Developing A Culture of Assessment in Your Residence Life and Education Program
Because developing a residential curriculum entails refocusing your departmental efforts towards student learning, it necessarily follows that you must develop a culture of assessment. A culture of assessment is one in which decisions are data-driven and tested through the design, implementation, and review of assessment measures. As Lakos and Phipps (2004) describe it, a culture of assessment is: An organizational environment in which decisions are based on facts, research, and analysis, and where services are planned and delivered in ways that maximize positive outcomes and impacts for customers and stakeholders. A Culture of… Read More
How to Conduct an Archeological Dig for a Curricular Approach to Student Affairs
Before embarking on a curricular approach, it is important to conduct an audit, or archeological dig, to surface important characteristics and concepts that should be present and accounted for in your curriculum. As Siri Espy states, “Much like an archeological dig, your mission is to start with a set of bones and construct a skin that will fit. Ask yourself what an animal with all of your identified characteristics would look like, then set out to build one” (p. 86). During the audit and discovery phase of your dig, you should seek… Read More
Fear in Higher Ed… Fear in the workplace…
I’ve been thinking a lot about this concept of fear in the workplace. What causes it? What are the signs and symptoms? How do you reduce it? A big part of positive organizational culture change involves “getting the fear out.” But what is the nature of fear? Specifically in higher education? Fear is multi-dimensional, cultural, and individualized. Because of this, it’s hard to discuss fear as a monolithic concept or something that has a single prescribed fix. In general, however, there are some ways of understanding fear as a broad concept.
Culture Online: Contact Not Content is King
Is there something that can be described as the “online culture?” I don’t think so, but I do think that technology is structuring the way we think and interact and I do think that there are cultural norms broadly perpetuated and upheld. Online culture, although diverse, still maintains persistent themes. In describing how this first “internet generation” has grown up, Tapscott (2011) identified eight norms or “distinctive attitudinal and behavioral characteristics that differentiate this generation from their babyboom parents and other generations” (Kindle Locations 1957-1958). These themes included: freedom, customization, scrutiny, integrity,… Read More
3 Takeaways from Presenting Internationally on SATech/EdTech at American University in Dubai
I had the incredible privilege of presenting on technology and social media to the student affairs staff at American University in Dubai (AUD) last week. Presenting internationally comes with its own set of opportunities and challenges, particularly as it relates to talking about social media and technology. I wanted to share three takeaways I had in preparing to present and presenting to the staff in Dubai.
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