Movement science professor nominated for state award

From using exercise balls in his classroom as chairs, to using stationary-bike riders to power generators, John Kilbourne's innovative and effective teaching methods may garner him a top award from the Presidents Council State Universities of Michigan.

Provost Gayle R. Davis has nominated Kilbourne, professor of movement science, for the Michigan Distinguished Professor of the Year, an honor presented by the Presidents Council. Each of Michigan's 15 public universities nominates a faculty member for the honor. The council will present awards to three nominees in May at a luncheon in Lansing.

Last year, Scott Grissom, Grand Valley professor of computing and information science, was among the top three honorees.

Davis said Kilbourne's ingenuity as a scholar and teacher is illustrated in his ballroom dance class. "His class in ballroom dancing is not just rote learning the movements," she said. "Under his guidence, the students learn about diversity and etiquette. It becomes an experience in liberal education."

Kilbourne secured a grant from the Pew Faculty Teaching and Learning Center to purchase exercise balls as chairs in lecture classes. His research showed that the exercise balls helped students pay attention and concentrate better than when sitting on chairs.

Kilbourne's SPARKLE (Spinning Physical and Renewable Kinetic Living Energy) Project, done in conjunction with Grand Valley's School of Engineering, has school children pedaling bicycles to power classrooms. "Our goal is to create a new generation of global residents who understand health and fitness and renewable energy," he said.

Kilbourne said he is honored by the nomination. "The award really belongs to the students and colleagues who I have been fortunate to teach and work with during my five years at GVSU," he said. "As I always tell my students, ‘I enjoy my position as a professor because you help me to continue to discover who I am.'"

Kilbourne earned a bachelor's degree from California State University-Long Beach, a master's in dance education from UCLA and a doctorate in health, physical education and recreation from Ohio State University. His work experience includes several years as a strength conditioning coach for the NBA; he worked with the Philadelphia 76ers when the team won the world championship in 1983.

John Kilbourne, professor of movement science, teaches a class in which students sit on exercise balls. His innovative research, like the benefits of using exercise balls, led to Kilbourne's nomination for Michigan Distinguished Professor of the Year / Photo by Bernadine Carey-Tucker