Imagine a world where education isn't just about information but about inspiring awe—a spark that transforms learning into discovery. This episode of Learning Through Experience envisions this future where teaching and learning are more collaborative, experiential and empowering, for instructors and students alike. As my guest Jenny Frederick, director of Yale's Center for Teaching and Learning, emphasized in our conversation: “When experiences bring the conceptual to life—like, wow, I get it now—it can be a moment of wonder."

Join us as we discuss the value of embracing ambiguity and equipping students with the skills to navigate uncertainty—a crucial capacity in our rapidly changing world. Beyond theory, we explore how disciplines bring unique strengths and shadows to the learning experience. When classrooms become spaces where curiosity sparks discovery and uncertainty fuels growth, we unlock the potential for truly transformative learning. Wonder isn’t just a feeling; it’s a force that drives connection, resilience, and creativity in education and beyond.

Watch this episode on YouTube.

Key Topics

7:51 Broad Horizons: The Value of Diverse Education and Career Exploration

Heidi and Jenny explore the value of a broad education and exploring different career paths and discuss the metaphor of structure and function in chemistry and its relevance to teaching.

14:06 Normalizing the Learning Journey: The Mission of the Center for Teaching and Learning

Jenny describes the Center for Teaching and Learning's mission to connect learning support and teaching support, and its efforts to encourage help-seeking behavior and normalize the struggle of learning.

21:05 The Student-Centered Shift: Instructors as Guides in the Learning Process

Heidi and Jenny discuss the shift towards more student-centered approaches in teaching, and the role of the instructor as a facilitator or guide.

28:04 Cultivating Wonderment: Designing Relevant and Shared Learning Experiences

They explore the importance of creating experiences that foster relevance, interest, and room for wonder, as well as the power of shared experiences in a co-created learning environment.

36:03 Interdisciplinary Insights: Equipping Students to Handle Ambiguity

Jenny highlights the benefits of interdisciplinary programs and richer conversations, and they discuss helping students develop skills for navigating uncertainty and ambiguity.

45:04 Wrestling with Complexity: Naming Conventions and Tackling Hard Questions

Heidi and Jenny explore the desire for quick answers and the value of wrestling with hard questions, as well as the importance of naming and taming disciplinary conventions to create more open learning.

54:01 A Vision for Experiential and Collaborative Education

They envision a future where education is more experiential and collaborative, with the goal of making centers like Yale's obsolete by empowering the community.

Additional Resources 

•  “Educationalist: Around the World” podcast (2022) on “leading an integrated center for teaching and learning”
• Inside Higher Ed Q&A (2022)