Last updated on February 21, 2025
As part of the Fall 2024 CTLD Course Development Cycle, Professor Shannon Donnelly partnered with the CTLD instructional design team to create RST 2420: Cannabis in the Kitchen, a groundbreaking 16-week, online asynchronous course. Professor Donnelly, a recognized expert in the cannabis industry, brings her rich background in consulting for edibles companies, licensing, and policy advocacy into this unique culinary and educational experience. Designed to explore the science, culture, and art of cooking with cannabis, the course blends theoretical knowledge with hands-on practical skills.
RST 2420 represents thoughtful course design at its best, aligning with Bloom’s Taxonomy to scaffold student learning through knowledge-building activities, creative application, and critical analysis. The course integrates innovative media, experiential learning, and collaborative projects to give students both technical skills and deeper insights into the cannabis industry.
Contents
Showcase Examples
Media Richness: A Multi-sensory Learning Experience
One of the most distinctive features of RST 2420 is its use of rich media to immerse students in culinary practices. Filmed in the hospitality school’s state-of-the-art test kitchens, demonstrations employ professional-grade top-down cameras to show detailed techniques for infusing cannabis into butter, oils, and syrups. Students watch as Professor Donnelly and guest chefs from Ripple and The Workbench Dining prepare recipes, providing an authentic look at professional cannabis-infused cooking.
The media team also ventured beyond the kitchen to film on-location segments, introducing students to cannabis farms and dispensaries. This adds a real-world element to the course, giving learners a behind-the-scenes view of the industry. The variety of media—close-up cooking shots, professional demonstrations, and industry tours—offers a dynamic and engaging experience, helping students develop both theoretical and practical culinary skills.
Richard Mayer’s Embodiment and Signaling Principles—key components of the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning—are central to the course’s instructional media design and creation. The Embodiment Principle emphasizes that learning is more effective when instructors use natural gestures, facial expressions, and conversational speech, making the experience more personal and interactive. Professor Donnelly’s on-screen presence embodies this principle, as she actively engages with students through expressive delivery and authentic demonstrations, direct eye contact, and a relaxed, approachable teaching style. Additionally, guest lecturers, who are industry professionals, further enhance this effect by sharing their cooking expertise in an engaging and relatable manner.
Meanwhile, the Signaling Principle suggests that learners process information more efficiently when key concepts are highlighted through cues such as visuals, bold text, or narration that directs attention to critical elements. This principle is woven throughout the media by incorporating clear, step-by-step visual demonstrations, such as the “Butter Infusion” tutorial, where essential techniques are emphasized through close-up shots, on-screen text overlays, and guided narration. The media team plays a crucial role in reinforcing these principles by ensuring that each video is carefully crafted with intentional pacing, smooth transitions, and strategic use of multi-angle cameras to draw attention to essential information.
Outcomes Across the Spectrum of Bloom’s Taxonomy
RST 2420 is carefully designed to move students through all levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy, creating a comprehensive and scaffolded learning experience. At the foundational level, students begin by identifying cannabis-related terms and understanding cannabinoids, the plant, and the science of intoxication. This knowledge serves as the basis for more complex applications, such as evaluating state laws, analyzing cannabis food trends, and ideating product branding concepts.
Higher-order thinking is fully activated when students develop their own cannabis recipes, a capstone activity requiring creativity and synthesis of course concepts. Assessments such as reflective discussions, analysis of cannabis in media, and branding exercises ensure that students not only acquire knowledge but also apply it in meaningful, real-world contexts. The varied activities promote engagement and ensure that students progress from learning to mastery throughout the course.
Collaborative OER Cookbook
One of the most innovative aspects of RST 2420 is the development of a collaborative cannabis cookbook. Throughout the course, students create and refine their own cannabis-infused recipes, contributing to an evolving collection of culinary ideas. This ongoing project embodies the principles of Open Educational Resources (OER) by fostering collaboration and creativity.
The cookbook is designed to be a living document, edited and expanded upon by Professor Donnelly in future iterations of the course. This approach not only gives students a tangible product showcasing their skills but also ensures that the course evolves alongside the rapidly changing cannabis industry. The project encourages students to take pride in their work while leaving a lasting impact on the course for future learners.
Sources:
- Feldstein, A., Martin, M., Hudson, A., Warren, K., Hilton, J., & Wiley, D. (2012). Open textbooks and increased student access and outcomes. European Journal of Open, Distance and E–Learning.
- http://libguides.cu-portland.edu/OER
- http://libraryguides.goucher.edu/oer
- Average Cost of College Textbooks Infographics 2022 – BookScouter Blog
Partnering for Continuous Improvement in Teaching and Learning
A significant factor in the success of this and similar projects is the support and funding from the Office of Online Learning (OOL), which has been instrumental in enhancing the quality of our online educational endeavors. OOL’s support and contributions have empowered faculty members to innovate and create a more enriching educational environment for all. Please visit the Office of Online Learning for more information about all that they are doing to help MSU Denver faculty members and students.
Want to get involved?
One way to find help with implementing student supports in your course is the CTLD Course Development Cycle. This is an intensive, but rewarding, process where an instructional designer will work with you over the course of several months to identify course objectives, develop learning activities, create a user-friendly course, record high-quality multimedia content, and much more.
For more information on the CTLD Development Cycle, as well as how to apply to join, please see our CTLD Course Development Cycle spotlight.
Have questions?
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