Laura Petranek, PhD, a faculty member in the Department of Kinesiology at Boise State University, has been an active collaborator with the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) since 2007. Over the years, Laura has engaged deeply with CTL programming, including the Course Design Institute (CDI), to continuously refine her teaching practices. She routinely integrates active learning strategies into her courses. Every semester, Laura refers back to CTL active learning resources as a guide to design an interactive, student-centered environment.
Beyond her own classroom, Laura champions teaching excellence within her department, even embedding CTL visits into the search process for new faculty candidates to introduce them to the university’s collaborative teaching culture. In her courses, she consistently embraces pedagogical innovation—from utilizing eMobile tools to implementing hands-on service-learning experiences. These experiential activities allow Kinesiology students to bridge theory and practice, creating fruitful connections between academic content and real-world engagement.
The success of these high-impact practices (HIPs) on student learning has been significant. Students deeply value the opportunity to step beyond traditional instruction and apply their learning in real-world contexts. As part of their coursework, Laura’s students participate in the CTL’s Service-Learning Exhibition, where they present their outcomes to the broader campus community. The experience leaves a lasting impression on participants; one student shared that he had never done anything like it before and thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to take pride in his work and show others what he had accomplished.
Laura’s long-standing dedication to professional development and creative pedagogy highlights the lasting value of continuous instructional growth. By pairing CTL resources with dynamic service-learning, Laura enriches the educational journey for Kinesiology students, fostering both academic success and meaningful community connections.