Supporting Sophomore Success Through a New Learning Community Model

The creation of a Sophomore Learning Community (SLC) model can help address concerns about the “sophomore slump” and sophomore attrition. While managing the logistics of a sophomore LC can be difficult, with proper faculty, staff, and administrative support, positive results can be produced. This article outlines the need for Sophomore Learning Communities and describes the process one university used to pilot an SLC program

It’s Time to Unite: A Collaborative Approach to Addressing the Needs of Graduate Students of Colour

Higher education administrators often speak of the value of collaboration between student and academic affairs yet there is little empirical evidence of such collaboration. As such, graduate school services and programmes traditionally receive less attention and support than undergraduate programmes. Arguably, deficiencies in those services and programmes expose a need for collaboration, specifically for students of colour. This article explores the experiences of graduate students of colour while examining the barriers in place that tend to hinder their success in graduate school. By addressing these barriers, we present a justification for the need for collaboration between student affairs and academic affairs within graduate education

“We’re doing things that are meaningful”: Student Perspectives of Project-based Learning Across the Disciplines

Supporters of project-based learning (PBL) argue that outcomes from the model include better performance in academic (Bell, 2010; Thomas, 2000) and non-academic outcomes (Saunders-Steward, Gyles, & Shore, 2010). The New Tech Network (NTN) is a school improvement network that provides training and development for high school faculty who commit to using project and/or problem-based learning as the primary instruction methodology (New Tech Network, 2017). This study uses qualitative data to investigate student perspectives of PBL across multiple disciplines at the high school level in NTN schools. Results suggest that students find value in the “hard work” they engaged in whilst completing PBL tasks. Moreover, students can articulate the value of their work and its applicability to a “real-world” setting. We argue that for PBL to work effectively, approaches to PBL from an interdisciplinary perspective must be balanced

The Lasting Effects of Learning Communities

A majority of the research on the impact of learning communities has focused on the positive outcomes for students in their first year of study (Andrade, 2007; Goldman, 2012; Laverick, 2018; Wathington, Pretlow, & Mitchell, 2010). Less is known about the impact of learning community involvement as students complete their enrollment and persist through their next three (or more) years of education. Recent studies have addressed learning community involvement using qualitative measures. This article adds to the literature on learning community impact by describing an investigation of how juniors and seniors characterize the influence of their first-year learning community participation. Findings from the study illuminated the importance of faculty involvement and preparation, the use of High-Impact Practices (HIPS), and ways we might attend to peer dynamics in our learning community classrooms. The practice of following students to determine the possible lasting effects of learning communities has informed our work, and we argue that this practice should be included in learning community program assessment

Curated Conferences to Strengthen Equity Leadership Capacity: A Case Study of Aspiring School Leaders

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to determine whether a Curated Conference Learning Experience (CCLE) could stimulate new learning or deepen existing learning around leadership for equity by engaging four andragogical theories: critical theory and praxis, new learning, guided learning, and reflective learning within a community of practice. Faculty members selected sessions focused on equity, provided journal prompts, and conducted focus groups for 13 students enrolled in a Masters of School Administration program at national educational leadership conference. Findings indicate new and strengthened learning in the areas of (1) relationship building; (2) understanding identity and co-constructing leadership for equity; (3) roadblocks and realizations; (4) connection to previous coursework; and (5) increased commitment to equity work. Our conceptual framework can be applied across disciplines for more intentional, pedagogical designs for transformative student conference learning