Discovering, Integrating and Applying Knowledge: Effective Educational Practices for Today’s Students and Tomorrow’s Innovation
Network for Academic Renewal Conference
April 10-12, 2008
Austin, Texas
In an era of relentless economic, technological, and social transformation there is general consensus that narrow learning is not enough to prepare college graduates appropriately for the increasing complexity of our diverse democracy and global society. How then do we ensure that today’s students actually learn how to apply their learning to complex, cross-disciplinary problems?
Emerging research on student success has turned a spotlight on educational practices that raise the level of persistence and achievement for today’s college-going population. “Engaged learning practices”—such as learning communities, first year seminars, undergraduate research, infusing society’s big questions into the curriculum, and connecting knowledge with choices and actions—have educational benefits for all students. Studies conducted at the University of Iowa and the Indiana Center for Postsecondary Education also show that such practices are particularly beneficial for students who traditionally have been underserved in higher education.
Soberingly, however, the research also suggests that students who could benefit the most from these engaged learning practices may not be the ones actually taking part. Moreover, some faculty members are skeptical that the emerging research will show effectiveness over time and across a wide array of disciplines and settings. These skeptics want, and deserve, clear and consistent evidence that these new teaching methods will improve student learning outcomes.
This conference will explore the emerging research on practices that raise student achievement and its implications for current efforts to help more students reap the full benefits of college. The conference will also take a hard look at the institutional barriers that often make it difficult to establish and sustain these practices. Conference sessions will feature these innovative practices and examine what works, who benefits, and how to increase institutional commitment and underserved students’ access to these “high impact practices.” Conference participants will have opportunities to learn how to:
- identify ways to tie high impact educational practices to “big questions”—e.g., learning communities, undergraduate research, and problem-based learning—and integrate them into the disciplines and departments;
- enact engaged teaching and learning practices in the disciplines and departments that help students understand, integrate, and apply knowledge to address society’s complex challenges;
- create coherent, comprehensive, and transparent systems of support for educational change that fosters faculty innovation, maintains academic freedom, develops leadership, and addresses the challenges of sustaining efforts to increase the number of students who have access to high impact practices;
- build seamless learning environments by connecting these practices to a) efforts to engage across differences such as race, class, gender and religion; b) students’ civic, community, and interdisciplinary interests; c) infusing information and quantitative literacy across-the-curriculum; and d) academic and student life leaders’ shared responsibility to help all students achieve essential learning outcomes;
- assemble compelling data on the impact that these different approaches have on student learning outcomes and consistently use this evidence in formative ways to enrich teaching and learning processes; and
- recognize and reward faculty who creatively adopt effective teaching and learning practices.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at 202.387.3760 or write to meetings@aacu.org.
Sponsors
Please contact the Development Office at (202) 884-7421 or e-mail Development@aacu.org for information about sponsorship opportunities for this conference.
|
