DEHEKY

Developmental Education in Higher Education in Kentucky
FYE Resources and News

“CORE” CONTENT FOR THE FIRST-YEAR SEMINAR:

A TAXONOMY OF TRANSCENDENT TOPICS

COURSE-CONTENT INFRASTRUCTURE:
SPECIFIC “TARGET” TOPICS & SUBTOPICS

CONTENT AREA #1.

UNDERSTANDING HIGHER EDUCATION:
ITS PURPOSE, VALUE, & EXPECTATIONS

1. HIGH SCHOOL VS. HIGHER EDUCATION: KEY DIFFERENCES
Expectations for the Amount of Time to be Committed to Academic Work Outside the Classroom (e.g., the "two-for-one rule"--2 hrs. of work outside of class for every hour in class).

Roles & Responsibilities of Successful College Students
¨ Balancing freedom & responsibility
¨ Demystifying/delineating the differences between successful and unsuccessful students
¨ Importance of active involvement, individual effort, and personal initiative
¨ Responsible classroom behavior (e.g., attendance, punctuality, preparedness, participation, and "classroom etiquette")
¨ Academic integrity & student conduct codes
¨ Campus citizenship
¨ Student rights (e.g., student privacy act; student grievances).

Assimilating the "Culture" of Higher Education
¨ Learning to Speak the "Academic Language" of Higher Education:
- Reading & interpreting the college catalogue
- Reading & interpreting course syllabi

¨ Understanding College Professors:
- Differences between college professors & high school teachers
- Understanding professors' expectations & assumptions
- Professional roles & responsibilities of professors
- Faculty availability outside the classroom
- Making effective use of faculty office hours (e.g., how to prepare for, and behave during office visits)
- Requesting letters of recommendation from faculty
- Evaluating the teaching effectiveness of faculty.

¨ Understanding Academic Advisors:
- Why academic advisors should be consulted
- When academic advisors should be consulted
- How to prepare for advisement sessions

¨ Effectively Choosing College Courses, Programs, & Activities:
- How to become an intelligent college "consumer"
- How to "get the most" out of the college experience & maximize its positive impact. Historical development of higher education in America and its contemporary status
Goals & intended outcomes of contemporary higher education
Diversity of higher education institutions in America (e.g., community colleges vs. liberal arts colleges vs. research universities)
Differences between higher education in America and other nations (e.g., with respect to student access, and diversity of postsecondary institutions).
Higher education demographics (e.g., percentage of females, adults [re-entry students], racial/ethnic minorities, international students)
Historical differences in the college student experience (e.g., college students of the '50s & '60s vs. '90s)
Promoting student enthusiasm for the college experience by documenting the value of college for enhancing career success and quality of life.

3. HISTORY & MISSION OF HOME INSTITUTION
Increasing student awareness of the distinctive mission of the institution
Identifying how college policies, procedures, and resources relate to institutional mission.

4. UNDERSTANDING THE COLLEGE CURRICULUM
GENERAL EDUCATION & LIBERAL ARTS: Their Meaning & Value
¨ Meaning of liberal education
¨ Relevance of general education for personal and professional success
¨ Understanding academic divisions & disciplines that comprise the liberal arts & sciences
¨ Appreciating epistemological and methodological differences across disciplines (e.g., disciplinary differences in the types of intellectual questions asked, methods used to answer questions, ways of learning & knowing, standards or criteria for judging truth or beauty and for demonstrating critical or creative thinking).

ØACADEMIC MAJORS & PRE-PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS
¨ Understanding differences among types of academic specializations (e.g., majors, minors,
and areas of concentration) ¨ Understanding relationships between academic majors and professional careers.

5. UNDERSTANDING THE CO-CURRICULUM
ØImportance of experiential learning outside the classroom
ØValue of campus involvement (e.g., student leadership development; residential "living- learning" experiences)
ØValue of community involvement (e.g., volunteerism or service learning)
ØValue of career-related learning experiences (e.g., internships or cooperative education experiences)
ØValue of international (study-abroad) learning experiences
ØValue of involvement in undergraduate research (i.e., collaborative student-faculty research).

6. INCREASING KNOWLEDGE/USE OF ACADEMIC-SUPPORT PROGRAMS & STUDENT-SUPPORT SERVICES
ØLibrary
ØLearning Center
ØComputer Services
ØAcademic Advisement
ØCareer Counseling
ØPersonal Counseling
ØHealth Services
ØCampus Ministry
ØStudent Paraprofessional Services (e.g., peer counseling, peer tutoring).

CONTENT AREA #2.
UNDERSTANDING THE SELF:
SELF-REFLECTION, SELF-AWARENESS, & SELF-INSIGHT
1. Self-Assessment (e.g., assessment of individual learning style).
2. Self-Monitoring (e.g., keeping a journal or learning log of thinking strategies used in the process of completing academic tasks/assignments).
3. Self-Concept (Identity) (e.g., identity development at different life stages and transitions; self- concept and self-fulfilling prophecy).
4. Self-Esteem (e.g., strength recognition & positive "self talk"; combating the adverse effects of perfectionism, fear of failure, & fear of success).
5. Self-Efficacy (e.g., internal-vs.-external “locus of control”; fixed-vs.-variable performance “attributions"; "learned helplessness")
6. Motivational Awareness (e.g., intrinsic vs. extrinsic motives; overcoming blocks to self-awareness & self-responsibility--such as defense mechanisms [denial, rationalization, projection, etc.], excuse-making, and “victimization” statements).
7. Values Clarification (e.g., resolving value conflicts; self-assessment of personal values and their implications for future life plans).

CONTENT AREA #3.
HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT ("WELLNESS"):
SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, INTELLECTUAL, VOCATIONAL, PHYSICAL, & SPIRITUAL DIMENSIONS OF SELF-DEVELOPMENT

1. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: Enhancing The Quality of Interpersonal Relationships
ØDeveloping Social Self-Confidence:
¨ Overcoming shyness
¨ Combating loneliness
¨ Reducing social self-consciousness & fears of negative evaluation
¨ Increasing assertiveness
¨ Demonstrating leadership

ØEnhancing Interpersonal Skills and Social Intelligence:
¨ Verbal communication & conversational skills
¨ Nonverbal communication (recognition-&-expression) skills
ØConflict Management/Resolution (e.g., managing roommate disputes; resolving student- teacher conflicts)
ØWorking Productively with Others (e.g., cooperation, collaboration, negotiation, & teamwork)
ØDiversity Awareness and Appreciation:
¨ Understanding the concept of cultures & subcultures
¨ Multi-cultural (domestic) diversity--i.e., differences among racial, ethnic, and cultural groups within America
¨ Cross-cultural (international) diversity--i.e., differences between Americans and people from other nations
¨ Inter-Cultural Communication Skills
¨ Learning Style Differences
¨ Learning Disabilities (LD)
¨ Physical Disabilities
¨ Age Differences (e.g., re-entry vs. traditional-age)
¨ Lifestyle differences--i.e., sub-cultural differences in society (e.g., socioeconomic differences), and different subcultures on campus (e.g., “scholars,” “party animals,” “jocks,” “hippies”)
¨ Differences in sexual orientation
¨ Identifying patterns of unity and community amidst diversity (e.g., universal human characteristics, needs, & concerns)

ØFamily Relations:
¨ Parents
¨ Siblings
¨ Spouse
¨ Children

ØPeer Relations:
¨ Peer pressure
¨ Peer support
¨ Meeting new people
¨ Making new friends
¨ Living with roommates
¨ Joining a fraternity or sorority: pros & cons

ØMale-Female Relationships:
¨ Dating, romance, & love
¨ Attachment, dependence, & jealousy
¨ Rejection & “love sickness”
¨ Characteristics of successful relationships
¨ Gender differences in communication styles & ways of knowing
¨ Sex role
¨ Sexism & sexual harassment
¨ Sexual assault & date rape.

2. EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Managing Stress & Developing Coping Skills
ØAnticipating Common College Stressors & “Emotional Rhythms”of the Semester
ØSelf-Assessment of Personal Stress Levels
ØIncreasing Self-Awareness of the Physiological and Psychological Effects of Stress
ØStress-Management Techniques & Resources
ØUnderstanding and Coping with Emotions:
¨ Fears & anxieties (including test and performance anxiety)
¨ Depression (and suicide)
¨ Frustration & anger (and violence)
¨ Feelings of inadequacy
¨ Feelings of ambivalence (e.g., approach & avoidance conflicts)
ØDealing Constructively with Negative Evaluation, Personal Setbacks, & Adversity
ØEffectively Communicating Emotions & Feelings (e.g., combating emotional insulation and affectation)
ØDeveloping Emotional Intelligence & Empathy.

3. PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT: Promoting Bodily Health
ØExercise & Fitness
ØRelaxation & Recreation
ØRecognizing Energizing & Energy-Draining Habits/Activities
ØIdentifying Personal "Peak" & "Down" Times
ØPromoting Regularity of Sleep & Rest Patterns
ØNutrition:
¨ Elements of a balanced diet
¨ Nutritious foods vs."junk" foods
¨ Dietary deficiencies
¨ Eating disorders

ØSubstance Use/Abuse:
¨ Alcohol (e.g., "binge drinking")
¨ Nicotine
¨ Illegal drugs

ØSexual Decision-Making & Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
ØSafety, Risk-Taking, & Accidents.

4. SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT: Approaches to Adjustment & Growth that Transcend the Natural World
ØFaith as a Source of Personal Motivation and Meaning
ØUnderstanding Different Spiritual Orientations and Diverse Religious Perspectives
ØMeditation as a Concentration & Stress-Reduction Strategy
ØPrayer as a Coping Strategy
ØService to God through Service to Others (e.g., volunteerism & service-learning).

CONTENT AREA #4.
LIFE-PLANNING:
CONNECTING THE PRESENT ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE TO FUTURE PERSONAL & VOCATIONAL GOALS
1. Long-Range Planning, Goal-Setting, & Decision-Making (e.g., constructing realistic short-term, mid-range, and long-term goals; making sound judgments & good decisions; understanding when final decisions about majors & careers need to be made).
2. Identifying Educational Degree Objectives: Associate, Baccalaureate, & Post-Graduate Degrees
3. Planning for Successful Transfer to Four-Year Institutions (for students at 2-year colleges)
4. Exploration & Selection of Academic Majors, Minors, & Areas of Concentration
5. Understanding the Relationships between Academic Majors and Careers
6. Career Exploration & Choice:
ØDistinction between a Job and a Career
ØDifferences between Career Entry (e.g., starting salary) & Career Advancement (e.g., salary potential)
ØChanging Nature of Contemporary Careers due to Technology Explosion and Global Interdependence
ØElements or Dimensions of a "Good" Career
ØRelationship between Career & Personal Identity
ØGender-Role Expectations & Career Choice
ØFamily Expectations & Career Choice
ØIdentifying Majors and Careers that are Compatible with Personal Attributes (e.g., individual skills, aptitudes, skills, interests, and values).
ØAccessing Campus Resources for Career Exploration and Choice: ¨ Human resources (e.g., career counselors; career fairs; interviewing or “shadowing” professionals in the field)
¨ Published resources (e.g., Dictionary of Occupational Titles, Occupational Outlook Hdbk.)
¨ Computer resources (e.g., Eureka, Discover, Choices).
ØStrategies for Improving Career Marketability and Employment Prospects after College (e.g., campus leadership experiences, internships, job-interview skills, resume-writing skills).

CONTENT AREA #5.
META-LEARNING & META-COGNITION:
LEARNING ABOUT LEARNING AND THINKING
1. INFORMATION PROCESSING: PERCEPTION, RECEPTION, AND RETENTION OF INFORMATION
ØAuditory Information Processing: Listening Actively & Critically (Note-Taking Skills)
ØVisual Information Processing:
¨ Reading Actively & Critically (Reading Skills)
¨ Reading Graphs & Graphic Organizers/Concept Maps
ØMemory Storage-&-Retrieval Strategies (Study Skills; Test-Preparation & Performance Skills)

2. CRITICAL & CREATIVE THINKING
ØDetecting Differences between Learning vs. Memorizing & Acquiring Factual Knowledge vs. Using Higher-Level Thinking Skills
ØDemonstrating Critical and Creative Thinking on Exams & Reports
ØDiscipline-Specific Differences in Critical and Creative Thinking
ØWriting to Learn (Writing as a Learning & Thinking Tool).

3. LEARNING PRINCIPLES & COGNITIVE STRATEGIES
ØActive Engagement (Involvement) in the Learning Process (e.g., actively writing notes when reading, rather than passively underlining).
ØMeta-Cognition (e.g., self-monitoring of thought processes during academic tasks) .
ØElaboration (a.k.a., “Deep” Processing): going beyond “surface” processing of information (e.g., attempting to relate to-be-learned information to already-known concepts).
ØBrain-Based/Brain-Compatible Learning (e.g., using the brain-compatible practice of creating “concept maps” to capitalize on the brain’s propensity for visual patterning and meaningful associations).

4. INFORMATION MANAGEMENT ("INFORMATION LITERACY")
ØINFORMATION SEARCH, RETRIEVAL, & EVALUATION STRATEGIES:
LIBRARY RESEARCH
¨ Using "high tech" library resources (e.g., CD/ROM)
¨ Internet research (e.g., using search engines to locate and retrieve topic-relevant information; evaluating the quality of information accessed via Internet)

ØCOMPUTER (TECHNOLOGICAL) LITERACY
¨ Enhancing word processing skills for writing papers & reports
¨ Using computer programs to enhance learning and academic performance (e.g., using a spreadsheet to monitor points & grades in college courses; using computer graphics to construct concept maps of course information)
¨ Using electronic mail (e-mail) to communicate with classmates and faculty (e.g., engaging in "on-line" class discussions)
¨ Using the World-Wide Web (WWW)
¨ Reducing "technophobia" and "library anxiety"
¨ Cultivating computer ethics and etiquette
¨ Recognizing & combating computer addiction.

CONTENT AREA #6.
PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY:
SELF-MOTIVATION, SELF-MANAGEMENT & SELF-DISCIPLINE
1. BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT ØRecognizing Supports/Resources & Blocking Forces/Barriers to Behavioral Change
ØStrategies for Focusing Attention (Concentration) & Minimizing Distractions
ØStrategies for Breaking Bad Habits
ØHabits of Highly Effective People
ØManaging Space, Materials, & Tasks
ØStrategies for Developing Productive Behavioral Routines
ØEstablishing Self-Directed, Lifelong Learning Habits.

2. TIME MANAGEMENT
ØUsing Time Effectively & Efficiently
ØDebunking Time-Management Myths (e.g., people work “better” under pressure)
ØCombating Procrastination
ØIdentifying & Eliminating Time-Wasting Habits or Activities
ØBalancing & Prioritizing Multiple Responsibilities (e.g., school, work, family) ØUnderstanding How We Spend Our Time Reflects/Reveals Our Priorities & Values.

3. MONEY MANAGEMENT:
ØAccessing Employment Opportunities On Campus & Off Campus
ØIdentifying and Effectively Using Financial-Aid Options
ØItemizing & Timing of Expenses (Fixed & Flexible), Income Sources, and Financial Resources
ØBudgeting & Economizing Strategies
ØCredit Card Use & Abuse
ØApplying Critical Thinking to Money Management & Consumerism
ØUnderstanding the Relationship between Spending Habits, Personal Values, and Psychological Needs.

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© 1999 thomas.kesterson@kctcs.net



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