Students, take note: The department of sociology and the Center for the Middletown Studies have a new idea for an immersive learning project.
Two Ball State University professors received an $18,735 grant from the Discovery Group for a new immersive learning program which will be conducted in Fall of 2009.
James Connolly, director of the center for the middletown studies and Carolyn Kapinus, associate professor of sociology are leading the new project called "Adolescent Well-being in Muncie, Indiana: An Analysis of the Effect of Neighborhood and Community Changes."
The project will consist of several studies done on teenagers from the surrounding community.
"The idea is to analyze teenagers in neighborhoods and how they are being affected by the change of job markets, expectations of college and the increase of poverty," Connolly said.
The immersive learning project is open for sociology, history psychology and other disciplines, Connolly said.
"Students will be able to do research in a professional level and learn what they can do make a change," he said. "It would be useful so community youth groups can improve their service."
By the end of the semester the project leaders will have to report their results to the Discovery Group.
The Discovery Group is conformed by women who have agreed to donate and gather money to seek interesting programs at Ball State, Discovery Group Mary Olinger said.
"We put in $1,000," she said. "And since 2003 we have given away about $500,000, which is something we could not do as individuals."
Olinger said the organization awards grants between $15,000 and $25,000 to three or four programs on campus each year, depending on how much money is funded. When a new project is proposed, the Discovery Group takes into consideration whether the project affects students and whether it will teach students how to make the community better, Olinger said.
"We are really proud about [our organization]," she said. "A lot of [projects] got grants from other institutions as well, so we serve as catalysts too."
More projectsOther immersive learning projects funded by the Discovery Group for this year:
- "High Atmospheric Balloon Launch" directed by Jill Coleman
- "The Future of Biochemistry at Ball State University" directed by Timea Gerczei
- "Professional Experience Exploration Program" directed by James Mitchell, Willow King, Jenni Smith
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