The work of instructors in higher education has grown increasingly broad and difficult to define. Our current era is marked by a rapidly changing student population, a polarized political climate, and a seemingly unpredictable skill set among each incoming class of students. Indiana University Southeast continues to meet these challenges through the implementation of Learning Communities. Based on nationally successful programs on similar campuses, IUS Learning Communities encourage instructors across disciplines to offer introductory courses designed to strengthen student persistence and student success. It is important to note, however, that Learning Communities are not monolithic entities. By exploring the pre-and-post-tests, class surveys, student comments, and instructor reflection, Dr. Rebekah Dement and Dr. Robert Rennie dissect their Fall 2023 Learning Community, which linked History H104 and English W131. Their presentation explores ways faculty might adapt to ever-changing student learning needs, by addressing students' challenges as young adults, and educating them in the content and skills required to graduate. Utilizing student persistence and DFW rates, we find a host of student issues: their life skills, their need for growing maturity, as well as their pedagogically centered need to learn to read critically, write clearly, and communicate effectively. Finally, we provide insight into how to customize a learning community to suit both the requirements of the instructors' disciplines, tailor content to a new generation of college students, and find equilibrium within the unpredictability of higher education in the 2020s.
Zoom Recording ID: 89691296702
UUID: +6PJ4dTCS4y5t4739ESTAw==
Meeting Time: 2024-09-27 02:29:23pmGMT
