“But it’s a good challenge.” Learning often requires being challenged, and as the quote from a University of Michigan student indicates, being academically challenged can be rewarding and exciting. However, stressful environments are not conducive to learning.

This Innovation Insights Research Talk will share findings from Claire Boeck’s interviews with 99 U-M undergraduates about challenging versus stressful courses and how students made sense of stress. Claire will also share recommendations for keeping courses in the “good challenge” category, avoiding the stressful category, and implications for equity.

A Zoom link will be provided upon registration. We hope to see you there!


Innovation Insights
The Center for Academic Innovation brings together people who want to transform education, share knowledge, and increase learner success by hosting inspiring talks, collaborative problem-solving workshops, and discussions on the latest in educational research and practice. The Innovation Insights series features a diverse lineup of topics, delivered by leaders in academia and private industry, united by the common goals of delivering insights into how to further academic innovation and build the future of education.

About Claire Boeck
Dr. Claire Boeck completed her PhD in Higher Education at U-M in 2023. She has been a part of several research projects at U-M related to community college student outcomes, equity, and undergraduate instruction. Dr. Boeck has experience in various aspects of higher education, including teaching Humanities courses at Wilbur Wright College, a community college in Chicago, for nine years. She is eternally grateful to all of the students and colleagues at Wright College in Chicago for fostering her passion for higher education. She enjoys spending time with her partner, pets (cat, two dogs), and horses (even the mucking stalls part).