Jennifer Blackwell

Dr. Jennifer Blackwell of the Department of Music employs Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in her teaching students in the music education program, students who will themselves become music teachers. These students benefit greatly from developing flexible knowledge, effective problem-solving skills, student-driven learning, collaboration, and experience an intrinsic motivation for learning. Her colleagues recognize that her “research serves as a bridge between the pedagogical and theoretical concerns of contemporary music educators and performers.” She is well known for her stimulating lectures and hands-on approach to all her students. One student preparing to enter their own teaching profession expresses that “As educators, we all know all great teachers lead by example. More than modeling fantastic pedagogy and refined scaffolding, Professor Blackwell consistently models how to be an empathetic human being—and we are all the better for it.” And a former student who now teaches at a local high school expresses that “almost everything I know and use on a daily basis came from one single class I took from Dr. Blackwell.”