User:Jessienmsnyder/Residential Curriculum

Description
A residential curriculum describes an approach to creating and facilitating intentional learning opportunities in the context of Higher Education, and more specifically University and College residence spaces. Developing since 2005, this approach to residence learning and programming has been adopted by many University and College residence programs, and been modified to fit the institutional nuances, and goals of each residence program. . Residential curriculum is often implemented as an institution shifts away from a traditional programming model where success of a learning experience is measured by the number of students that attend, and towards a model where success is measured by the learning that takes place. Institutional that adopt or shift towards a residential curriculum model are often described to be taking a 'Curricular approach" . Although the concept of a residential curriculum was developed primarily within residence life, the approach has been adopted in many different facets of student affairs.

== The 10 Essential Elements == Using a residential curriculum is an approach that student affairs professionals can take when creating, promoting, and facilitating learning in their residence buildings. It allows for residence space to be a place where students discover and construct knowledge for themselves, in a sequenced and intentional way

=== Directly Connects to the Institutional Mission === As the first element of a residential curriculum, it is suggested that when developing the content and directives of the curriculum, it should not just be informed by conceptions of education, learning and pedagogy, and examples set by other institutions. While these are crucial to consider, residential curriculum should largely consider the nuance and culture of the specific institution that it is being developed for.

Learning Goals and Outcomes Developed and Based in a Defined Educational Priority
Developing an educational priority can be considered one of the first actionable steps in building a residential curriculum. Developed out of the mission, culture, and values of an institution, this will act as the starting statement that the rest of the curriculum will branch from. The educational priority can also be thought of as a mission statement for the residential curriculum.

Basis in Developmental Theory and Research
When developing a residential curriculum, the student affairs professionals tasked with its creation should have comprehensive knowledge of student development theory, and include the scholarly foundations of student development, and research of student development when developing the residential curriculum.

Educational Strategies Go Beyond Programmed Events
Educational strategies that are included in the curriculum should not be limited to traditional programs that are offered in the residence buildings. Instead the strategies should work to include any and all students in various types of learning experiences that target the purpose of the program. A common example is the inclusion of one-on-one interactions or mentoring meetings in the curriculum which are shown to improve the student experience.

Student Staff Are Utilized in Roles Appropriate To Their Skill Development
Student staff members in residence often act in roles like Residence Dons or Residence Advisors. They are the staff members that are primarily interacting with the residence face-to-face, and are important in the facilitation and promotion of the learning experiences in the residential curriculum. It should be noted that in some cases it is important that a professional staff member be the facilitator or creator of the learning experience. Including student-staff members in the creation and facilitation allows for peer to peer learning to take place.

Learning is Scaffolded and Sequenced To Follow Time-Based Development
When developing the list of programs, events, and learning experiences that will be offered to students as a part of the residential curriculum, it is important to consider how these opportunities are sequenced and scaffolded to best aid in the students learning and development. The concept of scaffolding is not specific to residential curriculum, and is also present in most other traditional educational settings.

Key Stakeholders are Identified and Involved
Programming that is included in the residential curriculum should work to include campus and community partners as the creators and facilitators of the programming to insure that there is expert knowledge utilized in the learning experience. An example of this is seen when the program creators consult academic staff members when looking to include tutoring or academic related programming in the curriculums education plan.

Peer-Review is Accomplished Through an Intentional Process
Education plans and learning experiences that are included in residential curriculum should be reviewed by related experts and stakeholders. This can look like feedback collection, or more formal assessment.

Assessment Occurs at All Levels: From Educational Priority to Learning Goals and Outcomes
Residential curriculum should include a plan of continuous assessment. Assessment should be done on all levels, and include stakeholders in the programming and learning experience. The assessment of the curriculum should be done based on the learning outcomes of the experiences and events included in the education plans.