inPractice - Fall 2016 - 14

A T LEARNER-CENTERED CULTURE he idea of "Socrates walking the halls" - of a vibrant, alive environment where discourse is the norm - became the guiding principle not just for the development of the new campus, but for a shift in culture throughout the College Community. Instead of an organization where faculty lecture students, students study and graduate, and staff work in silos to keep it all running, the College is transforming into a learner-centered environment where every member of the College Community plays a role in fulfilling our mission of educating for excellence in health care practice, leadership and the continuous acquisition of knowledge. As College President Dr. Mary Grace Simcox explains, "To be learner-centered means creating a culture where thoughts and ideas are shared in a cooperative, inquisitive way, with an emphasis on the process of learning - not just the end product. Every space becomes a learning space. Questions are asked not just to get an answer, but to generate more questions, and encourage additional inquiry." While the traditional focus of education is moving students through to graduation, the PA College focus is on the process of 14 inPractice | FALL 2016 learning itself. The College meets students where they're at, adapts teaching styles to meet the students' needs, and gives students the tools they need to discover knowledge in their own way. then have them come together to share what they learned. I think our classrooms are really well-designed to allow us to do that. It seems inevitable that it's the right way to do it." The new campus has left behind the traditional "Sage on the stage" classroom approach. Instead, the College integrated cuttingedge technology and flexible designs to create learning spaces that promote investigation and collaboration. Simply being in the space has already changed how faculty teach. "Instead of the instructor standing in front of the class presenting the material, it's about designing collaborative, active learning activities," explained Dr. Jean Hershey, Assistant Dean of Nursing. "Maybe you do little mini-lectures to get students on track, break students into groups to work through an activity, and Learner-centered also means recognizing that everyone at the campus is learning - faculty, staff or student. "We have to be comfortable with the fact that all of us are learners, not just those of us who pay tuition," Dr. Simcox continued. That's why the entire campus was designed so that every space, whether a work station, meeting room or hallway, is ready for learning. "Learning takes place, for all of us, anytime, anywhere two people come together. If there's a conversation taking place, and questions are being asked and creative ideas are being thought of, learning is taking place." QUESTIONS ARE ASKED NOT JUST TO GET AN ANSWER, BUT TO GENERATE MORE QUESTIONS

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of inPractice - Fall 2016