Blurring the lines of the Residential Experience and Academic Experience
Roland Galvez, MS
During my undergraduate experience, I had an experience that only a select few Residents had the opportunity to experience. I was a member of a Living Learning Community of my choosing. The Living Learning Community allowed me to live and interact with other members of the Army ROTC Program. This opportunity allowed me to grow and develop with other first year students in my program while participating in programs catered to the lifestyle I wanted to learn about. This opportunity was the first time I was exposed to living on a college campus and has been a staple in my current role as a Residential Hall Director who oversees 3 Living Learning Communities and 2 Residential Halls.
Within all higher education institutions such as colleges and universities, academics are the guiding force from orientation to graduation. While going to any higher education institution, there are some who have a life on component. Residents who live on campus have the opportunity to live on campus while going to school. There are numerous pros to living on campus, such as academic, social, wellness resources accessibility in proximity of where students live. While living on campus, residents have the opportunity to gain two distinct opportunities. One is the regular Residential Experience, and the other is the Living Learning Community Experience. Each has their pros and cons which affect the student’s experience. According to Purdie “Finding suggest retention can be improved when faculty members and student affairs practitioners collaboratively create programs that link the curricular and residential experiences, and foster student interaction with peers and faculty who share an academic interest (Purdie)”. The difference between the experiences is one has a specialization, and one has a generalization. In the specialization, which is the Living Learning Community, the community is specialized in either an academic and or lifestyle Living Learning Community. Each has a specific theme and or goal. The Generalized experience is overseen by the Office of Residential Life department and does not have a specific theme when it comes to housing assignments.
Overview:
Both experiences have an emphasis on living and learning outside of the classroom. Each provides certain skills and opportunities that can overlap with each other. Both experiences are overseen by Professional Staff Members that work for the university with Student Staff Members (Resident Assistants). Both have certain pillars and certain types of programs. Each experience is highly engaging and highly student centered. “Few investigations have focused on the link between LLCs and students’ sense of community and belonging. At one east coast institution, Hoffman et al. (2002) found that LLC students scored higher than non-LLC students on sense of belonging. In a multi-institutional study, Inkelas and associates (2008) found that LLC students reported a greater sense of belonging than non-LLC students, especially at research-intensive institutions. Johnson et al. (2007), in contrast, found no significant effects of LLCs on first-year undergraduates’ sense of belonging. In light of these contradictory findings, and the numerous positive outcomes associated with sense of community and belonging, further examination is warranted” (Lisa)
Residential Experience:
The Residential Experience varies between institutions; however, the overarching goal is to provide residential students engaging and educational programs within the residential hall. These programs are run by the Residential Life Staff. At Quinnipiac University, the Residential Life staff uses a Residential Curriculum model, where RAs are provided with lesson plans that provide different programs that achieve a certain outcome that algin with the department mission. For example, the five core values at Quinnipiac are Wellness, Social & Emotional Intelligence, Academic & Career Success, Inclusive Excellence, Active Citizenship. Each core value has a particular goal and outcomes that are spread out throughout the academic year. Residents have the opportunity to partake in engaging active and passive programs that address each value. These programs are executed by Resident Assistants, who are students staff members who are assigned to a particular set of students who live in a particular building.
Living Learning Community Experience:
Alongside the Residential Experience, Residents have the opportunity to apply into a Living Learning Community experience, where they are able to live in proximity to those with common interests such as academic and or lifestyle interests. The LLC experience provides participants an opportunity to gain social, academic and networking opportunities based on the LLC. At Quinnipiac University, we have a wide range of LLCs, for example, we have 3+1 Communication, 3+1 Business, Esports LLCs, Art and Music LLC, and etc. The LLC program according to the Quinnipiac Website is “Our Living-Learning Communities bring students with similar interests, passions, and academic pursuits together in a shared residential environment. When you join one of these communities, you are afforded all the benefits of on-campus living along with additional advantages that help you to more deeply engage with each group’s defined purpose” (Quinnipiac University).
Blurring the Lines:
While there is overlap with the two experiences, the main difference is the addition of the Faculty Affiliate, who is there to provide a unique experience for the participants related to the LLC theme/topic. To have an effective Living Learning Community, communication between LLC FA, LLC RA, and the participating residents. “In an effort to make large institutions small, give students and faculty opportunities for connection outside the classroom, create a structure for more intentional learning, and establish intellectual and social support systems, living-learning programs are experiencing a renaissance” (Dunn). Blurring the lines between the Residential Experience and the Academic experience gives students a way to achieve academic excellence while obtaining a support system naturally. According to Stassan, “Central to the analysis is an investigation of whether there are differences in outcomes for learning communities with different missions and structures, all three of which fall into the “Linked Course” learning community design. Even in the least coordinated, most basic, learning community model, students show more positive outcomes (first semester GPA, retention, first-year experience) than non-learning community students. The fact that simple structures that facilitate student interaction around academic work (even without coordinated faculty involvement) have a positive effect for students of all preparation levels provides encouragement to campus leaders with limited resources who are working to develop methods for improving the undergraduate educational experience on their campuses. (Stassan). Stassan shows that even the most least coordinated Living Learning Communities, has the opportunity to provide the environment to learn and develop a support system.
Creating an Effective LLC:
When creating a Living Learning Community, the first thing to do is to develop an interest in the topic. Picking a variety of topics ranging from academic and or lifestyles. Having a diverse and inclusive range of topics allows students to pick an LLC that fits their needs and interests. For example, at Quinnipiac University, there are a variety of Living Learning Communities that range from Esports, Nursing, 3+1 Communication, and Unity LLC. Each Living Learning Community caters to a certain type of student. The esports LLC is catered to those who partake in the Esport realm and or enjoy video games, the 3+1 Communication LLC is an LLC which allows 3+1 communication students to live and learn together. A lot of the residents have either the same classes or common interests which allows them to develop a supportive community within their major. Unity LLC is a Living Learning Community where those who are part of the LGBTQ+ community living with others who are part of that community. The Unity LLC is overseen by an RA who has a passion to advocate for the LGBTQ+ community as well as a Faculty Affiliate who is an advocate of the community. Nursing LLC is a Living Learning Community for those who have the aspiration to be a part of the nursing field. They are overseen by an RA who is part of that program and have a Facility member who knows the field. The second important task is to create a curriculum that provides guidelines on how the LLC operates and the end goal of the program. Having a set goal, mission, and guidelines to execute a successful LLC. The third important task is to execute the LLC program with passionate and well-versed Faculty, staff and RAs who want to see the Living Learning Community succeed and equip the participating Living Learning Community Residents with the academic and residential experience. Each Living Learning Community provides a community with a supportive community within a specific group and provides academic advancement.
Conclusion:
The Living Learning Community Experience vs the Residential Experience has a very specific distinction. While both provide a living experience, one provides a particular experience, while the other provides a general experience. The importance of the Living Learning Community and blurring the lines is the effect it has on the community. A successful Living Learning Community provides the residents with a supportive, community driven community based on a particular common interest. Each interest is unique to the group, each resident voluntarily joins the group and yearns for community in that group. The Living Learning Community experience is a co collaborative effort between residents, faculty affiliates, and Resident Assistants. When the Living Learning Experience is successful, the residents, RA, and FAs are positively effective by the experience, while developing long lasting relationships. The Living Learning Experience is an experience that is beneficial to all those who participate, providing a supportive community in a community with common interest.
References:
Dunn, M. (2013). Together we can live and learn — taylor & francis online. tandfonline.com. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1937156X.2013.11949691
Lisa B. Spanierman, Jason R. Soble, Jennifer B. Mayfield, Helen A. Neville, Mark Aber, Lydia Khuri & Belinda De La Rosa (2013) Living Learning Communities and Students’ Sense of Community and Belonging, Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 50:3, 308–325, DOI: 10.1515/jsarp-2013–0022
Purdie, J. (2011). ProQuest | Better Research, Better Learning, better insights. proquest.com. https://www.proquest.com/openview/e89f789805de073b962825706372acf5/1?cbl=47847&pq-origsite=gscholar
University, Q. (2021, May 6). Living-Learning Communities. Quinnipiac University. https://www.qu.edu/student-life/residential-life/living-learning-communities/
Stassen, M. L. A. (n.d.). Student outcomes: The impact of varying living-learning community models — research in Higher Education. SpringerLink. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A:1025495309569
