Last month, Dr. Michael Berntsen presented his research on moral injury as part UNCP's Faculty Research Colloquium. His presentation, entitled "Teaching Traumatized Generations: Understanding Moral Injury Can Help Course Design," was held Wednesday, March 22, 2023, at Mary Livermore Library and was sponsored, in part, by the Faculty Research Advisory Board. 

In his presentation, Dr. Berntsen noted that teachers and students mutually benefit from a stronger understanding of the ways neurological conditions impact how people learn, think, and complete tasks. He explained that the ways people experience moral injury can affect how they process information.

As Dr. Bernsten, also, indicated, having an awareness of moral injury can help instructors better understand why some students feel anxiety about course design, instruction, or assignment completion. Awareness of moral injury also enables instructors to evaluate their teaching and their assessment of student learning. 

In addition, Dr. Berntsen suggested that moral injury affects everyone, especially during traumatic events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, continual mass shootings, current and past racial discrimination, and other painful personal experiences.

Dr. Berntsen's full talk is available on YouTube: Teaching Traumatized Generations: Understanding Moral Injury Can Help Course Design .