Alicia Harvey-Smith

Learning Is About Making Connections

K. Patricia Cross (1999) asserts that “learning is about making connections.” She describes the process by which learning occurs in the brain through neurological connections. Similarly, I suggest that within higher education, authentic collaborations between academic affairs and student affairs represent the connection necessary for transformational learning. In fact, institutions intent on achieving change at this level may also need to “recast their missions to focus on learning, realign structures to foster collaboration, engage all stakeholders in the change and educational process, and establish open systems of exchange and communication, removing substantial barriers to their effectiveness” (O’Banion 1997, p. 7).

Expansive research conducted over the past two decades has indicated that improving the undergraduate experience will require the ongoing collaboration of academic and student affairs divisions. The notion of a seamless culture of learning fostered through increased collaboration was suggested in Kellogg’s (1999) research as significant to learning as institutions integrate curriculum, generate enthusiasm for institutional renewal, develop a common vision of learning, foster collaboration, engage in cross-functional dialogue, and examine the influence of student cultures on learning.

Academic and Student Affairs Partnerships

The National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA, 1998) in its powerful partnerships document provided support for extensive collaborations to foster improved learning. The call for institutional collaboration appeared in the earlier work of Angelo (1991), who introduced four frames of learning and encouraged student affairs professionals to partner with faculty to match learning to in-class and out-of-class experiences. The work of Banta and Kuh (1998) recommended increased collaboration between academic affairs and student affairs, specifically in the area of college assessment, identified by the authors as the missing link in assessing learning comprehensively.

A partnership model characterized by extensive collaborations and connections among student affairs professionals, faculty, and academic administrators is one primary solution, according to Shenk and de la Teja (2006), who provide due emphasis on the importance of creating intentional partnerships between academic affairs and student affairs within community colleges and on the need for developing strategies that transform institutional cultures to those that are more open and responsive to change and learning. Authentic collaborations between the two areas most engaged with students, academic affairs, and student affairs, should be encouraged and supported throughout the learning process (Harvey-Smith, 2005). By assuming collective responsibility for student learning, comprehensive models that empower the learning of diverse student populations have culminated in comprehensive and more vibrant educational systems.

Findings within my own comparative study, which examined the adoption of the learning paradigm within student affairs divisions of community colleges in the League for Innovation’s Learning College Project (2000–2004), support the chapter recommendations and confirmed benefits resulting from partnerships between academic affairs and student affairs. The major benefits identified in the study included the emergence of innovative models for student learning and success, ongoing collaborations across division lines and the sustained acceptance of blended partnership approaches in support of learning. A blended partnership was defined within the study as a partnership of equals where academic affairs and student affairs divisions work closely initiating change and developing new vehicles to engage students and enhance learning. Blended partnerships serve to reduce silos and build community. An important goal of such collaborations is the focus on outcomes and pedagogical similarities in order to respond holistically and comprehensively to diverse learners (Harvey-Smith, 2003).

Collaboration Strategies

The following are some specific suggestions to help foster internal collaborations. Additional strategies can be found in Partnering for Success: How to Build Strong Internal Partnerships in Higher Education (Harvey-Smith, 2006).

• Make internal partnerships a high personal and organizational priority. If internal collaborations are important to your institution, be sure that concept is identified as an institutional priority. The idea should be visible in your campus mission statement, vision statement, and strategic plans. The college community should be aware of this expectation and encouraged to contribute to its success.

• Learn and practice being a patient, effective collaborator. Remember that bringing people together to work in teams can be hard work. Developing and sustaining successful partnerships of any type takes effort. Be patient and trust the process. Use the guidelines and model the behavior you want to see.

• Allocate adequate time and attention to the partnership. Time and resources may prove critical to partnership success. Project the time that will be needed to achieve the results you desire.

• Systematically involve diverse faculty and staff. Be conscious of the need to operate fairly. Value the voices of all team members. Be inclusive as partnerships are formed.

• Understand, support, and actively collaborate with colleagues. Internal partnerships and collaborations are designed to achieve common objectives. Your full commitment to the collaboration will be needed. Also, you should be willing to incorporate feedback from members outside of your formal committee.

• Coach others to be more effective collaborators. Lead by example. Share expectations of quality collaborations and be accountable. Serve as a catalyst for imagination, innovation, and continuous improvement throughout the process.

If learning is about making connections, the relationship between academic affairs and student affairs has proven to be a critical connection that empowers student learning. Making these connections an individual and institutional priority may serve to transform the learning experience for the broader community of learners and those committed to serving them.

References

Angelo, T. A. (1991). Classroom Research: Early Lessons From Success. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Banta, T. W. and Kuh, D. K. (1998). A Missing Link in Assessment: Collaboration Between Academic and Student Affairs Professionals. Change, 38(6), 40-46.

Cross, K. P. (1999). Learning Is About Making Connections. The Cross Papers, Number 4. Mission Viejo, CA: League for Innovation in the Community College.

Harvey-Smith, A. B. (2006). Partnering for Success: How to Build Strong Internal Collaborations in Higher Education. West Palm Beach, FL: LRP Publications.

Harvey-Smith, A. B. (2005). The Seventh Learning College Principle: A Framework for Transformational Change. Washington, DC: NASPA.

Harvey-Smith, A. B. (2003). The Adoption of the Learning Paradigm in Student Affairs Divisions in Vanguard Community Colleges: A Case Analysis. Dissertation study, University of Maryland-College Park, MD.

Kellogg, K. (1999). Student Affairs and Academic Affairs Working Together to Promote Student Learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. (1998). Annual Report. Washington, DC.

O’Banion, T. (1997). A Learning College for the 21st Century. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press.

Shenk, E. & de la Teja, M. (2006) Divine Comity. NASPA, Washington, DC.

Alicia Harvey-Smith is Dean of Learning and Student Development at the Community College of Baltimore County, Maryland.

This edition of Learning Abstracts is sponsored by Microsoft.

Cynthia Wilson, Editor