Out of classroom learning for student

leadersDr Rose Laka—Mathebula & Mr Sibusiso Mchunu

Presentation outline

• Learning reconsidered• Student leaders’ competencies

• Leadership Core Competencies• Leadership competencies required by academic disciplines• Constraints for student leaders learning outside the classroom

• How can Student Affairs professionals facilitate the learning and leadership development?

• Student leadership development strategies – the Mangosuthu University of Technology model

• Reflection/Conclusion

Learning Reconsidered

Learning is a complex, holistic, multi-centric activity that occurs throughout and across the college experience. Student development, and the adaptation of learning to students’ lives and needs, are fundamental parts of engaged learning and liberal education. The critical point…is that learning, development and identity formation can no longer be considered as separate from each other; they are interactive and shape each other as they evolve.

ACPA & NASPA, 2004

Expanding the Definition of Student Learning

Globally, divisions of Student Affairs define “student learning as a comprehensive, holistic, transformative activity that integrates academic learning and student development, processes that have often been considered separate, and even independent of each other.

When we say learning, then, we do not mean exclusively or primarily academic instruction, the acquisition of disciplinary content, or classroom learning.”

(quoted directly from Learning Reconsidered: A Campus-wide Focus on the Student Experience)

Assumptions of this Definition

• Learning is not merely an academic pursuit

• The distinction between “student learning” and “student development” is primarily a linguistic one

• Professionals, other than faculty members, can and do promote student learning; professionals outside of Student Affairs staff can and do foster student development

• The learning that takes place outside the classroom can be as important, deliberate, and structured as that which takes place as part of classroom instruction

Learning

Informative learning involves changes in what we know, how much we know, what we can discuss and possibly what we can do.

Transformative learning involves changes in how we know, asking questions about facts, synthesizing new facts, changing our ideas about what the facts mean in relation to the larger world and to ourselves. It also involves changing perspectives and habits of behavior.

R. Kegan in Mezirow & Associates, Learning as Transformation (2000)

The Types of Learning Student Affairs Promotes

• Out of classroom instruction- seminars, workshops, learning communities

• Classroom learning—reinforced via films, speakers, debates; explored in developmental advising sessions, etc.

• Applied learning—via student Organization/club projects like the Egg Protection Device Competition,

• Experiential learning—internships, service learning projects, co-op experiences work-study jobs, etc

• Career exploration—career fairs, aptitude testing, career development workshops, etc.

The Types of Learning Student Affairs Promotes (cont)

• Cultural Learning—theater performances, concerts, art exhibits, films, etc

• Multicultural learning—cultural organizations like

• Health and wellness—stress management workshops, fitness and nutrition consultations, sexual responsibility programs, Psychological counseling sessions, proactive health care, accommodations for disabled students

• Money Management—financial aid services, debt management workshops, loan identification programs, etc.

The Types of Learning Student Affairs Promotes (cont)

• Civic responsibility—voter registration, Mandela Day activities, campus or community projects, organizations, etc

• Leadership—Associated Students, club official positions, etc

• Communication—Student newspaper, clubs and organizations, committee work, co-sponsored activities

• Psycho-social learning—learning about self and others via face to face interactions at meetings, activities, events.

Emotionally Intelligent Leadership

Consciousness of Context

Consciousness of Self

Consciousness of Others

Environmental awareness Emotional self-perception Empathy

Group savvy Honest self-understanding Citizenship

Healthy self-esteem Inspiration

Emotional self-control Influence

Authenticity Coaching

Flexibility Change agent

Achievement Conflict management

Optimism Developing relationships

Initiative Teamwork

Capitalizing on differences

Core Leadership CompetenciesManaging Self Managing Projects Managing People Managing

ProgrammesLeading Organizations

• Integrity/Honesty Team building Human capital management

Technology management

External Awareness

• Interpersonal Skills

Customer Service Leveraging diversity Financial management

Vision

• Continual Learning Technical credibility Conflict resolution Creativity/Innovation Strategic thinking

•Resilience Accountability Public Service Orientation

Partnering Entrepreneurship

•Oral Communication

Decisiveness Developing others Political savvy

•Written Communication

Influencing

•Flexibility Negotiating

• Problem Solving.

Leadership Qualities Required by Professional/Academic Disciplines

Model the way Inspire a shared vision

Challenge the process

Enable Others to act

Encourage the heart

Confidence Advocating for a Point of View

Creating Change Collaboration Empathy

Ethics Group Development Goals Conflict Negotiation Motivation

Excellence Vision Idea Generation Empowerment Others' Circumstances

Follow-Through Advocating for a Point of View

Providing other Perspectives

Group Development Positive Attitude

Functioning Independently Plan Inclusion Productive Relationships 

Initiative Problem Solving Listening Empathy

Mission Reflection and Application Mentoring

Other Perspectives Resiliency Motivation

Personal Values Responding to Ambiguity Others' Contributions

Receiving Feedback Personal Contributions

Responsibility for Personal Behavior

Productive Relationships 

Self-Understanding Providing Feedback

Scope of Competence

Supervision

Leadership Program

Program or activity intentionally designed with the purpose of developing or enhancing college students’ leadership skills, knowledge, or abilities

Comprehensive Leadership Program

An intentional array of experiences, programs and services that

• provides educational, experiential, and reflective components

• includes a variety of delivery methods • is specifically designed to promote self-

understanding, development of a personal leadership philosophy, development of leadership skills, and the ability to view self as an integral component of a larger community

Comprehensive Leadership Program Model

Strategies

• Diverse delivery methods

• Learning Models: • Experiential Learning • Leadership Identity

Development • Training, Education &

Development (TED)• Individual level• Group level

• Cocurricular Elements• Curricular Elements

• Strategies used should be in line with mission, outcomes & purposes of the program

Mangosuthu University of Technology

• Approximately 11000 undergrads

• Student leadership structures: SRC (12), House Committees, Student Organizations & clubs

• Staff dedicated to leadership development:

• Partners on campus:

• External partners: Transnet, Eskom,

REFLECTIONS

Educating the whole student

• Students are learning constantly, so the entire campus is a learning community (Keeling, 2004).

• Foster Academic, social, and personal domains of learning. Not just knowledge, but also abilities, habits of mind, ways of knowing, attitudes, values (Maki, 2004).

Using all of our resources

The greatest impact [on learning] appears to stem from mutually-reinforcing academic,

interpersonal, and extracurricular involvements that are relevant to a particular

educational outcome.

Pascarella& Terezini, 2005

Learning-centered

• Put learning first – educational and developmental outcomes • Focus on learning as a holistic activity both in and out of the

classroom • Redefine goals in terms of students and what they learn

rather than content-centered education• Design programs and services to foster growth and

development • Being learning-centered demands collaboration

Adapted from Penn State University

Learning Cycle

Kolb(1994) Learning Cycle

Concrete

Experience

Formation of abstract concepts and generalizations

Testing implication of concepts in new situations

Observation and reflection

Educating the whole student

• Develop new, and nurture existing, relationships & partnerships both in and outside of the university, in order to expand opportunities for student learning

• Determine how your program is designed to address students’ academic, social, and personal learning outcomes, in line with your university mission and goals.

Applications

• How can this conversation inform student leadership programs and initiatives on your campuses?

• What ideas can you take back to strive toward a deliberate campus-wide leadership development focus?

Guiding documents

• The Student Learning Imperative• “The concepts of learning, personal development, and student

development are inextricably intertwined and inseparable.”

• Powerful Partnerships: A Shared Responsibility for Learning• “When everyone on campus…shares the responsibility for student

learning, we will be able to make significant progress in improving it.”

• Learning Reconsidered 2: A Campus-wide Focus on the Student Experience

Soft skills that employers look for

• Work Ethic

• Team Player

• Positive attitude and enthusiasm

• Adaptability and flexibility

• Effective communication and confidence

• Critical thinking

• Collaboration, conflict management and negotiation skills

Future leaders’ programme

• Capacitate first year student leaders;

• Track the progress of those student leaders;

• Create a pool of student leaders for various student leadership positions and

• Initiate a mentorship programme for those student leaders.

Partnership with the private sector

• Provides opportunities for the training and development of student leaders, through the creation of workplaces experiences;

• Creates opportunities for mentorship of identified student leaders with a view to broadening their scope of the concept of leadership;

• Help facilitate a volunteer programme for MUT students in order to raise their consnciosness about the value of community engagement;

• Establish a sustainable platform for dialogue between student leaders and officials of ESKOM and

• Create placement opportunities for students who participate in the programme

•

Agreed on activities

• Schedule visits to identified sites once a semester in order to create opportunities for students to experience being in real-life work environment;

• Partner student leaders with officials, who will be expected to play the role of mentors to students;

• Organise open forums where officials from MUT and ESKOM address students on various topics of interest and to

• Use latest learning technologies, including social media to faciliate communication between mentors and mentees on a continuous basis.

Consequences of alcohol abuse by students

• Plays a significant role in risky sexual behaviour, including unwanted, unintended, and unprotected sexual activity, and sex with multiple partners;

• Increases the risk of physical and sexual assault;

• Is associated with academic failure, illicit drug use and tobacco use;

• Can cause a range of physical consequences, from hangovers to death from alcohol poisoning;

• Can cause alterations in the structure and function of the developing brain, which continues to mature into the mid- to late twenties, and may have consequences reaching far beyond adolescence;

• Creates second hand effects that can put others at risk. Loud and unruly behavior, property destruction, unintentional injuries, violence, and even death because of underage alcohol use afflict innocent parties;

• In conjunction with pregnancy, may result in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, including fetal alcohol syndrome, which remains a leading cause of mental retardation;

• Is a risk factor for heavy drinking later in life, and continued heavy use of alcohol leads to increased risk across the lifespan for acute consequences and for medical problems such as cancers of the oral cavity, larynx, pharynx, and esophagus; liver cirrhosis; pancreatitis; and hemorrhagic stroke.

(Bethesda, MD: NIAAA, 2002).

Alcohol free environment

• Eliminates alcohol related violent incidents

• Reduces chances of sexual assault and rape incidents

• Eliminates chances of risky sexual behaviour

• Enhances focus on academic activities

• Reduces dropout rate

THANK YOU !!!