Focusing on the Co-Curriculum Key to Competitiveness Conference Orlando, Florida June 28, 2006 George L. Mehaffy 1

What would an institution that is intentional about learning outcomes do to encourage learning in the co-curriculum? 2

Define the outcomes Create activities and programs to achieve those outcomes Measure the results and feed that information back into the institution 3

What does it take for an undergraduate to be successful in the 21 st century? 4

The world is flat The world has moved from “command and control” to “connect and collaborate” Technology and capital will remove all barriers, boundaries and restraints to global commerce Competitiveness is tied to having a really smart population There is no limit to the number of idea-generated jobs in the world Be skillfully adaptable and socially adaptable ―Friedman,

New divisions of labor Expert thinking: identifying and solving problems for which there is no routine solution Pattern matching Metacognition Complex communication: persuading, explaining, interpreting information Negotiating Managing Gaining trust Teaching Building understanding ―Levy & Murnane,

Necessary Workplace Skills Leadership Teamwork Problem solving Time management Self-management Adaptability Analytical thinking Global consciousness Communication skills ― Business-Higher Education Forum

What works? Challenging ideas & people –Terenzini, 2005 Active engagement with challenges Supportive environment Real-world activities Social activity Unbounded by time or place 8

Conclusions: Success can happen at any institution No magic bullet Notable Practices: First Year Programs Intentional Advising Integrated Services Curricular Features AASCU Graduation Rate Study 9

Culture High expectations Belonging Purpose and Place Leadership No silos Enabling leadership AASCU Graduation Rate Study Student Success in State Colleges and Universities: A Matter of Culture and Leadership. AASCU

Places: First Year Programs Advising Student Organizations Strategies: Social interaction - projects Volunteering and service learning Interacting with those different Challenging ideas Where do you start? 11

Tools What technology tools could facilitate this work? 1. Social Networking Sites: Facebook.com, MySpace.com, Friendster.com, etc. Facebook.comMySpace.com Friendster.com Blogs 4. I-pods 5. E-portfolios 12

First-Year Programs ―Tinto, % of dropouts from 4-year institutions leave before the start of their 2 nd year. Academic difficulty: Only 30-35% leave college after the first year for academic reasons Adjustment difficulties: Even academically gifted and socially mature students have difficulty making the transition 13

Learning: First-Year Programs Students are unable to bear direct and indirect costs of college or financial needs change Finances: Learning predicts persistence; student who learn find value and stay Involvement: Students feel lonely, isolated, unable to establish connections; important predictor of student persistence 14

Advising Selecting classes Writing and engagement Getting involved Allocating time ―Light,

Student Organizations Democratic processes Interacting with difference Interdisciplinary current events Meeting and project management skills 16

Other Programs Summer programs Living-learning programs Undergraduate research Capstone courses Peer tutoring Student-faculty contacts unrelated to a course 17

Other Features Risk-taking, supporting failure Contemporary issues forums Linkages to the community Expectation of international experience Codes of conduct 18

In the end, it is not about a specific program or a specific administrative structure It’s about creating a culture that focuses on student learning outcomes 19

Elements of a Culture Shared “living” mission and “lived” educational philosophy Unshakeable focus on student learning Environments adapted for educational enrichment Clearly marked pathways for student success Improvement-oriented ethos Shared responsibility for student success - ―Kuh et al,

“Success means reading the current campus culture, aligning people and programs, and making a collective commitment to be in it for the long haul. ” Student Success in State Colleges and Universities: A Matter of Culture and Leadership. AASCU

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