Talking Stick - March/April 2016 - 55

about what students are learning rather than
what we hope they are experiencing."
Beyond the increased need to report results,
Dahl says the assessments are a useful means
of determining the effectiveness of practices
in what is still, in essence, an emerging field.
"Assessing living-learning programs provides
us with more tangible knowledge related to
how programs are meeting intended visions
and objectives. It is unlikely data can hurt a
program. At worst, assessing a living-learning
program highlights areas of low impact or low
performance but in turn provides staff and
faculty with guidance for improvement in the
future. At best, it highlights the outstanding
learning gains of students, making the case to
grow a program in size or funding."
Being armed with this knowledge will be
particularly valuable as living-learning programs
and housing departments as a whole prepare to
serve a new generation of students while also
accommodating other higher education trends
and issues such as increased online learning
options, first-year at-risk students, affordability
for students, and reduced public funding.
In addition, as campuses refresh their aging
housing stock they are doing so - perhaps
subconsciously - with features and designs
that support a living-learning environment.
Inkelas explains that she sees her survey results
manifested in "the remarkable advancements
in residence hall buildings and infrastructure:
beautiful new buildings with state-of-the-art
technology, open, well-lit or naturally lit spaces
with furniture that can be configured into
different layouts, plenty of nooks for intimate
conversations among peers, and rooms
configured for both social and private space."

As residential education continues to
expand, the debate may begin anew about
what efforts actually belong under the big
tent of living-learning programs. As the SILLP
response shows, the number of available flavors
continues to grow. And, when asked if the term
she helped popularize and analyze has been
watered down, Inkelas responds, "That is a good
question. I think the real issue is whether any
program with some semblance of an academic
flavor located in a residence hall should be
called a living-learning program. I believe there
needs to be a stronger set of standards on
what constitutes a living-learning program."
Regardless of what they may be called, though,
living-learning programs are now certainly
embedded in the campus housing environment
and are not merely a higher education fad.
With demands for continual improvement of
undergraduate education being omnipresent,
these programs - when successful - check far
too many boxes on any campus's wish list for
that to be the case.
The hypothetical Kirsten and all the other
living-learning professionals should hold on.
There are many more busy - and good - weeks
to come.

James A. Baumann is the editor for the Talking Stick.
ames@acuho-i.org

Self-Efficacy in Major

Career Self-Efficacy

Residental/Honors Colleges
13%
39%
Theme LLPs
8%
44%
Academic LLPs
17%
42%

Residental/Honors Colleges
13%
52%
Theme LLPs
16%
54%
Academic LLPs
13%
50%

49%
48%
41%

Making It
Count:
Utilizing Assessment
Data of LivingLearning Programs
March 22, 2016
2 p.m. (Eastern)
In this Talking Stick
"Beyond the Page"
webinar we will look
at the current state of
living-learning program
assessment including
how assessment data
can not only measure
student outcomes, but
can also be used to
improve a program's
operations and
performance. Guests
for this webinar will be
members of the Study
of Integrated Living
Learning Programs
(SILLP) from the New
York University Center
for Research on Higher
Education Outcomes:
Matthew Mayhew,
Laura Stiltz Dahl, Ethan
Youngerman, Marc
Lo, and Chris Stipeck.
Register at https://
attendee.gotowebinar.
com/er/740514631
4355548417.

Confidence in Academic Process
35%
29%
37%

Residental/Honors Colleges
39%
13%
Theme LLPs
44%
8%
Academic LLPs
17%
42%

Perception of Liberal Arts Mastery

Self-Reported Critical Thinking Disposition

Campus Civic Engagement

Residental/Honors Colleges
66%
11%
Theme LLPs
58%
14%
Academic LLPs
19%
60%

Residental/Honors Colleges
10%
74%
Theme LLPs
4%
80%
Academic LLPs
12%
76%

Residental/Honors Colleges
10%
74%
Theme LLPs
6%
77%
Academic LLPs
14%
71%

22%
29%
21%

16%
16%
12%

49%
48%
41%

16%
18%
15%

MARCH + APRIL 2016

55
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7405146314355548417
Talking Stick - March/April 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Talking Stick - March/April 2016
