Weekly Tip: Exploring Applied Learning Opportunities with Creative Corridor

As WSU transitions to more in-person teaching, we thought it might be a good time to spotlight the Creative Corridor, one of the university’s options for developing applied learning experiences.

According to its website, “Creative Corridor is a campus-wide program that provides WSU students with access to cutting-edge technology to use for creative pursuits. The program’s mission is to spark creative inspiration through the use of innovative technology while encouraging collaboration between students and faculty members.”

In other words, the technologies available through Creative Corridor offer endless opportunities for you to develop hands-on lessons that help your students achieve learning outcomes in more engaging, authentic ways. If the projects are academic in nature, Creative Corridor only charges for consumables, making the use of this space extremely affordable! Also worth noting – while Creative Corridor is in the Spark building on the Pullman campus, the staff is able to record activities and mail materials, enabling you to take advantage of this resource regardless of your physical location.

Strategic Communication Professors Rebecca Cooney and Cara Hawkins-Jedlicka kindly shared an example of how they are working with Creative Corridor for their sections of Comstrat 310 Digital Content Promotion, where the goal, according to Professor Cooney, is to “introduce students to key ideas, principles, and tactics for writing for digital content, creating and executing a digital campaign, and understanding core concepts in tracking and measuring the effectiveness of digital communications.” In the class, students work in groups to create campaigns around “advocacy initiatives in areas such as mental health, travel, sustainability, health and wellness, and fashion.”

Here are some images of students working with resources at Creative Corridor to produce materials for their campaigns:

Professors Cooney and Hawkins-Jedlicka had the following to say about their collaboration with Creative Corridor:

“I have had the pleasure of collaborating with Chris Lavoie and the Spark Innovation Lab for several years as part of the creative content development for COMSTRAT 310. We have worked with the team to produce laser-cut keychains, large-format color posters, and now merchandise using the apparel printer. It is incredibly instructive and rewarding for the students to not only see the process for creating these materials, but to work with Chris and team on design and production preparation. It is such a value-add for the students to see their brands come to life as they create both digital and tactile assets for their initiatives.”

—Rebecca Cooney
Comstrat 310 Professor

“Having the opportunity to use the resources in the Creative Corridor has allowed my students to tangibly apply classroom material. Often as communications professionals, we are asked to apply theory and the Creative Corridor allows students to do that in a low-stakes environment. They leave understanding the work that goes into developing a product and with a piece of swag.”

—Cara Hawkins-Jedlicka
Comstrat 310 Professor

The work that the professors of Comstrat 310 are doing is just one example of how to adapt Creative Corridor’s resources to a learning context. The website lists a variety of partners, spaces, projects, and ways to get involved. We invite you to visit this space either in person or through one of the many virtual tours available online. How might you be able to leverage the resources at Creative Corridor to create exciting hands-on activities in your classes?