Christopher E. Garrett describes a faculty learning community program at Oklahoma City University that focused on improving teaching and learning through integrating the arts in a variety of disciplines, some of which may surprise you. (Contains 9 notes.)

Since 2006, 19 institutions across the United States have been trying to figure out how to work smarter through their participation in the Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education. Drawing on data from the first year of the study, the robust, mixed-methods study the authors report in this article evaluated growth in the first year of…

The world is changing in dramatic and complex ways. There can be little doubt that if the twentieth century was "The American Century," the twenty-first century has already become a Global Century, framed by new power dynamics, new economic realities, and new quests for self-determination and freedom across all parts of the globe. In this context,…

Like higher education itself, student affairs is a dynamic enterprise grounded in paradigms that have shifted over its history. This article frames the role of higher education at large, with a look at the role of student affairs in particular, to advance integrative learning. Portfolio pedagogy is described as one strategy for advancing…

Alternative breaks (ABs) often bring a smattering of images to mind: college students in matching T-shirts, cramped vans, well-used work gloves, physical labor, and, perhaps, way too much peanut butter. All of these images are at least in part accurate for the AB program at the College of William and Mary. Add to them a strong sense that sending…

Perhaps a decade ago, accreditation agencies might have been satisfied with a list of student learning outcomes and some evidence that students achieved them. More and more, accreditors request evidence of "improvement". It is not enough to merely demonstrate that what one is doing works reasonably well; one must also show that he or she invests…

Across the broad spectrum of disciplines and departments within higher education, it sometimes feels like there is little that unites them. They talk about silos, they bemoan divergent and fragmented efforts, and they refer frequently to "them" and "they," regardless of where they are on the organizational chart. However, there is one topic that…

Academic coaching can be a crucial step in helping students transition to college. Coaches work with students to be strategic in establishing and achieving their academic goals as well as becoming engaged on campus. At the University of South Carolina, academic coaching is defined as a one-on-one interaction with a student focusing on strengths,…

In this article, the authors describe a pilot project in which formative feedback from industry professionals creates a genuine learning experience for students. Industry is giving feedback to higher education that many graduates are not employable or that they need substantial postcollegiate on-the-job training. Higher education is struggling to…

Many campuses are adopting freshman learning communities (FLCs) in order to boost retention. FLCs take many forms, but they typically involve enrolling small groups of students in two or more classes together during their first semester in order to create community and promote academic and social involvement. At Georgia State University, a large…

This article describes a program at Saint Louis University that uses reflection to frame the transformative qualities of learning. The Week of Reflection brings learning outcomes to the center stage of teaching and learning at SLU. It allowed educators a glimpse of the complex and often mysterious synergy taking place as students develop and grow…

Facilitating discussions about race can be challenging for even the most experienced educator. In this article, the author provides a framework for using multimedia resources to guide student reflection and discussion on race. He suggests three types of media resources that educators can use to engage students in dialogues on race. For each of…

In higher education, convergences occur when academic affairs and student affairs find common ground and partner to promote student learning. Such a moment occurred at North Georgia College and State University (NGCSU) when the associate dean of students made an appointment with the new executive director of institutional effectiveness to discuss…

"Who is responsible for developing, ensuring, and assessing learning outcomes--student affairs, academic affairs, or both?" This question yielded a spirited debate between faculty members and student affairs professionals in the author's course Disability in Higher Education and Society. The author was prompted to learn more about this issue at…

Many institutions are currently using the senior year to explicitly reinforce abilities that students will need beyond graduation, in their first paid position, and throughout their lifetime. On campuses that organize the curriculum and cocurriculum of the senior year around learning outcomes important to those within and outside the academy,…