INTEGRATIVE LEARNING What Might We Mean by This

INTEGRATIVE LEARNING: What Might We Mean by This? How Might We Get There? Presentation by: L. Dee Fink International Consultant in Higher Education “Innovative Pedagogy & Course Redesign IX” Fairfield University June 3 -5, 2009

The Joy and Responsibility of Teaching Well AAC&U: Liberal Education ESSENTIAL LEARNING OUTCOMES: I. Knowledge of Human Cultures and the Natural and Physical World II. Intellectual and Practical Skills III. Individual and Social Responsibilities IV. Integrative Learning • Synthesis and advanced accomplishment across general and specialized studies • Capacity to adapt knowledge, skills, and responsibilities to new settings & questions

Fink’s Taxonomy of Significant Learning

Taxonomy of Significant Learning HOW to Learn Foundational · Becoming a better Knowledge student Understanding and · Inquiring about a subject remembering: · Self-directing learners · Information · Ideas Caring Developing new… · Feelings · Interests · Values Application · Skills · Thinking: Critical, Creative, & Practical · Managing projects INTEGRATION Human Dimensions Connecting: · Ideas Learning about: · Oneself · Learning Experiences · Realms of life · Others

Promoting Better Teaching & Learning “INTEGRATIVE LEARNING”: What Might We Mean By This? Building connections, relationships… A. Among IDEAS B. Among EXPERIENCES AT COLLEGE C. Within ME AND MY LIFE EXPERIENCES 5

Promoting Better Teaching & Learning “INTEGRATIVE LEARNING”: What Might We Mean By This? A. Among IDEAS B. Among EXPERIENCES AT COLLEGE C. Within ME AND MY LIFE EXPERIENCES 6

Building Connections Among: IDEAS ABOUT THE WORLD “OUT THERE” ?

Integrative Learning: BUILDING CONNECTIONS… I. Among IDEAS • Inter-Disciplinary Learning • Multiple Perspectives on Specific Issues II. Among EXPERIENCES AT COLLEGE III. Within ME AND MY LIFE EXPERIENCES

Integrative Learning Inter-Disciplinary Learning: Discipline X Discipline Y Discipline Z

Integrative Learning: BUILDING CONNECTIONS… I. Among IDEAS • Inter-Disciplinary Learning • Multiple Perspectives on Specific Issues II. Among EXPERIENCES AT COLLEGE III. Within ME AND MY LIFE EXPERIENCES

Integrative Learning Multiple Perspectives on an Issue or Question: Perspective “X” “Y” Issue or Question Perspective “Z”

Integrative Learning: BUILDING CONNECTIONS… I. Among IDEAS II. Among EXPERIENCES AT COLLEGE • Among Courses • Between Courses and Co-Curricular Experiences III. Within ME AND MY LIFE EXPERIENCES

Integrative Learning C B A Courses within their Major Other Courses at the University Co-Curricular Activities

Integrative Learning: BUILDING CONNECTIONS… I. Among IDEAS II. Among EXPERIENCES AT COLLEGE III. Within ME AND MY LIFE EXPERIENCES • Old and New Learning • My Current Learning and My Personal, Social, Civic, and Professional Lives

Integrative Learning Now: T I M E: Student: In College

Building Connections Within: THE WORLD “OF WHICH I AM A PART” ? ?

Integrative Learning Student’s Lives: Past: Individual ? ? Current Learning ? ? Social Civic Professional Present: Future:

Integrative Learning Student’s Lives: Past: Individual ? ? Current Learning ? ? Social Civic Professional ? Present: Future: ? ?

Integrative Learning D C B A Courses within their Major Other Courses at the University Co-Curricular Activities Other Life Experiences

Integrative Learning: BUILDING CONNECTIONS… I. Among IDEAS • Inter-Disciplinary Learning • Multiple Perspectives on Specific Issues II. Among EXPERIENCES AT COLLEGE • Among Courses • Between Courses and Co-Curricular Experiences III. Within ME AND MY LIFE EXPERIENCES • Old and New Learning; Old and New Selves • My Current Learning and My Individual, Social, Civic, and Professional Lives

Integrative Learning INTEGRATIVE LEARNING: I. What Might It Mean? II. How Might We Get There?

Integrative Learning SITUATION NOW: “Integrative Learning…” • …often involves small numbers of students • …exists in isolation, disconnected from other parts of the curriculum… • Students see their courses as isolated requirements to complete. -Huber & Hutchings, 2004 CHALLENGE: • How make Integrative Learning experiences more powerful? • How provide them for ALL students? 22

Integrative Learning III. Integrative Learning: How Might We Get there? Universal Principle: • ALL students must have multiple opportunities to… • make connections (i. e. , to integrate), • reflect, • dialogue, and • get feedback.

Integrative Learning III. Integrative Learning: How Might We Get there? STUDENT Learning Experiences FACULTY AAAAAAAAAA ORGANIZATION AAAAAAA

Integrative Learning III. Integrative Learning: How Might We Get there? STUDENT Learning Experiences FACULTY AAAAAAAAAA ORGANIZATION AAAAAAA

Integrative Learning I. Student Learning Experiences • Wider range of content and experiences in individual courses • Build connections and relationships throughout all courses & experiences • Dialogue with others about connections • Frequent opportunities to reflect • Key Tool: Learning Portfolios

“TAKING CHARGE OF ONE’S OWN LEARNING” St 1 St 2 Teacher/Coach

? • St 1 St 2 Teacher/Coach Meta-Learner:

? • Meta-Learner: One Who Takes Charge of their… Own Learning/ Development St 1 St 2 Teacher/Coach Own Knowing/Beliefs Own Thinking Own Performance Own Caring/Values

Integrative Learning ? • • Meta-Learner: One Who Takes Charge of their… Own Learning/ Development St 1 St 2 Teacher/Coach Own Knowing/Beliefs Own Thinking Own Performance Own Caring/Values

Integrative Learning Students’ Epistemological Beliefs about: KNOWLEDGE 1. Content of Knowledge K = Discrete bits of Information K=Integrated concepts 2. Certainty of Knowledge K=certain & unambiguous K=tentative & subject to change • Source of Knowledge K = comes from an external authority K = constructed by oneself Beliefs about: LEARNING • Ability to Improve as a Learner L = Ability to learn is innate & fixed L = Can be improved 5. Speed and Ease of Learning L = Quickly, or don’t get it at all L = You have to keep working at it

Integrative Learning NOTE: The statement about the epistemological beliefs of students in the preceding slide came from the following source: Source: C. Boden, An Exploratory Study Of The Relationship Between Epistemological Beliefs And Self-Directed Learning Readiness. Doctoral dissertation, Kansas State University, 2005. Based on: Schommer, M. (1990). The effects of beliefs about the nature of knowledge on comprehension. Journal of Educational Psychology, 82, 498 -504.

Integrative Learning I. Student Learning Experiences • Wider range of content and experiences in individual courses • Build connections and relationships throughout the course • Dialogue with others about connections • Frequent opportunities to reflect • Key Tool: Learning Portfolios

Integrative Learning Re-Shaping STUDENT Culture: I. Establish Expectations • Campus publicity • New and different kind of orientation to college Course-Based II. Provide Support and Year-to-year III. Assess and Reward Learning Portfolios 34

Integrative Learning Portfolios: KEY QUESTIONS 1. WHAT did you learn? 2. HOW did you learn? • What helped and didn’t help you learn? • What does this tell you about: YOURSELF AS A LEARNER? About the NATURE OF LEARNING? 3. SIGNIFICANCE FOR YOU, of what you learned? 4. Plan for FUTURE LEARNING: • WHAT ELSE do you want or plan to learn? • HOW will you learn that? 35

Integrative Learning LEARNING PORTFOLIOS: Helping Students Take Charge of Their Own Learning Co-Curriculum (student affairs) Students Build a Learning Portfolio Student’s Time in College Curriculum (formal coursework) 36

Integrative Learning III. Integrative Learning: How Might We Get there? STUDENT Learning Experiences FACULTY AAAAAAAAAA ORGANIZATION AAAAAAA

Integrative Learning II. ORGANIZATION Needs to… • Set “Integrative Learning” as an Institution-Wide Learning Goal (IW-LG) • Map that kind of learning into the curriculum • Provide for both: ü Faculty Development ü Student Development

MAPPING IW-LG’s INTO THE CURRICULUM Institution-Wide Learning Goals: Courses: XXX INTEGRATION • 1 st year? • 2 nd year? • 3 rd year? • 4 th year? Special Learning Opportunities: • Service Learning • Study Abroad • Undergraduate Research • Living/Learning Communities • Etc. YYY ZZZ

Integrative Learning II. ORGANIZATION Needs to… • Set “Integrative Learning” as an Institution-Wide Learning Goal (IW-LG) • Map that kind of learning into the curriculum • Provide for both: ü Faculty Development ü Student Development

Integrative Learning III. Integrative Learning: How Might We Get there? STUDENT Learning Experiences FACULTY AAAAAAAAAA ORGANIZATION AAAAAAA

Integrative Learning III. FACULTY Need to Learn… • About Integrative Learning • How to design specific kinds of learning into their COURSES Ø Learn pedagogical tools for promoting specific kinds of learning • How to construct CURRICULA focused on specific kinds of learning

Integrative Learning III. Integrative Learning: How Might We Get there? STUDENT Learning Experiences FACULTY AAAAAAAAAA ORGANIZATION AAAAAAA

Integrative Learning SUMMARY

Integrative Learning INTEGRATIVE LEARNING: I. What Might We Mean By This? • Learning in which students build connections… Ø Among IDEAS Ø Among LEARNING EXPERIENCES IN COLLEGE Ø Within THEMSELVES AND DIFFERENT PARTS OF THEIR LIVES II. How Might We Get There? • STUDENTS: Become Aware of Themselves as Learners and take responsibility for their own learning • ORGANIZATION: Set “Integration” as an IW-LG and map it into the curriculum • FACULTY: Learn about Integrative Learning, Designing Courses, and Designing Curricula

Integrative Learning THE END! Higher Education: Let’s make it all that it can be and