Community & Student Learning Susan Shadle Adjunct Appreciation Dinner February 2007 Susan Shadle Adjunct Appreciation Dinner February 2007

Community 1. a unified body of individuals ( Merriam-Webster) Classroom/course communities The Boise State University community Classroom/course communities The Boise State University community

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 Success Over 80 factors considered > students, > 300 institutions Top two influences on academic success and satisfaction: Interaction among students Interaction between faculty and students Over 80 factors considered > 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:

Student 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 ). 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:

Effects 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 2 nd 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 2 nd 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 courses

Pedagogy Numerous studies have shown 2 enhanced student learning other positive outcomes, such as improved critical thinking skills and increased self esteem Numerous studies have shown 2 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? “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 Communities Boyer, E.L. (1990). Campus Life: In search of community. San Francisco: The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching Community Purposeful Celebrative Open Caring Disciplined Just a unified body of individuals

Healthy Campus Communities Boyer, E.L. (1990). Campus Life: In search of community. San Francisco: The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching Community Purposeful Celebrative Open Caring Disciplined Just “Faculty & students share academic goals and work together to strengthen teaching and learning” (p. 9) “Faculty & students share academic goals and work together to strengthen teaching and learning” (p. 9)

Healthy Campus Communities Boyer, E.L. (1990). Campus Life: In search of community. San Francisco: The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching Community Purposeful Celebrative Open Caring Disciplined Just “Freedom of expression is uncompromisingly protected and…civility is powerfully affirmed” (p. 17) “Freedom of expression is uncompromisingly protected and…civility is powerfully affirmed” (p. 17)

Healthy Campus Communities Boyer, E.L. (1990). Campus Life: In search of community. San Francisco: The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching Community Purposeful Celebrative Open Caring Disciplined Just “Sacredness of the person is honored and …diversity is aggressively pursued.” (p. 25)

Healthy Campus Communities Boyer, E.L. (1990). Campus Life: In search of community. San Francisco: The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching Community Purposeful Celebrative Open Caring Disciplined Just “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)

Healthy Campus Communities Boyer, E.L. (1990). Campus Life: In search of community. San Francisco: The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching Community Purposeful Celebrative Open Caring Disciplined Just “The well-being of each member is sensitively supported and… service to others is encouraged.” (p. 47)

Healthy Campus Communities Boyer, E.L. (1990). Campus Life: In search of community. San Francisco: The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching Community Purposeful Celebrative Open Caring Disciplined Just “Rituals affirming both tradition and change are widely shared.” (p. 55) “Rituals affirming both tradition and change are widely shared.” (p. 55)

Healthy Campus Communities Boyer, E.L. (1990). Campus Life: In search of community. San Francisco: The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching Community Purposeful Celebrative Open Caring Disciplined Just

Purposeful, Celebrative, Disciplined…

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

Teachers supporting community Boyer, E.L. (1990). Campus Life: In search of community. San Francisco: The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching Community Purposeful Celebrative Open Caring Disciplined Just

Teachers supporting community Community Purposeful 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

Teachers supporting community Open Just Caring Community 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

Teachers supporting community Community Disciplined 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? 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 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. … 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 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… “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.