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Views of Learning

by Betsy Chapman

In this Issue:

  • What does learning look like?
  • Reminder to buy Family Weekend football tickets

Happy Friday, Deac families! Today is going to be a photofilled day, with a reminder to buy your Family Weekend football tickets if you haven’t already.

What does learning look like?

When I was a Wake Forest student (back in the late 80s-early 90s), most of my classes tended to be lecture-based; some were discussion heavy too. But classes today have a wide range of activities, and seem (to me at least) to be a lot more interactive and engaging. There are also greater opportunities for students to get involved in research with their faculty.

What does learning look like at Wake Forest? I took a look in our photo archives at various classes, labs, and research, which you can see below. While there are still surely some lecture-based classes, there are a lot more discussions, small group work, hands-on learning/doing, research, and collaboration, both indoors and out!

These pictures are just a smattering – not the full range of learning opportunities your Deacs might experience (and we can’t promise every dancer that Debbie Allen will be your teacher!). But I thought it might be fun to give you a glimpse into how we learn, and how we teach. Enjoy!

Wake Forest University students attend classes in Greene Hall on the first day of classes of the spring semester on Wednesday, January 17, 2024. Wake Forest University students from Prof. Ali Sakkal’s Learning and Cognitive Science classes present the completed models of their mini learning spaces at the WakerSpace on Thursday, December 7, 2023. Maya Angelou Artist-in-Residence Debbie Allen teaches the Advanced Ballet class in the Scales Fine Arts Center at Wake Forest University on Monday, November 13, 2023. Prof. Sule James teaches an Art History class in Scales Fine Arts Center on Wednesday, November 8, 2023 Visiting jazz and classical musician Courtney D. Jones leads a master class with the Wake Forest Jazz Ensemble in rehearsal in Scales Fine Arts Center, on Thursday, October 26, 2023. Prof. J.K. Curry teaches an Intro to Theatre class in the newly renovated Scales Fine Arts Center room 208 on Friday, October 6, 2023. Prof. Kevin Frazier also dropped by to lead an exercise on generative AI. Politics & International Affairs professor Sarah Lischer teaches a class in Kirby Hall B03 on Tuesday, September 19, 2023. The classroom was recently renovated. Wake Forest University Documentary Film Program students learn about cinematography and sound design during a class at the Brookstown Inn on Thursday, November 3, 2022. On, Wednesday, April 12, 2023 I followed around Rhodes Scholar Alice Hauser for a day in the life photo story. Alice, from Kennenbunk, Maine, is a senior, double major studying Philosophy and Piano Performance with a minor in History. Alice attends her Music History II class with Dr. Stewart Carter in a classroom on the third floor of Scales. Wake Forest University students from an art history and a studio art class taught by Prof. John Pickel and Prof. Merih Danali create quill pens from turkey feathers and later use them to learn calligraphy during a class at Scales Fine Arts Center on Tuesday, January 31, 2023. Wake Forest University junior Chemistry major Sydney Riemer, a URECA Scholar, works with Engineering Prof. Erin Henslee and Chemistry Prof. Uli Bierbach to investigate the electrophysiological characterization of drug uptake and cell death to quantify efficacy of various treatment groups and create predictive models for future cell types. They were doing research at Wake Downtown on Thursday, July 20, 2023. Department of French Studies Chair and Associate Professor Stéphanie Pellet teaches Accelerated Intermediate French class in Greene Hall on Monday, October 10, 2022. Professor of physical anthropology Ellen Miller teaches a Biological Anthropology class in Piccolo 122 on Wednesday, October 5, 2022. Wake Forest University students from Dr. Kyana R. L. Young’s Drinking Water Treatment Project class take water samples and test them at the Yadkin River access point in Lewisville on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. Environmental Program visiting assistant professor Steve Smith teaches an Environmental Issues class in Palmer 126 on Tuesday, October 4, 2022. Wake Forest University sophomore Anthropology major Nick Beckhom, a URECA Scholar, and Anthropology Prof. Andrew Gurstelle examine artifacts in the Lam Museum of Anthropology on Thursday, July 20, 2023. Nick is working to edit and organize the information within the database, and check and research the information to ensure its accuracy

Reminder to buy Family Weekend football tickets

We’re still a few weeks away from registration for Family Weekend events opening (on July 10), but Deac families can already start making plans by buying tickets to the Family Weekend football game here.

You’ll want to talk to your Deac about whether they want to sit with you during the game (if so, you will need to buy them a ticket with you). If they want to sit with other students, your Deac can get a free ticket to sit in the students’ football section with the Screamin’ Demon Rewards App (ticket claims open at noon the Monday before the game: Sept. 23 at noon ET).

I am told there are still premium options for season ticket sales and that there is a waitlist for premium packages for Family Weekend. For inquiries or more details, please call the Wake Forest Ticket Office at 336.758.3322 ext 1 or complete this form to be contacted.

Have a great weekend, Deac families!

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