Influences Citation Frequency in Climate Change Science. PloS One, 11(12), e0167983.
6. Academic Commons Upcoming Workshops and Events

This episode features Nanette Tomicek, PhD, and a discussion on designing effective and inclusive learning objectives. Emphasizing the importance of planning, multiple pedagogical frameworks, and inclusive language in curriculum design. This episode highlights practical strategies for educators to develop well-crafted, measurable objectives.

Guest: Nanette Tomicek, PhD

• Role: Course Director for Anatomy & Physiology, East Falls Campus, Associate Professor
• Expertise: Pedagogy, active learning, laboratory, and excellence in anatomy and physiology education.

Quote from the Episode: "The learning outcome has to be measurable. That's very important. [...] you need to be thinking about what do you want your students to be able to do, at the end of the course.” - Nanette Tomicek, PhD

Getting Started:

• Collaborate with colleagues to help plan development of learning objectives and gain diverse perspectives.
• Clearly define what you want students to get out of the course.
• Stick to one verb per learning objective that leads to observable and measurable student actions.
• Contact us to talk about designing effective learning objectives.

Terms to Know:

The terms below are mentioned in the episode, and for context and clarity, we've provided brief definitions of potentially unfamiliar terms you may hear.

• Learning Objective: A statement describing what a learner should be able to know or do by the end of an instruction period, using measurable and observable actions.
• Bloom’s Taxonomy: A framework which classifies different levels of human thinking and learning – i.e., thinking, learning, and understanding.

Selected Resources: The Learning Curve team curated this list based on university resources or guest recommendations.

1. Learning Design – Academic Commons Page
2. Zakrajsek, T., & Nilson, L. B. (2023). Teaching at its best: a research-based resource for college instructors (Fifth edition.). Jossey-Bass, a Wiley Brand.
3. Bloom’s Taxonomy - Center for Teaching Excellence - The University of Utah. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2025, from https://cte.utah.edu/instructor-education/Blooms-Taxonomy.php
4. Writing Measurable Course Objectives - The Center for Teaching and Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2025, from https://teaching.charlotte.edu//teaching-guides/course-design/writing-measurable-course-objectives
5. Academic Commons Upcoming Workshops and Events

Follow and subscribe to be notified about new episodes! Episodes premiere monthly, every first Wednesday at 10:30AM. Head over to our webpage to check out more episodes and learn more about the podcast!

This episode features Kathryn Shaffer EdD, RN, CNE, and a discussion on transformational belonging in nursing education. Emphasizing trauma-informed pedagogy, empathetic leadership, and design thinking, Dr. Shaffer shares strategies for creating inclusive learning environments where students feel seen, safe, and empowered. This episode highlights practical approaches for educators to cultivate creativity, psychological safety, and identity-shaping experiences in the classroom.

Guest: Kathryn Shaffer EdD, RN, CNE

• Role: Associate Professor and Director of Innovation in the College of Nursing
• Expertise: Trauma-informed pedagogy, inclusive learning environments, empathetic leadership, and design thinking

Quote from the Episode: “Transformational belonging isn't just about fitting in. It's really about creating spaces where people feel so deeply seen and safe and valued that they see themselves differently in that space and they step into their fullest potential.” Kathryn Shaffer EdD, RN, CNE

Getting Started:

• Create a safe space where students feel comfortable taking risks and making mistakes.
• Practice empathetic leadership by recognizing student needs and modeling respect in the classroom.
• Design activities that help students see themselves in the field.
• Solicit and use student feedback as an opportunity to grow.
• Contact us to talk about assignment design and creating a welcoming environment.

Terms to Know:

The terms below are mentioned in the episode, and for context and clarity, we've provided brief definitions of potentially unfamiliar terms you may hear.

• Trauma-Informed Pedagogy: An approach to teaching that considers the broader impacts of trauma in students’ lives and explores the potential paths to resiliency. It seeks to cultivate a supportive learning environment for students which avoids re-traumatization for students.
• Design Thinking: A problem-solving methodology to address challenges in a fun way. It applies collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and communication to encourage innovative and iterative solutions.

Selected Resources: The Learning Curve team curated this list based on university resources or guest recommendations.

1. Universal Design for Learning – Academic Commons Page
2. Arbour, M., Walker, K., & Houston, J. (2024). Trauma‐Informed Pedagogy: Instructional Strategies to Support Student Success. Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health, 69(1), 25–32. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmwh.13539
3. University of Denver – Trauma-Informed Pedagogy
4. University of Michigan – Trauma-Informed Pedagogy – Equitable Teaching
5. University of Michigan - Insights on Trauma-Informed Pedagogy in Online Learning
6. Academic Commons Upcoming Workshops and Events

Follow and subscribe to be notified about new episodes! Episodes premiere monthly, every first Wednesday at 10:30AM. Head over to our webpage to check out more episodes and learn more about the podcast!