Community & Student Learning

Community & Student Learning

Community & Student Learning

Susan ShadleAdjunct Appreciation Dinner

February 2007

Susan ShadleAdjunct Appreciation Dinner

February 2007

Community Community

1. a unified body of individuals (Merriam-Webster) 1. a unified body of individuals (Merriam-Webster)

http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/community

• Classroom/course communities• The Boise State University community

• Classroom/course communities• The Boise State University community

Why is community important?Why is community important?

Research indicates that community positively impacts student learning and retention

Research indicates that community positively impacts student learning and retention

Student Academic SuccessStudent Academic Success

• Over 80 factors considered • > 27000 students, > 300 institutions• Top two influences on academic success and

satisfaction:• Interaction among students• Interaction between faculty and students

• Over 80 factors considered • > 27000 students, > 300 institutions• Top two influences on academic success and

satisfaction:• Interaction among students• Interaction between faculty and students

Astin, A.W. (1993). What Matters in College: Four Critical Years Revisited. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Factors influencing educational outcomes:Factors influencing educational outcomes:

Student Perceptions of Effective ClassesStudent Perceptions of Effective Classes

• Instructor competency • experienced or knowledgeable

• Instructor concern for students • friendly, caring, and available instructor

• Instructor energy level• enthusiastic and dynamic

• Instructor speaking ability• easy to understand, interesting, and communicative

• Instructor competency • experienced or knowledgeable

• Instructor concern for students • friendly, caring, and available instructor

• Instructor energy level• enthusiastic and dynamic

• Instructor speaking ability• easy to understand, interesting, and communicative

Wulff, D., Nyquist, J., and Abbott, R.D. (1987, Winter). Students’ perceptions of large classes (pp. 17-31). In M. Weimer (Ed.), Teaching large classes well. New directions for Teaching and Learning, No. 32, San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

For large classes to be successful, students indicated these instructor qualities were crucial:For large classes to be successful, students indicated these instructor qualities were crucial:

Effects of Student Learning CommunitiesEffects of Student Learning Communities

• Social networks created academic support systems• Members were more likely to

• attend class • participate in campus life• see peers and faculty as welcoming and supportive• persist in college (to the 2nd year)

• Members perceived • higher quality of learning and greater intellectual gains

• Social networks created academic support systems• Members were more likely to

• attend class • participate in campus life• see peers and faculty as welcoming and supportive• persist in college (to the 2nd year)

• Members perceived • higher quality of learning and greater intellectual gains

Tinto, V., Goodsell Love, A. & Russo, P. (1994) Building learning communities for new college students. The National Center on Postsecondary Teaching, Learning and Assessment. The Pennsylvania State University.

cohorts of students co-enrolled in a set of coursescohorts of students co-enrolled in a set of courses

PedagogyPedagogy

Numerous studies have shown2 • enhanced student learning • other positive outcomes, such as improved critical

thinking skills and increased self esteem

Numerous studies have shown2 • enhanced student learning • other positive outcomes, such as improved critical

thinking skills and increased self esteem

1. Cooper, J.L., Robinson, P., and M. McKinney (1993). Cooperative Learning in the classroom. In Changing College Classrooms, edited by D.F. Halpern and associates. San Franscisco: Jossey-Bass. 2. Millis, B.J. and P.G. Cottell, Jr. (1998). Cooperative Learning for Higher Education Faculty, Westport, CT: American Council on Education Oryx Press.

Cooperative Learning

“structured, systematic instructional strategy in which small groups of students work together towards a common goal”.1

Cooperative Learning

“structured, systematic instructional strategy in which small groups of students work together towards a common goal”.1

How do you build community?How do you build community?“Academic culture is a curious and conflicted thing. On the one hand, it holds out the allure and occasionally the reality of being a “community of scholars”… On the other hand, it is a culture infamous for fragmentation, isolation, and competitive individualism – a culture in which community sometimes feels harder to come by than in any other institution on the face of the earth.”

Parker Palmer, in “Creating Campus Community. William M. McDonald, Ed, Jossey-Bass, 2002 (p. 179).

“Academic culture is a curious and conflicted thing. On the one hand, it holds out the allure and occasionally the reality of being a “community of scholars”… On the other hand, it is a culture infamous for fragmentation, isolation, and competitive individualism – a culture in which community sometimes feels harder to come by than in any other institution on the face of the earth.”

Parker Palmer, in “Creating Campus Community. William M. McDonald, Ed, Jossey-Bass, 2002 (p. 179).

Healthy Campus CommunitiesHealthy Campus Communities

Boyer, E.L. (1990). Campus Life: In search of community. San Francisco: The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching

CommunityCommunity

PurposefulPurposefulCelebrativeCelebrative

OpenOpenCaringCaring

DisciplinedDisciplined JustJust

a unified body of individualsa unified body of individuals



CommunityCommunity




“Faculty & students share academic goals and work togetherto strengthen teaching and learning” (p. 9)

“Faculty & students share academic goals and work togetherto strengthen teaching and learning” (p. 9)



CommunityCommunity




“Freedom of expression isuncompromisingly protected and…civility is powerfully affirmed” (p. 17)

“Freedom of expression isuncompromisingly protected and…civility is powerfully affirmed” (p. 17)



CommunityCommunity



DisciplinedDisciplined JustJust“Sacredness of the person is honored and …diversity is aggressively pursued.” (p. 25)

“Sacredness of the person is honored and …diversity is aggressively pursued.” (p. 25)



CommunityCommunity



DisciplinedDisciplined JustJust“Individuals accept their obligations to the group and… well-defined governance …guide(s) behavior for the common good.” (p. 37)

“Individuals accept their obligations to the group and… well-defined governance …guide(s) behavior for the common good.” (p. 37)



CommunityCommunity




“The well-being of each member is sensitively supported and… service to others is encouraged.” (p. 47)

“The well-being of each member is sensitively supported and… service to others is encouraged.” (p. 47)



CommunityCommunity




“Rituals affirming both tradition and change are widely shared.” (p. 55)“Rituals affirming both tradition and change are widely shared.” (p. 55)



CommunityCommunity




Purposeful, Celebrative, Disciplined…Purposeful, Celebrative, Disciplined…

What is our role?What is our role?

Recognize that our interactions with students (and the ones we facilitate them having with each other) have a profound impact on their learning and integration into our community

Recognize that our interactions with students (and the ones we facilitate them having with each other) have a profound impact on their learning and integration into our community

Teachers supporting communityTeachers supporting community


CommunityCommunity





CommunityCommunity PurposefulPurposeful

• Help students to understand course goals

• Work to create environments in which students see us as partners in their learning

• Use pedagogical strategies that facilitate student learning and creation of community


OpenOpen

JustJustCaringCaring

CommunityCommunity

• Treat students as individuals• Learn/use their

names• Find out something

about them• Learn about their

prior knowledge• Consider learning

styles

• Treat students as individuals• Learn/use their

names• Find out something

about them• Learn about their

prior knowledge• Consider learning

styles• Create an intentionally inclusive classroom environment

• Be responsive and respectful to students

• Create an intentionally inclusive classroom environment

• Be responsive and respectful to students


CommunityCommunityDisciplinedDisciplined

• Use our power in the classroom responsibly

• Balance authority and approachability

• Use our power in the classroom responsibly

• Balance authority and approachability

Why is community important?Why is community important?

Community positively impacts faculty job satisfaction and retention

Teaching and learning are enhanced by a community of teachers

Enables challenges, strategies, and ideas about

teaching to be shared

Supports innovation

Community positively impacts faculty job satisfaction and retention

Teaching and learning are enhanced by a community of teachers

Enables challenges, strategies, and ideas about

teaching to be shared

Supports innovation

Creating Communities of TeachersCreating Communities of Teachers

The mission of the Center for Teaching and Learning is to support, promote and enhance teaching effectiveness and to facilitate engagement in student learning.

The mission of the Center for Teaching and Learning is to support, promote and enhance teaching effectiveness and to facilitate engagement in student learning.

… Nurture a culture of commitment to student learning, stimulate dialogue and reflection about teaching, and foster a sense of community among faculty.

… Nurture a culture of commitment to student learning, stimulate dialogue and reflection about teaching, and foster a sense of community among faculty.

Center for Teaching and Learning

Services and Programs

Center for Teaching and Learning

Services and Programs• Workshops

• Consulting Services• Syllabus and course design• Teaching observation• Video consultation• Small group instructional diagnosis (SGID)• Student evaluations consultation

• Faculty Learning Communities

• Workshops

• Consulting Services• Syllabus and course design• Teaching observation• Video consultation• Small group instructional diagnosis (SGID)• Student evaluations consultation

• Faculty Learning Communities

A final idea about community and teaching…A final idea about community and teaching…

“To teach is to create a space in which the community of truth is practiced.” (p. 90)

“Truth is an eternal conversation about things that matter, conducted with passion and discipline.” (p. 104)

“To teach is to create a space in which the community of truth is practiced.” (p. 90)

“Truth is an eternal conversation about things that matter, conducted with passion and discipline.” (p. 104)

Palmer, P.J. (1998) The Courage to Teach. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Documents

Community & Student Learning