Abstract
In this paper, I discuss the process of redesigning and teaching a mandatory, academic skill building course for students on academic probation at Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU) in Atlantic Canada. The rationale for redesigning the course was to offer an alternative, holistic instructional approach for instructors who were teaching a modular-based curriculum. The original course was designed to focus on improving students’ individual self-efficacy and motivation for academic success; however, the social and relational nature of learning was not articulated as an underpinning theory in the curriculum. In the new curriculum, I draw on both Etienne Wenger’s (1998) notions of communities of practice as sites for learning and Howe and Strauss’ (2000; 2007) work on generational analysis as theoretical frameworks. Furthermore, I incorporate Wenger, McDermott, and Snyder’s (2002) principles for cultivating communities of practice as a way of putting theory into practice. Initial data collection led to the main inquiry question: How could a curriculum, centered on building community in the classroom, help students to cultivate meaningful learning experiences that take learning beyond a “fake it ‘til you make it” mentality? This question guided the curricular design process and also my experiences teaching the course at MSVU during the Fall semester of 2012
Highlights
In this paper, I discuss the process of redesigning and teaching a mandatory, academic skill building course for students on academic probation at Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU) in Atlantic Canada
The aim of this paper is to provide higher education instructors and instructional designers with an example of a theory-informed curricular framework and suggestions for implementing such a design in practice
Students were on academic probation (they had a cumulative grade point average (GPA) less than 1.7 and greater than 1.0); they were under pressure to increase their Grade Point Averages (GPA) and had been experiencing a lot of stress; they were diverse in terms of cultural, socioeconomic backgrounds, upbringing, and learning histories; they were mostly in their second year of university and between the ages of 17 to 25; and, most students were typically enrolled in 2-3 other courses alongside of the Success Course (SSC)
Summary
I discuss the process of redesigning and teaching a mandatory, academic skill building course for students on academic probation at Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU) in Atlantic Canada. I discuss the process of designing a course called, Student Success: A Course for Personal and Academic Development This course was written as an alternative version of a course called the Student Success Course (SSC) – a mandatory, academic skill building course for Gauthier students on academic probation – at Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU), located in Atlantic Canada. Students were on academic probation (they had a cumulative grade point average (GPA) less than 1.7 and greater than 1.0); they were under pressure to increase their GPA and had been experiencing a lot of stress; they were diverse in terms of cultural, socioeconomic backgrounds, upbringing, and learning histories; they were mostly in their second year of university and between the ages of 17 to 25; and, most students were typically enrolled in 2-3 other courses alongside of the SSC
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