University Park, Pa. -- For the past decade, the effort to orient incoming students to their higher-education experience has fallen on the shoulders of first-year seminar programs, which are typically designed as "college survival" courses that offer a blend of topics essential for student success. Although these programs help familiarize new students with the college experience, their brevity has left many higher education professionals asking, "What are we doing to help students succeed beyond the first year?" One answer to that question lies in the living-learning housing communities that have popped up on campuses across the nation.
The philosophy behind a living-learning environment is that a person's academic and intellectual life is enhanced not only from the classroom, but also through activities and experiences outside the classroom. "Living-learning options provide a supportive residential environment that can enhance motivation to learn, increase the perceived relevance of learning, and facilitate the mastery of a specific subject matter," explains Alison Cummings, assistant director of Residence Life.
Penn State's living-learning program began in 1971 and has grown to include 17 communities. Although many universities now have living-learning options, their programs usually are not offered beyond the first year due to space limitations. Cummings says Penn State's program is unique from many universities "because our living-learning community program spans the whole continuum of the college experience. Most of the living-learning communities at University Park invite students to reside there for all four years of their degree program, although there are some exceptions."
Some of Penn State's living-learning housing options include:
-- The Arts and Architecture House, which is specially designed to meet the needs of students in majors such as art, music, architecture, theatre arts, architectural engineering and landscape architecture;
-- The Business and Society House, which is partnered with The Smeal College of Business Administration and strives to increase awareness and understanding of the business world among its residents;
-- The Discover House, supported by the Division of Undergraduate Studies, is one of the living-learning communities provided specifically for first-year students and focuses on providing opportunities for students to explore the variety of academic programs available at Penn State;
-- The Earth House, which in partnership with the College of Agricultural Sciences, encourages students to stay informed about environmental and agricultural issues;
-- The Helping Across the Community House, which focuses on service learning and leadership and provides opportunities for students to participate in community service projects;
-- The Earth and Mineral Science House, which allows residents to benefit from knowledge and experiences related to geography, energy, meteorology and geosciences; and
-- The Martin Luther King Jr. House, which promotes social justice, change and diversity.
Students' majors and class standing vary among communities, and activities -- whether they be community-service, academic or social experiences -- also differ. Interested students are encouraged to visit http://www.sa.psu.edu/rl/slo to explore the links for each community.
Since the way a space is designed affects how people interact in that space, the Office of Residence Life is very interested in ensuring facilities are conducive to student socialization and scholarly and extracurricular pursuits. For instance, the Arts and Architecture House has incorporated studios and practice rooms to accommodate students' interests and projects. Similarly, Atherton Hall has undergone renovations to better suit the living-learning community housed there, Schreyer Honors College. In addition, North Halls is being redesigned to include features and amenities to support academic and social growth.
Another vital element in the success of living-learning communities is that of a strong relationship with affiliated colleges. Living-learning programs provide opportunities for students to work closely with and get to know faculty members that are especially committed to working with students. Students' interaction with faculty and administrators in their college varies from community to community, but Cummings says that there is great value in this kind of interaction.
"When a college is involved with a living-learning community, it helps students to become better acclimated to their academic program and establish meaningful, personal relationships with faculty."
So far, students' reactions have provided some anecdotal evidence about the value of living-learning programs, but higher-education professionals such as Cummings want actual data to determine just how effective these programs have been and where improvements are needed.
To this end, Penn State is participating in a national research project sponsored by The Association of College and University Housing Officers-International. This full-scale research project will survey students across the nation with regard to student environments and outcomes and report findings by the end of 2004.
"Based on what we've learned from our students' experiences and what we know of the high rate of retention among them, we anticipate that the findings will be very favorable. Still, this survey will provide us with essential information about how to improve these experiences for our students," Cummings said.
Students who have accepted a housing contract for a regular room (not supplemental) for the 2004-2005 academic year can select a living-learning community as one of their housing contract preferences until March 5. For more information about living and learning communities, visit http://www.sa.psu.edu/rl/slo or contact the East Residence Life office at (814) 865-5375.