Learning Resources

Abstract: Design Lab 1 (DL1) grew out of an awareness of core principles strongly similar to those of what has now come to be called connected learning, bringing them to life at the University of Michigan in 1999 in an extensively open, and continuously evolving, hybrid teaching, learning, making, presenting, and community space. DL1 shares elements of other learning environments but also differs in a variety of fundamental ways, including that it is an inhabited space with a culture of open user-centered design defined around a process of continuous change, ownership, opportunity, and risk taking in the service of authentic learning. Drawing from a 2012 yearlong descriptive research project, this article presents a snapshot in time-lapse video, respondent quotations, and researcher narration of course-focused activity in DL1 in order to show the complex, interrelated structures observed there that enable users to truly engage and DL1 to come to life.

Abstract: A post-occupancy evaluation instrument was developed and piloted to measure (1) the reliability and validity of the instrument and (2) the effect of evidence-based solutions on student engagement in the classroom. Content analysis synthesized elements of engagement from multiple sciences to form the body of questions. A post/pre methodology compared the “old” row-by-column seating with the “new” classroom designs. A high degree of internal item consistency was reached between all identified factors (α = 0.91, α = 0.93, α = 0.96, α = 0.96), and highly statistically significant differences were found between the “old” and the “new” classroom designs (all p-values < 0.0001). Improvements were found when comparing each of the identified factors, all of which related to active learning and engagement practices in the “old” and “new” classrooms.

Abstract: Energy efficiency projects can save colleges substantial capital, which helps them hedge against rising operating budgets. By creating a green revolving fund (GRF), a university can support sustainability projects into perpetuity. GRFs are internal financing mechanisms for energy efficiency and resource reduction projects that return achieved cost savings to the fund for future projects. This article illustrates the GRF establishment and management processes through case studies of Catawba College’s Green Revolving Fund and Denison University’s Green Hill Fund. The article further elaborates on additional GRF benefits and culminates with 10 easy-to-follow steps to creating a fund on your campus.

Abstract: Diverse populations, changing technology, and a desire to create community are driving change in higher education. We propose the concepts of Limitless Learning, in which learning can happen anytime, by anyone, anywhere, in any way. In this article, we propose a planning strategy highlighting adaptability, which is the key to planning campus facilities that provide boundary-free environments for the short and long term. In the short term, adaptable spaces seamlessly support limitless learning. They allow students to affect their environment and make it work how they work. In the longer term, adaptability means planning for inevitable change.

Abstract: The design of higher education facilities is increasingly seen by university leadership as a strategic tool to attract and retain top faculty, staff, and students. The design of space has also been linked to increased levels of innovation, creative thinking, and collaboration. But with greater pressure from state and national governments to cut costs, how can institutions of higher learning ensure that the buildings they design are cost efficient and still effective? In her article, architect and SCUP member Debi McDonald outlines five trends in higher education design and how they can assist institutions in meeting their objectives.

Abstract: College and university credit ratings directly affect institutional budgeting and planning. Hence, they should be of special concern to those charged with institutional planning. This article underscores the critical role that the ratings issued by two major rating agencies play in institutional finances and planning. Because rating agencies take into account a broad range of criteria, credit ratings remain a robust indicator of creditworthiness and can serve as signaling devices regarding institutional market positioning. Therefore, decision makers should be aware of the importance of ratings as they seek to compete for students and resources in the short run and plan for the long term.

Abstract: Georgia’s two higher education systems, the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia, are busy working together on initiatives aimed at improving graduation rates. Initiatives include college mergers, a quarter-to-semester conversion, articulation agreements, Complete College America/Georgia plans and meetings, remedial education redesign, and Achieving the Dream participation. These initiatives are creating a momentum that is moving higher education in the right direction, according to the author. What is good for college students in Georgia is good for the economy as well.

Abstract: The article discusses the challenges that community colleges face in increasing college degree completion in an era of budget reductions and fiscal constraints. The analysis draws on data collected in the 2011 Survey of Access and Finance in which responses were obtained from all 51 members of the National Council of State Directors of Community Colleges (NCSDCC).

Abstract: All universities need an integrated plan to chart their path through these turbulent times and amidst the changing expectations of higher education. This is especially true for universities in developing countries. Such universities operate with very scarce resources and limited depths of expertise, but still seek to respond to surging demand. The result is a strain on these universities and a threat to quality. This article introduces the processes and concepts of planning and development for universities in developing countries, focusing mostly on the African context. Our premise is that the basic planning processes and concepts that work in North America and Europe are still valid for universities in developing countries, even if the nature, content, and resulting strategies are very different. Therefore, this article draws from published work in planning applied in the context of the authors’ experience in higher education in East Africa. We conclude that good strategic planning is necessary for universities in developing countries, as is operational planning for programs, resources, and capital. The information in this article is more fully explored and explained in the authors’ book Planning and Resource Guide for Higher Education in Africa.

Abstract: As the importance of college increases, our collective understanding of what college is, exactly, has begun to expand. This article contributes to this emerging understanding by describing the multifunctional nature of the community college. To this end, the community college movement is framed in three ways—as a launching pad, as a (re)launching pad, and as a local commitment. The article concludes with a brief discussion of the need to support the community college movement moving forward.