Education Commons^™

Hot Topic #2 - Local Impact, Global Reach, Jamie Comstock

Jayne Marie Comstock

This presentation is the second in a series of Hot Topic discussion platforms used (a) to orient the Butler Board of Trustees Academic Affairs Committee to current issues in higher education and (b) to stimulate meaningful discussion regarding how Butler addresses these concerns. The Hot Topics for review during the 2010-2011 Board meetings are: Accountability: Promoting Access & Student Success; Civic Engagement: Inspiring Students to Become Agents of Change; Global Awareness: Educating Across Borders; and Generating & Allocating Resources: Becoming Market-Smart Supports Being Mission-Driven.

This second presentation combines the discussion on Civic Engagement and Global Awareness, explaining that these are …

Enhancing Student Engagement In A Multidisciplinary, First-Year Experience Course, Michael J. Stebleton, Murray Jensen, Gary Peter

Michael J. Stebleton

Three faculty members from three different professional disciplines outline strategies to engage first-year students in a team-taught, multidisciplinary first-year experience course. The theme of the discussed section is titled "food for thought…and action." Assignments are grounded in theories of cooperative and experiential learning. Tentative outcomes and students’ reactions are shared. Practical suggestions are included for educators who wish to implement comparable initiatives at their respective institutions.

Building Bridges: Community College Practitioners As Retention Leaders, Michael J. Stebleton, Leanne Schmidt

Michael J. Stebleton

Community colleges face struggles in helping students meet their academic, career, and personal goals. Student affairs practitioners can be innovators by creating initiatives to engage students. Practitioners can act as a bridge between student and academic affairs. This article explores how a group of counselors redefined their roles by designing a first-year experience effort. A program implemented at Inver Hills Community College focused on student success is highlighted. Features, outcomes, and lessons learned are outlined.