The Immersive Series
Transforming Instruction and Supporting the Whole Student Through Campus Spaces
The Immersive Series is a place-based faculty learning experience designed to help instructors engage deeply with the Penn State campus as both an expansive learning environment and a vital network of support. Through guided, on-site visits and discussion with colleagues, participants explore how campus spaces, physical tools, and collaborative partnerships can elevate teaching, enrich student success, and sustain professional well-being.
Each semester focuses on a different theme. Participants are welcome to attend as many or as few sessions as fit their schedule and interests.
Fall 2026: Creative Pedagogy
Moving beyond the whiteboard: Instruction is more than delivering content. It is about engineering an experience. By utilizing specialized campus spaces, we can build physical and digital touchpoints that make complex learning unforgettable. This semester, participants will discover innovative ways to incorporate multidimensional learning opportunities beyond the traditional classroom.
Optional preparatory activity: Listen to one of the podcasts in the Creativity and STEM collection from the Fueling Creativity in Education podcast hosted by Cyndi Burnett and Matthew Worwood.
Featured Spaces and Experiences
Armsby Respiration Calorimeter Museum
Tour a historic, turn-of-the-century scientific landmark. This visit serves as a case study in how discipline-specific, place-based environments can spark curiosity and contextualize student learning.
- Date & Time: Tuesday, September 29, 10:10 a.m. to 11:10 a.m.
- Meeting Location: Meet at 243 Ritenour Building 15 minutes prior to start time to walk over together, or meet directly at the museum.
Shields Media Commons
Explore this specialized digital creation suite and learn how faculty can use the Video/Audio Podcast Lounges and Photo Studio to create high-quality instructional media. Discover how students can engage with the Influencer Pod and AI Arcade for creative multimedia assignments.
- Date & Time: Friday, October 2, 10:10 a.m. to 11:10 a.m.
- Meeting Location: Meet at 243 Ritenour Building 15 minutes prior to start time to walk over together, or meet directly at 024 Shields Building.
Center for Immersive Experiences
Learn to integrate virtual, augmented, and mixed reality technologies into coursework across disciplines to transform how students interact with complex and abstract concepts.
- Date & Time: Friday, November 6, 12:20 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- Meeting Location: Meet at 243 Ritenour Building 15 minutes prior to start time to walk over together, or meet directly at 113 Agricultural Science and Industries Building.
Semester Share-Out
Reconvene with colleagues over lunch for an informal wrap-up and collaborative reflection, sharing pedagogical insights and strategies that emerged from the semester's campus explorations.
- Date & Time: TBD based on participant availability.
- Location: TBD.
