The Shelton Leadership Center (SLC) received $2,000 in funding from the Instructional Tools DELTA Express Grant to create a learning tool for students to use in the classroom on values exploration.
The Digital Education and Learning Technology Applications (DELTA) at NC State awarded the grant in late 2024. According to the DELTA website, the Instructional Tools DELTA Express grant supports faculty in addressing specific pedagogical challenges by leveraging NC State’s enterprise digital learning tools to create effective learning activities or materials.
The Shelton staff team plans to use the grant to develop a customizable digital value card sort that is engaging and interactive for value exploration in Spring 2025. This tool will enhance and diversify the Center’s pedagogical strategies for teaching values-based leadership.
“Values-based leadership is core to everything we do at the Shelton Leadership Center,” said Annaka Sikkink, SLC Assistant Director for Scholars and Special Program. “This tool will allow students in all of our academic courses to have a consistent experience and better understand their values through interactive and meaningful technology.”
The proposed tool will provide a more interactive experience for synchronous and asynchronous courses, enriching student learning while giving instructors valuable insights into how students engage with the content.
Additionally, this tool will support the implementation of a flipped classroom model for synchronous, in-person learning. Before class, students will complete the values exploration activity independently, at their own pace. This shift allows class time to focus on meaningful reflection, discussions, and case studies, fostering deeper learning and real-world application.
Upon completing the exercise, students will be guided by reflective questions tailored to opportunities such as discipline-specific exploration, career development, organizational involvement, campus engagement, and problem-based scenarios supported by videos and case studies.
“After working with DELTA to develop the tool this spring, we are excited to roll it out in all of our academic courses this fall,” Sikkink said. “We’ll also explore using it outside of formal learning environments as well, such as within our scholarship programs or workshops.”
The project and development of the tool aligns with the broader academic direction of the Center, according to Dustin Evatt, SLC Associate Director for Leadership Education Programs.
“Values-based leadership is more essential than ever in cultivating leaders who are equipped to face today’s challenges,” Evatt said. “This new resource supports our Center’s academic and research strategy by providing practical tools for educating and training values-based leaders. We are excited to partner with DELTA to build and offer this new resource.”
The Shelton Center team will work with the DELTA grants team this semester to develop and implement the tool within classroom settings.