The Asynchronous Summer Digital Course That Prepares Incoming Students for Success at NC State

At North Carolina State University, a remote digital course developed in 2020 in response to restrictions caused by the Covid-19 emergency has become a regular way every year of welcoming incoming first-year students, sparking academic curiosity, building interpersonal connections, and introducing learning resources.

Wicked Problems, Wolfpack Solutions (WPWS) is a free, two-credit online course available to all incoming students at North Carolina State University. The asynchronous, self-paced class emphasizes the connection between a challenge and the efforts of faculty, students, and alumni from NC State (whose mascot is the Wolfpack) to address it.

It was first developed to create a common experience for rising first-year students who would have limited in-person interactions because of the pandemic, and the course that year naturally began with pandemics as its wicked problem. Since then, the themes have included climate change, food sustainability, and public health.

The university’s goals for the digital course are:

• Interdisciplinarity: Encouraging an interdisciplinary approach to problem solving
• Transition: Easing the shift to college life through exposure to relevant digital technology and success strategies
• Intentionality: Emphasizing the value of a thoughtful approach to selecting courses and campus experiences
• Community: Forming connections with faculty, new and returning students, and alumni

Merranie Zellweger is Director, Project Management, for NC State Digital Education and Learning Technology Applications (DELTA), which produces many of the course’s video presentations. She says WPWS subtly shows how parts of a university connect: “We cover broad perspectives because it’s important that students see that all these principles work together.”

Building connections

The challenges and solutions the courses feature draw on a broad swath of expertise from throughout NC State. Coordinators select each wicked problem based on timely issues, student interests, and current research.

The results of post-course surveys show the value of offering a variety of topics and viewpoints. This array of subject areas and research not only highlights the broad expertise of faculty — and the connected nature of their work— but also helps to draw in the thousands of students who take the class.

For example, the 2022 theme, addressing the future of food, features a lesson from John Millhauser about the historical importance of shellfish in human diets. Another popular presentation is in the 2023–2024 course, titled “Y(Our) Health.” It shows how researchers Tania Allen and Sara Queen use maps to study health disparities.

“Every talk is someone’s favorite,” says Melissa Ramirez, NC State Teaching Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, and WPWS instructor.

Encouraging engagement

All the classes follow a similar design. Students watch video lessons, listen to podcasts, read transcripts, learn from faculty, students, and alumni about their experiences related to the topic, and complete a project that encourages reflection about what they’ve learned.

The interactive nature of the course allows for increased engagement. For example, one 2023-2024 activity gave students the opportunity to be part of ongoing research on soundscapes and wellness. Students chose an outdoor location and recorded observations about the sounds they heard.

Sharing wisdom

The digital course also builds in tips, called “Wicked Wisdom,” to introduce students to college life — from understanding a syllabus to communicating with instructors.

In one presentation, astronaut Christina Koch, an NC State alumna, advised students to look for impactful experiences outside the classroom. Koch told how her interview at NASA focused largely on her study abroad experience.

Jane Lubischer, NC State Associate Department Head and Teaching Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, and WPWS instructor, says these lessons from students and alumni provide additional support for those embarking on their college journey. Koch’s lesson, she says, “helps students understand that getting the degree is just one part of college.”

Embracing digital

Although the asynchronous online format was necessary for the first course because of pandemic restrictions, digital learning continues to make sense today for many reasons, including its reach. For example, 1,448 of the university’s 7,847 incoming first-year students in 2023 opted to complete the course.

WPWS’s asynchronous, self-paced digital format also provides flexibility that accommodates students’ schedules and travel. The class is available during the summer for students starting at NC State in the fall and during winter break for those beginning classes in the spring.

Additionally, WPWS introduces students to WolfWare, NC State’s digital suite of instructional tools that they’ll encounter in many classes.

Instilling confidence

WPWS’s impact on incoming students has been significant. Most students who complete the course report they initially did so to earn credits and get a taste of learning at NC State. But what they gained goes beyond those goals:

• 94 percent report they hope to make a difference while on campus
• 88 percent feel a sense of belonging in the university community
• 86 percent believe the course is an effective bridge between high school and NC State
• 84 percent have a greater belief they will succeed at the university
• 91 percent said the course gave them a new perspective on learning at the undergraduate level

Zellweger says the course team continues to fine-tune each class and its content to meet WPWS’s goals related to interdisciplinarity, transition, intentionality, and community.

“We’re constantly adjusting, looking for continuous improvement, and iterating on what we’ve done,” she says. “We’re always adding pieces that were missing before, including new information that’s come to light, and responding to what students are telling us they need.”