Educational Initiatives

NOT ANOTHER TERM FOR “PROGRAM”

Office of Residential LifeFordham University

Lincoln CenterP R E SE N T E R S :

J E N I F E R C A M P B E L L , D I R E C T O R O F RE S I D E N T I A L L I F E

V I C K K I M A SS Y, A SS I STA N T D I R E C T OR O F R E S I D E N T I A L L I F E

Educational Initiatives

Definition of Educational Initiative (EI)

planned opportunities, experiences, events, activities, discussions, or passive materials which begin, continue, or promote learning that is consistent with the CORE values of a Department.

Core values: form departmental foundation and are consistent with institutional

mission

What’s the Purpose?

All levels of staff have responsibility for assisting in the

development, implementation, and evaluation ofeducational initiatives. Educational initiatives have several purposes:Provide a chance for residents to learn more about

one another and become connected to the floor, building, larger community, or institution.

Relay important informational items to students.Provide developmental opportunities for students. Provide a context for students to connect course

related content.

Passive vs. Active Educational Initiatives

Passive- refers to an initiative that allows the student to receive the knowledge or gain awareness on his/her own time- often take the shape of bulletin boards, informative flyers, newsletters, or table tents

- ideal for conveying awareness to students, preparing the community for an upcoming event or introducing a controversial topic

Active- refers to a program or initiative that involves students interacting at a certain time and location, usually with a facilitator, to engage in an opportunity for learning, growth, and/or development- used to reference more traditional programs in the residence halls (i.e. ice cream socials and movie nights) - allow for peer-to-peer interaction and learning, group dialogue, skill development, and experiential learning

Using Core Student Learning Values at a Jesuit Institution

Men and Women For and With Others

Make healthy relationship choicesGain in the ability to develop and maintain healthy relationships

Identify and clarify personal values and beliefsDiscover and clarify their personal values and beliefs

Recognize that each person has the ability and responsibility to define personal values and beliefs

Support other students in making decisions which are consistent with their values and beliefs

Men and Women For and With Others(continued)

Learn to act in congruence with their values and beliefs

Increase awareness of how individual decisions and actions directly reflect personal values and character

Reflect on the consequences of their actions

Understand how culture and background relate to value and beliefs

Understand that individual values and beliefs come from one’s culture, background, and experiences

Men and Women For and With Others(continued)

Learn to respectfully discuss and resolve differences with others

Gain skills in articulating their beliefs and resolving differences with others

Increase their ability to respectfully engage in dialogue with others who hold different values and beliefs

Learn skills for community livingGain an increasing awareness of their role and responsibility as a

citizen in a communityLearn how to balance personal values, beliefs and needs in relation to

others in the community

Develop Leadership skillsGain in one’s knowledge and awareness of leadership skills

Explore their ability to lead others


Integrated LearningLearn and utilize effective study and learning

strategiesIdentify the conditions that best support their ability to study and learnDevelop and practice successful skills and strategies for learning and

academic success

Know and use campus resources for academic assistance

Gain awareness of the campus resources available to assist in improving their learning skills

Integrated Learning (continued)

Connect in-and-out class learningView “learning” as something that can happen both inside and outside

the classroomTake advantage of the unique and rich learning opportunities that the

campus community providesCollaborate with others to increase learning

Increase their ability to collaborate with others to promote their own (and others) learning

Gain skills in analyzing situations from diverse perspectivesExplore and define academic major and career

choice & understand and successfully utilize personal learning style

Identify and understand their individual learning style and how to use that style to maximize their learning


Multicultural IntelligenceIdentify their unique culture and background

Understand that everyone has a unique history, background and culture, which influences who they are

Recognize and appreciate the unique culture and background of others

Recognize and value individual differences in a community

Gain awareness of stereotypes and prejudice

Multicultural Intelligence (continued)

Recognize how power and privilege are determined by social and political systems

Act respectfully towards others

Recognize and address prejudice, intolerance, and discrimination

Broaden the diversity of their social group


Personal Well-BeingMake healthy lifestyles choices

Know and utilize campus health and safety resources

Learn about and utilize campus/community resources that promote and assist with health and safety

Recognize and manage stressDevelop positive methods for dealing with stress

Personal Well-Being (continued)

Make healthy choices about food and exercise

Make informed choices about alcohol or drug use

Learn and utilize practices to insure personal safety

Deal effectively with peer pressure

Achieving Outcomes Through Educational Initiatives

- Student learning in outcome area is a significant aspect of the student staff responsibility

- Want students to become more aware, gain knowledge, and develop skills while living in the residence hall

- Encouraged to be intentional in efforts and to think about working with outcomes as a journey

Achieving Outcomes Through Educational Initiatives

Assess Student Needs

Identify outcomes based

on your assessment

Develop and implement passive and

active initiatives

Assess student learning

Assessing Student Needs

involves identifying what students want or need to

learn or a particular problem or issue on the floor. For

example, after conducting Resident Interviews, you

may learn that several students were involved in

Community Service activities before college.

Identify Outcomes

involves revisiting the list of CORE outcomes and

selecting 1-2 from each CORE as focus areas.

For example, you may determine after ResidentInterviews that many of your first year

students areconcerned about only having 1 or 2 tests per

semester.

Sample of a Resident InterviewSTUDENT LEARNING MAP- RA/FMStaff Name ______________________ Floor______________________ Date______________________ Floor Demographics: Provide estimated numbers for the following: Freshmen ___________Sophomores___________ Juniors___________ Seniors ___________ Law 1,2,3,LLM___________ Transfer Students___________ From where?______________________________ Academic Majors represented Major

Other (graduate, special program, etc.) Which programs represented? ______________________________ Men __________Women___________ Trans-gendered ___________ International___________ Which countries are represented? ______________________________ Identified disabilities ___________ Which disabilities are known?______________________________ Caucasian __________ Black/African American__________ Asian American/ Pacific Islander__________ Hispanic/Latino/Chicano American __________ American Indian/Alaskan Native__________ Asian American/Pacific Islander__________ Unknown racial identity__________ Identifying as bi-racial__________ How did students identify themselves? ______________________________ Identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual__________ How did students identify themselves?______________________________Resident Interview Summaries:Based on your floor demographics, how would you describe your student population?Based on room environment expectations, how would you describe your student population?Based on living on the floor (Community Development), how would you describe your student population?Based on Integrated Learning, how would you describe your student population?Based on Multicultural Intelligence, how would you describe your student population?Based on Women and Men for and with Others, how would you describe your student population?Based on Personal Well-Being, how would you describe your student population?Additional Notes:

Develop and Implement

The choice of an active or passive initiative will likely involve consideration of several

questions. These may include:

1. What do I want students to learn?2. What resources do I have available?3. How much exposure do students have to this

topic?4. What are the current climate

considerations?

Assessing Student Learning

Assessment of the activity should occur immediately after the initiative and is accomplished through observation or

feedback i.e. EI Evaluation

Educational Initiative (EI) Title:

EI Team Members (List all members):

Roles: Leader Petty Cash Location Publicity/Ads

EI Date: Actual Attendance EI Time EI Location

EI Type (check all that apply) Passive Active ILC Community Builder WellnessBulletin Board Other, please explain

Target Audience/Actual Audience

Educational Initiative Evaluation

Educational Initiative Evaluation (continued)

Value/Target Outcome(s) Addressed:Men and Women for and with Others Integrated LearningMake healthy relationship choices Learn/utilize effective study and

learning strategiesIdentify and clarify personal values/beliefs Know/use campus resources for academic

assistanceLearn skills for community living Connect in and out-of class learningDevelop leadership skills Collaborate with others to increase

learning

Multicultural Intelligence Personal Well-BeingIdentify their unique culture and background Make healthy lifestyle

choicesRecognize/value individual difference in a community Recognize and manage stressGain awareness of stereotypes and prejudices Make healthy

choices and food/exerciseRecognize how power/privilege are determined by Make informed choices about

alcohol/drug use social and political systems Deal effectively with peer

pressure

Educational Initiative Evaluation (continued)

Final EI Agenda

Final Itemized and Totaled Projected EI Budget:

What was successful about this EI?

What was not successful about this EI?

Team Leader’s Assessment of Team Performance/Accountability

Questions and Final Thoughts

Jenifer [email protected]

Vickki [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Documents

Educational Initiatives