John Gardner on The First Year Experience, Irving, Texas, January 27, 2010
Questions I Didn't Ask  
Realistic expectations for a single course?  
To what extent can you DO Fink in a learning frameworks course?  
Especially the taxonomy
Questions I DID ask  
Your opinion of the learning frameworks premise?  
That you canmake an impact translating theory into practice
My Favorite Parts  
"Teach them to love the college." -- John Gardner  
I'm working on my own version of this... stated as a question. At the moment it's something like this:  
What would we do differently if our overriding purpose were to teach new students how to love learning, love college, love Richland? [Fill in that last one with your own college].  
"We need common objectives." -- John Gardner  
I'm wondering if the only thing we need to agree on are the goals of the Learning Frameworks? And that even those should be debatable as long as there's a clear system for changing them.  
What do we do if we want students to have an excellent start to college ?  
Proven strategies  
Boredom is a major problem - linkages and themes can help.  
Course linkage  
Same time slots in morning to encourage cross class visits  
Cohorts  
Theme based learning community  
Use peer readers who are students.  
Incentive for peer reader: upper level classes
Other Ideas  
A common reader that is used in several courses.
Sustainability : No Impact Man
Kenya
Listserv on the first year experience.
What might you want all your students do?
Everything you learn will lead you to ask new questions about what you're doing.
This course is not just about this course.
Other Questions that were asked and answered  
How to recruit faculty  
Identify influencers.
Ask for volunteers.
A privilege to teach the class.
Advisory committee to select teachers.
Fellows.
Keep a journal on the impact of the course on me. Eportfolio.wtvox
Recruit best teachers. Those who will influence and impress.  
Research Outcomes People Should Know About  
Students who complete these courses  
More likely to seek assistance.  
More likely to seek interaction with instructors out of class.  
Joining behavior -study groups.  
What do they know/about the college?  

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