Jennifer L. Cleveland

Excellence in Teaching Spotlight by the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Virginia Tech

The Excellence in Teaching Spotlight, presented by the center to approximately nine Virginia Tech faculty members each academic year, recognizes a faculty member's effective, engaged, and dynamic approaches and achievements as an educator.

Among the goals of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning are advancing experiential learning at Virginia Tech and improving student learning through research-based instructional practices and student-centered design. In the classroom, Cleveland focuses on inspiring self-directed learning: “I try to create a classroom where learners feel supported and challenged, but also comfortable not knowing everything right away. In my experience, students learn best when they’re wrestling with the material themselves rather than just listening to me talk. I see myself as a guide, someone who helps them build their knowledge base, clinical reasoning and confidence while encouraging them to reflect and learn from each other.”

Regarding specific teaching techniques that Cleveland incorporates within her classes, she described several active, problem-based learning approaches: “I use clinically based multiple-choice questions that encourages learners to pull together foundational science concepts within patient scenarios, weigh options, and rationalize their choices. Problem-based learning in small groups pushes them to tackle realistic scenarios collaboratively, linking basic science and clinical reasoning while developing communication and teamwork skills. I also use illness scripts to help learners organize knowledge around pathophysiology and the patient presentation, which builds pattern recognition instead of memorization. Concept maps, clinical puzzles, and cases are other strategies I use to help learners visualize connections, stay curious, and practice their reasoning in a low-stakes environment.”

Renee LeClair, a colleague of Cleveland's for the past eight years, expressed her appreciation for Cleveland’s commitment to teaching excellence: “Jenn’s teaching reflects a thoughtful commitment to modern, evidence-based educational practice. She fosters meaningful collaboration across students and faculty to create a learning community where everyone is valued. My own teaching has benefited from her presence and practice and for that I am grateful to have such a valued colleague and mentor.”

Former student of Cleveland's, Marie Rhoads, similarly praised Cleveland for her ability to care for students through her teaching: “It’s no surprise to me that Dr. Cleveland is being recognized for excelling in teaching. She finds a way to connect with students and adapts her teaching to each person’s learning style. After my pre-clinical years, I knew she was one of the most effective teachers at VTC, but I really understood just how dedicated she is to teaching after working with her during my Medical Education 4th year elective. I was astounded by how much time and effort she put into ensuring the first and second years were receiving the best possible education, while also managing my expectations on the elective. Her teaching style exudes passion and a genuine desire for students to become the best possible physicians, which becomes evident to every medical student during their time at VTC.”

Marie-Claire Evans, another one of Cleveland’s former students, described the positive impact that Cleveland had on her throughout medical school: “When I first started medical school, I was worried that the learning experience would be rigorous and taxing without room for lightheartedness. Dr. Cleveland was one of the first VTCSOM faculty members with whom I interacted that showed me the light in learning medicine. She is truly invested in her students as future physicians and as human beings. I especially appreciated the joint lectures she would conduct with other basic science professors, integrating her pharmacology teachings with related topics, creating a seamless and holistic learning experience. I am so grateful to have learned from her.”

When asked what aspects of teaching she finds the most rewarding, Cleveland provided the following: “What I find most rewarding about teaching is watching learners gain confidence as their knowledge and reasoning skills grow. There's something incredibly satisfying about seeing a learner work through a challenging case, start to tackle it with self-confidence, then demonstrate mastery of the material. Equally rewarding is seeing learners work collaboratively, supporting one another and growing professionally. When they start teaching each other, asking thoughtful questions, and building each other up, it shows they're not just learning medicine, they're becoming the kind of physicians who will make their teams and patients better.”  

Cleveland provided the following advice for new college teachers: “Teaching is a journey and it takes time to develop your own style and voice in the classroom. Not everything you try will work perfectly the first time and that’s okay. Seek feedback from students and colleagues, use it to make small improvements, and keep going. Most importantly, enjoy teaching and take a moment to recognize that your work is making a difference.”