Connecting the DotsConnecting the Dots

Growing an Ecologically Mindful Growing an Ecologically Mindful Living Learning EnvironmentLiving Learning Environment

CopresentersCopresenters

• Patti Kenney, Ph. D. Academic Learning Coordinator, Liberty Hyde Bailey Scholars Program, Michigan State University

• Katie Clark. Residential Initiative for the Study of the Environment, College of Social Science, Michigan State University

Additional CollaboratorsAdditional Collaborators

• Frank A. Fear, Ph. D. Community, Agriculture, Recreation and Resource Studies and Bailey Scholar, Michigan State University.

• Terry P. Link, Ph. D. Director, Office for Campus Sustainability and Bailey Scholar, Michigan State University.

• Laurie Thorp, Ph. D. Director, RISE (Residential Initiative for the Study of the Environment) and Bailey Scholar, Michigan State University.

An ecologically mindfulAn ecologically mindfulliving learning communityliving learning community

Connecting students’ commitments to

• Make the world a better place

• Integrate content areas

• Develop skills

• Engage wider community

ContextContext

• Land-grant university

• Provost’s Vision for Liberal Arts includes extending living learning options

• Diminishing financial resources

• Programs with common goals & values

• Commitment to collaborative process

Key playersKey players

*RISE *Bailey Scholars

*ECO *CARRS

*Office for *MSU

Campus Sustainability Student

*Environmental Organic Farm

Journalism

*Peace & Justice specialization

Key commitmentsKey commitments

• Ecologically mindful residence hall (control over food choices, waste reduction, building operations)

• Deliberative, democratic self-governance

• Integrative curriculum

Bailey Scholars ProgramBailey Scholars Program

Seeks to be a community of scholars dedicated to lifelong learning.

All members of the community

work to provide a

respectful, trusting environment where

we acknowledge our interdependence and encourage personal growth.

Ecological mindfulnessEcological mindfulness

• Bailey scholars bring disciplinary diversity to a consideration of ecological mindfulness

• Classes and

• Individual student learning plans and

• Faculty work

support care for the environment

Deliberative DemocracyDeliberative Democracy

Bailey scholars engage democratically

• In the classroom (colearning)

• Within the community (shared responsi-bility for Bailey)

• In the broader university and beyond

The Importance of DialogThe Importance of Dialog

“Dialog is shared exploration toward greater understanding, connection, or possibility.”

Tom Atlee, Co-Intelligence Institute

“Dialog is about discovering what our true values are, about expanding our capacity for attention, awareness and learning with and from each other, exploring the frontiers of what it means to be human, in relationship to each other and our world.” Glenna Gerard, The Dialog Group

Integrative CurriculumIntegrative Curriculum

• Connected learning

• Criticality

• Holistic (personal, professional, academic, emotional, spiritual intelligence)

• Self-generated learning goals and evaluation

Community of Scholarly PracticeCommunity of Scholarly Practice

• Community becomes its own practice

• Theory and practice are interrelated

• Actions and reflections are interdependent

• Self-governance

• Engagement beyond the community

The Collaborative ProcessThe Collaborative Process

• Provost’s call for living-learning expansion

• Initial dialog; student advisory committee

• Key goals: food, democracy, sustainability

• Summer lunchtime discussions

• 8th Annual Colloquy on Teaching & Learning

• Proposal development

Laurie Thorp Terry Link, Office of Laurie Thorp Terry Link, Office of RISERISE Campus SustainabilityCampus Sustainability

Frank FearFrank Fear and other Bailey Scholars, and other Bailey Scholars,

including including Shari DannShari Dann, F&W, F&W

• Bailey Scholar Richard Bawden opened the colloquy with a discussion of history and process.

Open Space FormatOpen Space Format

• Co-facilitators included:

John Fisk

and

Leroy HarveyLeroy Harvey

Modified Open SpaceModified Open Space

• 1) Whoever comes is the right people

• 2) Whatever happens is the only thing that could have

• 3) Whenever it starts is the right time

• 4) Whenever it’s over, it’s over

The law of two feetThe law of two feet

• if at any time you find yourself in any situation where you are neither learning nor contributing – use you two feet and move to some place more to you liking

What makes Open Space work?What makes Open Space work?

• Self-organization

• Safe environment

• High levels of diversity and complexity

• Chaos, or the drive toward change

• Inner drive toward improvement

Stuart Kaufmann

Diverse RepresentationDiverse Representation

• Faculty, students, community members

• Various disciplines

• Common task

Colloquy Learning GoalsColloquy Learning Goals

Colloquy Learning Goals ctd.Colloquy Learning Goals ctd.

Colloquy AgendaColloquy Agenda

OutcomesOutcomes

Participants created a “tree” and placed their ideas in relationship on it.

Rules for mind mappingRules for mind mapping

• Start with a colored image in the center. • Lighten Up • Free Associate • Think Fast • Break Boundaries • Judge Not • Keep Moving • Allow Organization

Emerging GroupsEmerging Groups

• Pedagogy of Place/Building & Landscape as Teacher  

• Engagement and Governance

• Food

• Curriculum

Mind mapMind map

Pedagogy of PlacePedagogy of Place

• Location in a small, community oriented residence hall (food, beauty)

• Eventual location in a LEED certified residence hall

• Creation of a commons

• A building that teaches

InterdependenceInterdependence

Economic

EnvironmentalSocial

John Tagg John Tagg (2004) “Alignment for learning”(2004) “Alignment for learning”

CONTENT

PROCESSCONTEXT

Engagement and governanceEngagement and governance

• Who leads? What leadership styles for what contexts?

• How are community decisions made?

• Accountability

• How to balance shared decision making?

• How much autonomy?

Leader asLeader as

• Collaborator

• Change agent

• Shaper of culture

FoodFood

• Students have option to actively participate in food purchasing, preparation and disposal

• Student organic farm, local farmers

• Food that teaches: integrating food system, health and wholeness, budget

• Opportunity to grow own food

CurriculumCurriculum

• 21 credits (specialization)• 9 core, 12 elective• Understand self in relation to place• Systems thinking• Synthesize knowledge across disciplines• Think and act critically• Deliberative dialog• Leadership skills—thought and action

For more informationFor more information

• Colloquy: www.re-news.net/colloquy

• Bailey Scholars Program: www.bsp.msu.edu

• Proposal copies—e-mail kenneyp@msu.edu