Liberal Education, Effective Practice, and Diversity

This session will be based on three presentations that focus on the relationship between liberal education, effective practice and diversity from different perspectives. George Kuh will present data indicating that the educational benefits of high impact learning experiences (such as experiential education and undergraduate research), which are significant for all students, are often greater for students from underserved and minority backgrounds than for their majority counterparts. Armando Bengochea will discuss the ways in which an emphasis on effective practice can enhance the educational experiences of students of color within a liberal arts curriculum. Steve Stemler will report on research showing that including practice-oriented criteria in assessments of student achievements and capabilities can assist colleges and universities in identifying and educating minority students with high potential to succeed both in college and beyond college

On the benefits of philosophy as a way of life in a general introductory course

Philosophy as a way of life (PWOL) places investigations of value, meaning, and the good life at the center of philosophical investigation, especially of one’s own life. I argue PWOL is compatible with general introductory philosophy courses, further arguing that PWOL-based general introductions have several philosophical and pedagogical benefits. These include the ease with which high impact practices, situated skill development, and students’ ability to ‘think like a disciplinarian’ may be incorporated into such courses, relative to more traditional introductory courses, as well as the demonstration of philosophy’s value to students by explicitly tying philosophical investigation to students own lives

Assessing What Matters in Law School: The Law School Survey of Student Engagement

Symposium: The Next Generation of Law School Rankings held April 15, 2005 at Indiana University School of Law-Bloomington

Assessing What Matters in Law School: The Law School Survey of Student Engagement

Symposium: The Next Generation of Law School Rankings held April 15, 2005 at Indiana University School of Law-Bloomington

Learning at a Distance: Engaged or Not?

Distance learning is the fastest growing segment of postsecondary education. Almost 3 million students took at least one online course in fall 2005, an increase of more than 800,000 over the previous year (Allen and Seaman 2006). At the same time, questions persist about the quality of online learning. In one recent study, about two-fifths of senior academic officers at U.S. degree-granting higher education institutions expressed a belief that distance learning is inferior to face-to-face learning (Allen and Seaman 2006). Although some studies show that distance education learners benefit from their experiences to the same degree as campus-based learners (Dutton, Dutton, and Perry 2002; Neuhauser 2002), most of the work demonstrating positive outcomes in distance learning has focused on older students, who are often more motivated and have the self-discipline to manage effectively the unstructured nature of the distance learning environment (Dibiase 2000; Hardy and Boaz 1997)

Enhancing success in South Africa’s higher education: measuring student engagement

Improving student success and throughput rates are key challenges facing South African higher education. International research shows that a focus on student engagement can help to enhance student learning and other desired outcomes as well as the efficiency and effectiveness of higher education systems. This article documents the psychometric properties of the South African Survey of Student Engagement (SASSE), providing a sound basis on which to promote large-scale studies of student engagement-related interventions. Using this contextualised measure will allow South African institutions to engage in national and international benchmarking with countries such as the USA, Canada and Australia

Koinonia

In This IssueThe Outward Bound Temporary Community : A Practical Framework for Understanding Residence Life, Eric Spiecker Community Service Learning and Christian Higher Education, Lynne Sparks Diversity Education: Helping Students Find a Common Ground, Brent D. Ellis Student Bashing: An Unseemly Academic Tradition, George D. Kuh In The FieldGender Dynamics in the Classroom at an Evangelical Christian Liberal Arts College, Edee Schulze Around CampusFrom Service to Learning, Greg Bish CoCCA Hot Tip: Celebrating Diversity Regular FeaturesPresident\u27s Corner Editor\u27s Disk Annual Conference: New Professionals Retreat Book Review: More Light Less Heat: How Dialogue Can Transform Christian Conflicts Into Growth Perspective: To Do, To Have, or To Be? That is the Questionhttps://pillars.taylor.edu/acsd_koinonia/1021/thumbnail.jp

Embedded library services : beyond chance encounters for students from low SES backgrounds

This paper reports research that examined how the embedding of library services through the learning management system contributed to the experience of students from low socio-economic status (SES) backgrounds. To evaluate the embedded practice, the researchers used a mixed-method approach involving surveys with students and interviews with library and academic staff. Survey results showed gains in students\u27 awareness of library resources and in their confidence and satisfaction using them. Staff participants reported benefits to students from the improved visibility of the library and involvement of students in conversations about information literacy. The teacher derived personal benefits in learning more about digital information resources while library staff benefitted from the research-driven nature of the practice which strengthened their collaborative partnership with academic staff. Based on the evaluation, an embedded approach has been adopted at the university in additional courses which have similar student profiles. The outcomes are relevant more widely in demonstrating both the potential benefits of embedded practice for supporting diverse student populations and how libraries can target their activities more effectively to national and university agendas for improving student outcomes