Co-Curriculum: Successfully Integrating Learning Within & Beyond the Classroom

Co-Curriculum: Successfully

Integrating Learning Within

& Beyond the Classroom

Irma Van Scoy, Executive Director USC Connect, Office of the Provost

University of South Carolina

Overview • Why? • Our model • Our story • What will work for you?

Why

Integrative Learning?

• Making the most of

students’ entire experience

• Deepening learning

• Applying learning to real

world contexts

• Clearly communicating the

relevance of higher education

• An education that sets

Course

Work

Beyond the

Classroom

Experiences

Integrative Learning

Our Model

1. Consensus and Broad Involvement

2. Collaboration & Building on Strengths

3. Resources for Engagement & Learning

4. Support for Faculty & Staff

5. Clear Message and Official Recognition

T

HE

USC

C

ONNECT

S

TORY

• 28,000 undergraduates

• 4 campuses

– USC Columbia awarding bachelor’s degrees

– 4 Regional Campuses

awarding associate’s degrees

• Lancaster • Salkehatchie • Sumter • Union Quality Enhancement Plan for SACSCOC Continuing Affirmation

#1 Consensus :

9 Carolina Core

Learning Outcomes

• Analyze

• Communicate

• Apply

• Create

• Interpret

• Evaluate

• Examine

Focus Carolina Focus on beyond the classroom Pioneer and extend programs Build on the Carolina Core

USC Connect

Learning Outcomes:

• Describe how BTC

contributes to learning

• Analyze how BTC relates to

concepts/theories

• Apply learning to create

solutions

Integrating

Learning Within and Beyond the Classroom

Consensus on BTC • Carolina Core Learning Outcomes • Strategic Plan • Research on High Impact Practices • Existing Strengths Broad involvement: Retreats, RFP, Committees, Forums Global Learning Research Community Service Internships Peer Leadership

#2 Collaboration

& Building on

Strengths:

• Pathways Offices

Center

– Career Center – Study Abroad – Research

• Living and Learning

Communities

• University 101 Programs

• Academic Programs

Recommendations B.S.

Environmental Science

To learn more contact:

Shelley Schlenk, [email protected]

Hilde Oliver

Conclusion:

A liberal arts education builds research skills,

creative thinking, and skills to better learn and

synthesize new ideas, all of which are necessary for any career.

Skill In the classroom In the office

Problem Solving • Manipulating abstract ideas in clever ways to write proofs • Researching unfamiliar ideas from committee hearings to report to the Governor’s policy analysts Efficiency • Solving long and

complex math problems within a very limited time frame • Processing constituent correspondence backlogged several months as quickly as possible

A Math Major Interning with the South Carolina Office of the Governor

# 3 Resources for Integrative Learning

Question:

What parallels can be drawn between the mathematics classroom experience and

beyond-the-classroom

#4 Support for Faculty & Staff

Conference Faculty Grants E-mail Series

UNIV 101

#5 Clear

Message:

Setting the

Stage

• Community Service • Global Learning

• Research

• Professional and Civic

Engagement (Internships & Peer Leadership)

Graduation with

Leadership Distinction in . . .

Course Work Beyond the Classroom Experiences Integrative Learning Graduation with Leadership Distinction

• Significant BTC experience • Enhancement Activities

• 6 credits Related Course Work • Public presentation/publication • E-portfolio emphasizing key

insights, analysis, application to leadership

• GPA 3.0 or higher

Graduation with

Transcript recognition available to UG students

of any major with 3.0 GPA

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 2013-2014 (year-end) 2014-2015 (Feb) Total Registrants

(all grad years)

Graduation with Leadership Distinction

“Wondering what these four

years of college did for you? GLD

will help you make those connections”!

I woke up to a voicemail . . . "I came across your resume . . . really love your background

-especially your leadership distinction . . . That really

stood out . . . ” I was speechless

. . . led me to truly understand my purpose . . .

• Faculty, staff, and student perceptions

– Surveys

– Focus Groups

• Student learning

– UNIV 101 integrative learning assessment – E-portfolio (initial assessment & GLD)

# 6 On-going Assessment and

Program Change

Item Faculty 2012 N=184 Faculty 2013 N=246 Aware USC-C 79 _88* Confident in describing integrative learning 38 38

*Significant increase in faculty awareness 2012-2013 (.05)

USC C

F

Additional Data-Driven Change

New e-portfolio technology & support materials

E-portfolio technology negatively impacted learning

Low scores in connecting within & beyond the

classroom learning

GLD e-portfolio scores lower in relation to application to lead

Integrative Learning Guide developed for instructors

Clarified rubric and support materials

Career Services Survey

Students employed or attending graduate

school (3 months after graduation):

GLD Graduates

All Graduates

Next Steps

• Continue to refine technology

• Expand number of programs actively

engaged in integrative learning

• Continued PD and support for faculty and

staff regarding reflection and

connections to theory and constructs

• Focus on sophomore and junior years

What will work for you?

1. Consensus and Broad Involvement

2. Collaboration & Building on Strengths

3. Resources for Engagement & Learning

4. Support for Faculty & Staff

5. Clear Message and Official Recognition