Perhaps it’s just my temperament, but I love learning contracts. To me there are few greater ways to chart out learning with students (be it in an organization, on your staff, or in a classroom) that to give them a format to decide what they want to, and are committed to working towards, learning this year. Now, I’m the first to admit that not all of my students get quite as enthused about this process as I do, and some required downright wheedling at the beginning, but I’ve never interacted with a student who made the commitment to try a learning contract on the front end that didn’t value the experience in the end.
The Process
In my experience, the first step to effectively integrating learning contracts into your process is to consider how you can use them as the framework for learning in your group, rather than as an additional to-do list item. If you have never used any sort of intentional learning tools or measurements before, think about what you want to achieve and/or measure with your students, and modify the template to suit your needs. If you already have an outline of the leadership and personal development learning that you conduct with your groups, plan to incorporate this as one week’s assignment, or be intentional in how you present the rest of the semester’s leadership moments to highlight or build upon what’s already planned. Again, I can’t emphasize this enough: incorporating learning contracts with your group really should not be something you add on, but rather something integrated into your plan.
What’s In a Name?
If, like I did, you have students who totally balk at the sound/idea/concept of a learning contract, have hope…there are a few tactical options you can explore. The first and probably the most basic but in my experience the most successful is to consider changing the name. Some groups call them Leadership Learning Contracts. Others call them just plan Learning Contracts. My groups hated the term contract, so I represented the same material under the new moniker: Intentional Learning Plan. It was the exact same content, and really all I did was go through the guidelines template and replace LLC with ILP, but there was so much angst and push back against the idea of students having to enter into a contract about learning with me, and for some reason designing a learning plan just wasn’t as scary. And, to be sure, I’m not mocking my students with this story. The history of Higher Education is riddled with examples of ideas that when first presented were shot down unilaterally. However, when the same idea came back with a new set of words describing exceedingly similar behavioral requirements, people jumped on the band wagon without looking back.
Another option you can consider if groups are really resistant is to use one meeting to write a contract for the whole exec team, or for the organization, rather than for any individuals. Then, you’re really using it as more of a guide to strategic learning throughout the year, rather than anyone feeling any singular pressure. If you can make that sell and help students see how beneficial and user-friendly the learning contracts can be, then you’ll be in a much better position to consider moving the team to accepting the option of completing them as individuals in the following year.
A Cautionary Tale
One final warning and one I learned the hard way: Remember that if you actually do succeed in motivating the individuals in your group to write up learning contracts, you have now created the responsibility for yourself to read, edit, and help them rewrite their contracts into actual working plans. Much like the teacher who approaches her first classroom with the belief that students just don’t write enough in school to develop those skills and thus plans to assign weekly papers, that seems like a great approach until the mountains of grading block out the sun. This caution shouldn’t deter you from encouraging your groups to do them, but I would strongly suggest having a deadline for each draft, and blocking out sections on your calendar ahead of time to reserve for reading and editing. It’s not required, but you’ll thank me if you do :-)
Written by: Sarah Edwards
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Monday, August 27, 2012
Interview with Darby Roberts: Learning Is Not A Sprint
Welcome back to another Fall school semester! As you're getting started on a new semester, we'd like to share a great new resource that has been recently published.
This book has proven to be a very interesting read, and we asked Editor Darby Roberts to give us the inside scoop on the book.
Can you give me a brief overview of the book and why a book was written on this subject?
The book begins with an overview of the current context of higher education and why student affairs should be concerned with student learning, then describes the theoretical foundation of leadership. The book continues on with what employers expect from graduates, the role of advisors and supervisors in student learning and change, and methods to assess student learning in the co-curricular. The book finishes with the challenges of creating change in organizations, assessing projects like SLLO and aggregating student learning, and where we see this topic going in the future.
We thought that this was an important topic because student affairs is now expected to engage in the student learning process, assess programs and learning, and demonstrate effectiveness in those areas. Although there are other books about leadership, student learning in the curricular, and assessment, there was not a book that addressed the unique learning opportunity that student leaders have in the co-curricular.
How long did it take to compose the book?
It took a little over a year or so from the initial proposal to NASPA until the final version to be approved. Once we got the concept approved by NASPA, we had a fairly aggressive timeline to ensure the book would be ready for the 2012 NASPA Assessment and Persistence Conference.
How were the chapter subjects chosen?
Kathy and I brainstormed what topics we thought would provide context for the project, in addition to more tangible information that student affairs professionals could use in their daily lives. We knew that we needed to expand on the current literature and broaden the perspective from the Texas A&M SLLO project to student learning in the co-curricular at a variety of institution types.
Technology was mentioned in the book as a pivotal part of student learning. How do you see it influencing student learning and the student affairs profession?
Technology influences how we communicate with students, how students experience college and learning, and how we can document student learning. It will only become more ingrained in what we do. We see the potential for students to use technology to document their learning, record their reflections, and access resources. Think about how smartphones can be used for interacting with websites, taking videos and pictures, tweeting, and blogging. Students who are expected to participate in electronic portfolios can upload examples of their leadership and learning outcomes.
What is the most important preparation a student affairs professional can do to contribute to the goals of student learning (providing proof of impact)?
I would say that student affairs professionals need to keep current about the priorities of higher education in general and their institution in particular. In addition, they need to be knowledgeable about the concepts of learning outcomes, assessment, advising/supervising, and other areas that appropriate to their responsibilities. Really, student learning is everyone’s responsibility, so it is important that we know what we are doing.
What would you recommend as the first steps for student affairs professionals to begin to integrate these tools?
As Nike use to say, “Just Do It.” In reality, advisors/supervisors should understand the culture of the students/organization they work with to tailor their approach. Not all students appreciate the value of a rubric, but may like the individual approach of a learning contract. Others get excited about the creativity of photography, while others really like to reflect in the form of a journal entry. From the beginning of the relationship, the advisor/supervisor can be more intentional about their conversations with the student workers/leaders. For example, instead of asking students what they did this weekend, they could ask students what they learned in class last week that they could apply to their leadership position/work environment. Advisors/supervisors should start where they are comfortable to build their own confidence. And, if one approach does not work, they should have the freedom to try something different.
How can staff/faculty utilize these concepts in the academic environment?
Some of the tools we talk about in the book actually come from the academic environment. Some students are familiar with rubrics because they have seen them in their courses. Examples such as one-minute papers come from a book about classroom assessment techniques. The classroom lends itself to direct measures of knowledge through tests, papers, and projects during a set period of time with a cohort of students; student leadership is not that structured.
Is there a benefit to students reading this book?
I think that would be a great idea. The book is written in a tone that would appeal to students. It would also give them insight into what the institution, employers, and advisors expect from them. During the recent SLLO Orientation and Retreat, it struck me that we should give the book to the Student Body President.
What is your favorite SLLO tool and why?
That’s a good question. They all have their advantages. The organization I advise is a little different that the traditional organization, so I’m still adapting. We have used rubrics for self-assessment and group discussion, but this year we will be trying learning contracts. I do appreciate that they give me opportunities at their executive meetings and general meetings to talk about leadership and their learning.
If there was one take away message you wanted folks to gain from reading this book, what would it be?
It’s time to engage students in their learning. You don’t have to know everything and do everything exactly right the first time, but you have to start somewhere. There are lots of tools, people, and other resources available to help you.
Purchase your copy of the book at the NASPA Bookstore!
Learning is Not a Sprint: Assessing and Documenting Student Leader Learning in Cocurricular Involvement offers multiple perspectives and a framework to establish and document student learning in the cocurricular environment, with a specific focus on student leaders and student employees. It provides student affairs professionals with a theory base on student learning and student leadership, but also addresses the realities of the current state of higher education.
This book has proven to be a very interesting read, and we asked Editor Darby Roberts to give us the inside scoop on the book.
Can you give me a brief overview of the book and why a book was written on this subject?
The book begins with an overview of the current context of higher education and why student affairs should be concerned with student learning, then describes the theoretical foundation of leadership. The book continues on with what employers expect from graduates, the role of advisors and supervisors in student learning and change, and methods to assess student learning in the co-curricular. The book finishes with the challenges of creating change in organizations, assessing projects like SLLO and aggregating student learning, and where we see this topic going in the future.
We thought that this was an important topic because student affairs is now expected to engage in the student learning process, assess programs and learning, and demonstrate effectiveness in those areas. Although there are other books about leadership, student learning in the curricular, and assessment, there was not a book that addressed the unique learning opportunity that student leaders have in the co-curricular.
How long did it take to compose the book?
It took a little over a year or so from the initial proposal to NASPA until the final version to be approved. Once we got the concept approved by NASPA, we had a fairly aggressive timeline to ensure the book would be ready for the 2012 NASPA Assessment and Persistence Conference.
How were the chapter subjects chosen?
Kathy and I brainstormed what topics we thought would provide context for the project, in addition to more tangible information that student affairs professionals could use in their daily lives. We knew that we needed to expand on the current literature and broaden the perspective from the Texas A&M SLLO project to student learning in the co-curricular at a variety of institution types.
Technology was mentioned in the book as a pivotal part of student learning. How do you see it influencing student learning and the student affairs profession?
Technology influences how we communicate with students, how students experience college and learning, and how we can document student learning. It will only become more ingrained in what we do. We see the potential for students to use technology to document their learning, record their reflections, and access resources. Think about how smartphones can be used for interacting with websites, taking videos and pictures, tweeting, and blogging. Students who are expected to participate in electronic portfolios can upload examples of their leadership and learning outcomes.
What is the most important preparation a student affairs professional can do to contribute to the goals of student learning (providing proof of impact)?
I would say that student affairs professionals need to keep current about the priorities of higher education in general and their institution in particular. In addition, they need to be knowledgeable about the concepts of learning outcomes, assessment, advising/supervising, and other areas that appropriate to their responsibilities. Really, student learning is everyone’s responsibility, so it is important that we know what we are doing.
What would you recommend as the first steps for student affairs professionals to begin to integrate these tools?
As Nike use to say, “Just Do It.” In reality, advisors/supervisors should understand the culture of the students/organization they work with to tailor their approach. Not all students appreciate the value of a rubric, but may like the individual approach of a learning contract. Others get excited about the creativity of photography, while others really like to reflect in the form of a journal entry. From the beginning of the relationship, the advisor/supervisor can be more intentional about their conversations with the student workers/leaders. For example, instead of asking students what they did this weekend, they could ask students what they learned in class last week that they could apply to their leadership position/work environment. Advisors/supervisors should start where they are comfortable to build their own confidence. And, if one approach does not work, they should have the freedom to try something different.
How can staff/faculty utilize these concepts in the academic environment?
Some of the tools we talk about in the book actually come from the academic environment. Some students are familiar with rubrics because they have seen them in their courses. Examples such as one-minute papers come from a book about classroom assessment techniques. The classroom lends itself to direct measures of knowledge through tests, papers, and projects during a set period of time with a cohort of students; student leadership is not that structured.
Is there a benefit to students reading this book?
I think that would be a great idea. The book is written in a tone that would appeal to students. It would also give them insight into what the institution, employers, and advisors expect from them. During the recent SLLO Orientation and Retreat, it struck me that we should give the book to the Student Body President.
What is your favorite SLLO tool and why?
That’s a good question. They all have their advantages. The organization I advise is a little different that the traditional organization, so I’m still adapting. We have used rubrics for self-assessment and group discussion, but this year we will be trying learning contracts. I do appreciate that they give me opportunities at their executive meetings and general meetings to talk about leadership and their learning.
If there was one take away message you wanted folks to gain from reading this book, what would it be?
It’s time to engage students in their learning. You don’t have to know everything and do everything exactly right the first time, but you have to start somewhere. There are lots of tools, people, and other resources available to help you.
Purchase your copy of the book at the NASPA Bookstore!
Friday, August 3, 2012
Assessment
Assessment… the word often makes people cringe on the inside and sometimes visible sweat may start to form around parts of the temple and forehead area. But as the years have passed, for me personally, I have learned that assessing is not as scary as people can make is seem. (This statement also does not count the fact that I worked a whole summer as a grad practicum in an assessment office!)
If you examine the word assessment you will find the root word assess, which according to dictionary.com, means to estimate or judge the value, worth or importance of something. Who wouldn’t want to know the value of something in which they have invested time or effort, especially if it affects what they do on a daily basis? Well in the field of student affairs what we do on a daily basis involves students and most importantly, student learning. Each time we interact with a student our mission should be to facilitate an environment for learning that enriches the value of their overall experience in higher education. But we can’t know if we’ve achieved this goal without assessment!
Our students often tell us directly or indirectly the skills and knowledge they are looking to gain from the responsibilities they take on as leaders, student workers, or organization members. They look to us to help them structure their journey to achieve these goals. And most of them want lots of feedback to know how they are progressing along the way. So instead of running the other direction when you realize this may require you to break out your handy dandy Assessing Student Learning book by Linda Suskie, take a minute to stop and relax instead. There are several tools out there that can help both you and the students your serve.
Suppose your student wants to improve their communication skills. Both of you can take a look at the Interpersonal Communication Rubric that’s located on the Student Leader Learning Outcome Website (sllo.tamu.edu). There are several categories such as listening, eye contact, and voice that the student can reflect over using the rubric. And each category in the rubric is specifically outlined with detailed descriptions to help a student recognize where they are (novice through expert) in relation to their skills in each area. So you don’t have to create anything. It’s already done! Woo hoo! Taking the time to go through this activity with the student may seem daunting at first, but the best way to get over that fear is to just do it. We’re all constantly learning new things.
So have no fear, SLLO is here! And we want you to just take a leap as you work to show the value of the learning that takes place with your students every day. No matter how big or small, every bit matters.
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