1. Brought together expert faculty from diverse academic disciplines:

• Health and Sports Sciences • Patricia Benson M.Ed. • Paula Kommor M.Ed.

• Psychology • Paul Salmon Ph.D.

• Social Work • Noell Rowan Ph.D.

• Human Resource Development • Ann Herd Ph.D.

• Public Health Advocacy • Sharon LaRue, M.A. LPAT

• Get Healthy Now-U of L’s Health Management Program –Patricia Benson, Paula Kommor, and Stephanie Tabb

2. Finalized solid curriculum for the minor.3. Completed and submitted U of L minor

documentation to the Curriculum Committee, the College, and the University.

4. APPROVED!5. Further aligned the syllabi, Live Text, and

rubrics of the minor core courses with i2a.6. Created marketing materials to promote the

IWCM to the campus community.7. Created common verbiage in the syllabi of the

core course to communicate the connection between the courses.

Establish an interdisciplinary partnership to create a solid curriculum that will teach both critical thinking skills and wellness coaching competencies. The ultimate goal of the partnership is to provide the groundwork for establishment of an Interdisciplinary Minor in Wellness Coaching.

Overall Project Goals

Next Steps

Communication of Project Outcomes

Interdisciplinary Wellness Coaching Minor (IWCM)Development Committee

Paula Kommor, MEd1

1Adjunct Instructor, University of Louisville, Department of Health and Sport Sciences

Future Plans for IWCM Committee

Continued collaboration to:• Write a research article on how to

successfully bring together diverse university departments to create and align an Interdisciplinary Wellness Coaching Minor with critical thinking.

• Continue to market and evaluate the minor.

• Related curriculum design and research areas where the group’s synergy can be leveraged.

Impact on Teaching, Learning, and i2a

Steps Taken to Reach Overall Goals

Met with Academic Advisors in the College of Education and Human Development, Health & Sports Sciences Department, Art & Sciences Department, and the Kent School of Social Work

Presented to the Directors Council Meeting of Undergraduate Advisors

Communicated in U of L Today article –Internal funding helps build students’ critical thinking skills.

Created a Wellness Coaching Minor web page within U of L’s CEHD website.

Included information on the minor on the Get Healthy Now web page.What? So What? Now

What?At each IWCM meeting, committee members • Participated in

critical thinking exercises in a safe-non threatening environment.

Committee members • Feel comfortable

with critical thinking

• Appreciate the energy and benefits of critical thinking

• Learn to like and appreciate what critical thinking can do for their teaching and their students.

Committee members will pass this information and attitude forward to their students and other faculty and staff.

Students in the WC courses will enjoy critical thinking more.

Led every meeting by focusing on strengths and successes of each committee member.

Created positive energy and synergy that resulted in an enthusiastic attitude towards critical thinking.

This positive view of critical thinking will build throughout the campus community.

Description of Impact

IWCM i2a EvaluationThe Initial Results

The committee created assessment:• To be given at the end of the semester• To assess critical thinking skills and wellness coaching

competencies. • In all Wellness Coaching Minor Core classes

The IWCM i2a an evaluation was given:• To 17 students • In HSS 382 –Wellness Coaching class • Fall semester 2010.

Students used the Likert Scale below to answer 5 questions:

This dynamic group was enjoyable to work with and a perfect model for how interdisciplinary efforts should be employed.

The positive energy and synergy of this group were truly outstanding and fun to experience.

We are truly interdisciplinary—doing together what none of us could do separately.

My thinking about critical thinking has enlarged to incorporate new ways of quick evaluation of meetings, classroom experience, and the importance of focusing on main points.

This group of enthusiastic and passionate professionals has impacted me by showing that through collaboration, action –oriented thinking, and thorough follow-up a discipline can be designed and implemented.

Question #

Average Score Question

1 5.00 This course helped me recognize the importance of establishing an effective collaborative partnership with clients.

2 4.94 This course helped me apply theories of behavior change to practical situations.

3 4.70 This course helped me learn how to formulate learning objectives for myself and others.

4 5.00 This course provided learning experiences that go beyond simply memorizing the facts.

5 4.88 This course provided useful guidelines for developing critical thinking skills.

Committee Members Reflections

AcknowledgementsTo Dr. Cheryl Kolander,

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, College of Education and Human Development,

for her guidance and support.

This project was funded by

1 = strongly disagree 2 = disagree 3 = neither disagree or agree 4 = agree 5 = strongly agree