Joanne Damminger, Ed'D'

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Making Learning Connections Advising, Career
Planning, and Learning Pattern Assessment

• Joanne Damminger, Ed.D.
• Betsy McCalla-Wriggins, M.A.
• Rowan University
• National Academic Advising Conference
• Las Vegas, Nevada
• October 6, 2005

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Objectives

• To describe components of learning community
• To increase awareness of learning patterns
• To explain strategies and implications for
  intentional learning
• To share research results

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Visions of the Future Setting Your Career Plan
in Motion (VOF)Learning Community

• Fall 2002, pilot program with 21 students, now 41
  students
• Expanded and improved through action research
  mixed methods study
• Both residential and commuter students
• Sponsored by the Career and Academic Planning
  Center

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Goals of the Community

• Social and academic adjustment
• Self knowledge to support intentional learning
• Academic advising
• Career planning
• Campus and support services

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Components of the Program

• Grouped housing for residential students
• Paired courses (CCI and Rowan Seminar)
• Faculty interaction
• Peer mentors
• Developmental career planning
• Sense of community
• Structured monthly meetings
• Self-assessment of learning preferences,
  interests, values, and abilities
• Academic advising as teaching

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Relationship to Theory

• First-year Experience
• John Gardner (1999)
• Tintos Integration Theory
• Tinto (1987, 1993)
• Theory of Involvement
• Astin (1977, 1993)

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Creating Intentional LearnersExploring Self,
Majors, and Occupations

• MyRoad.com
• by Collegeboard.com - www.collegeboard.com
• 1-888-331-8300
• myroadinfo_at_collegeboard.com
• Personality Profiler
• Discover
• by ACT - www.act.org
• 1-800-498-6068
• UNIACT Inventory

Both are Internet Accessible
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Creating Intentional Learners Discovering
Learning Patterns

• To identify and understand their own preferences
• To decode assignments
• To develop strategies for academic achievement
  and intentional transformative learning
• To apply knowledge in and out of classroom and to
  major and career exploration
• www.letmelearn.com

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Learning Patterns

• Sequential
• Precise
• Technical
• Confluent

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Decoding

• Sequential List, outline, plan, develop, group
• Precise Describe, document, write, explain,
• label
• Technical Assemble, build, draw, make,
• construct
• Confluent Brainstorm, create, imagine, invent,
  risk

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Strategizing

• Precision my use first
• Tether
• Answer the question, add detail later
• Remember that not everyone communicates in words
• On a test, if I dont know the answer, move on
• Prioritize information that needs to be shared

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Strategizing

• Precision I avoid
• Forge
• Take my time and read all of the information
• Ask questions about things I am not sure of
• Dont trust my memory, write it down
• Answer questions using at least two full sentences

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LML in Action

• Role Play

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Benefits

• Explore self, patterns, majors, and occupations
• Promote faculty interaction
• Accomplish transformative intentional learning
• Enhance advising interactions

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Research Showed

• 2002 2005 Action Research showed
• Students needed more than reminders
• Held 3 presentations to teach decoding and
  strategizing in spring 2005
• Learning pattern awareness improved
• How to decipher written assignments
• Study habits and assignment completion

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Research Continued

• LCI provided better understanding of
• Professors
• Themselves as learners
• Others
• LML process more useful out of class to help them
  understand
• how others behave
• Could be useful in advising
• n 12 Limitation was small number of students
  involvedin study in 2005

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Plans for 2005-2006

• Use electronic version with LC in fall 2005
• Conduct decoding and strategizing work in fall
  semester
• Emphasize value of applying LML knowledge to
  major and career exploration
• Incorporate in Freshman Orientation, including
  parental Involvement

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• For Use at Other Institutions
• Applicability to all majors
• Incorporate in freshman seminar courses
• Incorporate in Orientation

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Contact Information

• For information please contact

• Joanne K. Damminger, Ed.D.
• Office of the
• VP for Student Affairs
• Rowan University
• [phone]
• damminger_at_rowan.edu

Betsy McCalla-Wriggins Center for the Advancement
of Learning Rowan University (856)
256-4790 wriggins_at_rowan.edu
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References

• Astin, A. W. (1977). Four critical years. San
  Francisco Jossey-Bass.
• Astin, A. W. (1993, Fall). What matters in
  college? Liberal Education, 79(4), 4-13.
• Gardner, J. N., Levine, J. H. (1999). Trends
  and future directions. In J. H. Levine (Ed.),
  Learning communities New structures, new
  partnerships for learning (Monograph No. 26)
  (pp. 9-18). Columbia, SC University of South
  Carolina, National Resource Center for The
  First-Year Experience and Students in Transition.
• Tinto, V. (1987). Leaving college Rethinking the
  causes and cures of student attrition. Chicago
  University of Chicago Press.
• Tinto, V. (1993). Leaving college Rethinking the
  causes and cures of student attrition. (2nd ed.).
  Chicago University of Chicago Press.

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More on the LCI.

• Understanding Learning Patterns Raising the
  Odds for Academic Success
• October 8, 2005
• NACADA National Conference