Jacqueline Elcik Director of Orientation and First-Year Learning Initiatives Michele Welkener

1. Schools of Thought: Living Learning Communities & Academic/Student Affairs Advisory Training—July 21, 2004 Jacqueline Elcik Director of Orientation and First-Year Learning Initiatives Michele Welkener Coordinator of Living Learning Community Programs Miami UniversityOffice of Residence Life and New Student Programs http://www.muohio.edu/reslife

2. LLC Presentation • What are Learning Communities? (national perspective) • What are Miami’s LLCs? (local perspective) • Roles related to LLCs • Nature of the relationship between Academic & Student Affairs • How can we improve this relationship? • Q & A

3. Characteristics of Learning Communities • Learning Communities often involve: • Cohorts of students taking the same classes • Interdisciplinary faculty teaching courses with a common theme • Students forming study groups, spending time socializing outside of class, and/or sharing strategies for success • Collaborative activities and assignments that require students to work together and practice skills • Source: Goodsell Love, A., & Tokuno, K.A. (1999). Learning community models. In J. Levine, (Ed.), Learning communities: New structures, new partnerships for learning (pp. 9-17). Columbia, SC: National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition, University of South Carolina.

4. Learning Community Models • Students in large classes (Freshman Interest Groups—FIGS—an example)—small groups of students from large classes often linked by a seminar • Paired or clustered courses— 2 or more courses are paired or linked together and taken by same group of students (often a common theme) • Team-taught courses—faculty develop a common theme that fits the disciplines of the courses • Residence hall-based learning communities—single course, paired or clustered courses, or team-taught courses; includes collaboration with Residence Life staff • Source: Hurd, S.N., & Federman Stein, R. (2004). Building and sustaining learning communities: The Syracuse University experience. Bolton, MA: Anker Publishing.

5. Mission of Living Learning Communities (LLCs) at Miami U. The mission of Living Learning Communities at Miami University is to create and extend student learning opportunities outside of the classroom that heighten student intellectual and personal growth. Living Learning Communities are purposeful attempts to integrate curricular with co-curricular experiences that complement and extend classroom learning. These communities foster faculty and resident interaction that enhances both intellectual and personal growth of the residents. Each community is built around a specific field of study or area of interest and is structured so students have a high degree of involvement in its formation.

6. Division of Student Affairs—Mission The mission of the Division of Student Affairs is to provide a supportive environment and create and extend student learning opportunities outside the classroom that heighten student intellectual and personal growth and produce citizen leaders who make substantive contributions to their communities.

7. Miami Plan for Liberal Education—Goals Students should exercise skills related to: • Thinking Critically • Understanding Contexts • Engaging with Other Learners • Reflecting and Acting Source: http://www.units.muohio.edu/led/index.htm

8. Miami’s First in 2009—Goals Goal 1: A more highly qualified student bodyGoal 2: Greater academic support for facultyGoal 3: A stronger curriculumGoal 4: Richer intellectual/cultural lifeGoal 5: Greater diversity among students and facultyGoal 6: Enhanced facilitiesGoal 7: Stronger revenue baseGoal 8: Improved ability to learn from other institutions Source: http://www.orgs.muohio.edu/muasg/2009/

9. Living Learning Communities2004-2005 • Celebrate the Arts • Commuter Center • Environmental Awareness Program • French Language Floor • German Language Floor • Health Enhancement & Lifestyle Management • Honors and Scholars Program • International Living Learning Community • Leadership, Excellence, & Community

10. Living Learning Communities2004-2005, continued • Miami Manor • Mosaic • Residential Service Learning • Scholar Leader Program • Scholastic Enhancement Program • Student Created Programming • Technology and Society • Western College Program • Women in Math, Science, & Engineering

11. How do students get into LLCs? • First-year student housing process • Upperclass student housing process

12. Living Learning Community Courses2004-2005 • Celebrate the Arts—ART 182 • Environmental Awareness Program—ENS 175 (BOT, CHM, GLG, MBI, GEO, STA, ZOO) & ENG 111/112 • French Language Floor—FRE 110 • German Language Floor—GER 141 • Health Enhancement & Lifestyle Management—PHS 116 (A/D/P/S) • Honors and Scholars Program—HON 280T & ENG 111/112 • International Living Learning Community—(course under revision)

13. Living Learning Community Courses2004-2005, continued • Leadership, Excellence, & Community—EDL 306 & ENG 111/112 • Mosaic—IDS 151 & ENG 111/112 • Residential Service Learning—EDL 171 • Scholastic Enhancement Program—(courses through program) • Student Created Programming—First-year Experience Seminars • Technology and Society—EAS 150T & ENG 111/112 • Western College Program—(courses through program) • Women in Math, Science, & Engineering—WMS 130 & ENG 111/112

14. Living Learning Community Faculty/Professional Roles Faculty/Professional Learning Community for Enhancing Living Learning Communities • WHO: “Senior” LLC faculty & professional staff who have responsibilities for coordinating instructors & curricula • PURPOSE: support programs bydeveloping overall LLC curriculum and pedagogical strategies for teaching and learning in this unique environment

15. Living Learning Community Faculty/Professional Roles Advisory Councils • WHO: Faculty, advisory staff and student representatives involved in a Living Learning Community • PURPOSE: support program bycollaborating to determine vision and mission and carry out vision and mission for specific community—responsible for guiding and managing curricular and co-curricular efforts

16. Living Learning Community Faculty/Professional Roles LLC Course Instructors • WHO: Faculty, professional and graduate staff • PURPOSE: support program by facilitating LLC course(s), meeting with other instructors, and collaborating with hall staff to promote related programming

17. Living Learning Community Faculty/Professional Roles A date to remember: August 19—noon- 1 p.m. Tappan basement (public) LUNCH WITH LLC FACULTY Meet and greet the faculty and staff who support our communities!

18. Advisory Staff Role—Expectations Related to LLCs As mentioned earlier, the foundation is comprised of… • Trust • Support • Professionalism • Being ethical • Planning • Embracing difference • Commitment to student learning & development • Communication • Being “peacemakers”

19. Advisory Staff Role—Expectations Related to LLCs • Support LLC courses • Advise students related to LLC courses (remember, you are the first line of communication with students)—answer questions, send further inquiries to 529-4000 • Advertise available course seats to help fill sections • Communicate walk-in hours for course sign-ups or changes (LLC courses aren’t available on web for adds or drops)—Michele or Jackie will be available August 23, 9-noon; August 24-30, 8-5 p.m.; ENG sections are handled through ENG dept. after August 20 • Meet faculty the first day of class—make sure s/he and students have hall access, help with classroom needs (as appropriate), etc.

20. Advisory Staff Role—Expectations Related to LLCs • Hold an LLC Kickoff event • Work with your staff to design and implement an LLC kickoff • Scheduled with FYI events to be held: Sunday, August 22, 4:00- ? p.m. • Invite faculty and introduce them to students • Event should introduce students to the theme or a focus of the community (fulfill more than just a social purpose) • If in need of funds for this kickoff, work with coordinator or see Michele or Jackie

21. Advisory Staff Role—Expectations Related to LLCs • Serve on Advisory Council • All communities will likely have some form of an Advisory Council this year (in the works are 2 new Advisory Councils for Student Created Programming Communities) • First-year Student-Created Programs • Upperclass Student-Created Programs • Meetings are generally 1 or 2 times a month (communities have different needs/expectations) • Advisors are expected to be actively involved in meetings (reporting on programs, hall activities, issues; taking notes; providing feedback; seeking opportunities to collaborate; etc.)

22. Advisory Staff Role—Expectations Related to LLCs • Act as Programming Leader for LLC • Guide staff in creating quality programs (key to building community) • More on this topic at 1:00 today, when Community Development Guide is discussed • Monitor LLC program funding (details on funding to be covered July 27)

23. Nature of the RelationshipBetween AA/SA • From your experience at various institutions, how would you characterize the relationship between Academic and Student Affairs? • How would you characterize this relationship at Miami? • How do you think that this relationship could be further improved? • What can you strive to do this year to work toward these improvements?

24. A Living Learning Community is like an aquarium • An environment that requires maintenance and care • Comprised of different, yet potentially compatible community members • Community members must feel comfortable and connected to flourish