A study of 14 diverse colleges and universities reputed to provide unusually rich out-of-class learning opportunities for their undergraduates is reported. The institutions exemplify how John W. Gardner's seven attributes of healthy, self-sustaining communities can be manifested on campus. (MSE)

The impact of out-of-class experiences on outcomes of college attendance considered important by students were studied through interviews with 149 seniors at 12 colleges and universities. Fourteen categories of learning and personal development were identified. Results demonstrate the importance of experiences beyond the classroom. (SLD)

Claims that, to prepare students for the future workplace, some notions are best forgotten. Educators must design seamless learning approaches, and institutional policies and practices must engage students in a variety of learning activities. Schools should cultivate an institutional ethos that promotes involvement in educationally purposeful…

Because residence life supplements the students' classroom experiences with personal and group learning related to cognitive, affective, and physical development, the appropriate role for residential living units in the Indiana University community was explored. The learning disposition of students living in the residence halls was examined,…

A qualitative study was conducted of the contributions that institutional leaders make to fostering conditions that encourage high-quality out-of-class experiences for college students. A nine-member research team conducted the study. A process of nominations, recommendations and review yielded the selection of 14 institutions for the study. Site…

Examines the benefits associated with involvement in campus governance. Discusses implications for enhancing student learning through participation in governance structures and processes. Asserts that participation in campus governance is linked to desirable outcomes for individual students and to positive contributions to the welfare of the…

This survey of 149 students explored learning from out-of-class college experiences such as leadership, peer interaction, faculty contact, work, and travel. It found that many different experiences potentially contribute to valued college outcomes, that sex and ethnicity did not explain differences in students' activities and outcomes, and that…

Based on a year-long cultural study, undertaken for the 1994 merger of Bethany Theological Seminary (Illinois) and Earlham School of Religion (Indiana), this essay describes distinctive aspects of the two institutional cultures, identifies potential cultural conflicts, and discusses the implications and benefits of using cultural research to guide…

One of the more intriguing trends at the turn of the twenty-first century is the ascendant influence of religion in various aspects of American life. The renewed interest in religion and spirituality is not just a function of aging baby boomers acknowledging their mortality. The University of Pennsylvania reported that 86 percent of those between…

Five research principles are proposed to increase the utility of studies of college student culture: attempting to discover how group membership mediates member behavior and contributes to valued outcomes of college; using best practices of qualitative research; using flexible cognitive frameworks when collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data;…

Examines five shibboleths (common ideas) about the relationship between campus culture and student persistence. Describes a six-step approach for using the peer group and classroom as key elements in cultivating a success-oriented institutional culture. (Author/EV)

The purpose of this study was to determine the contributions of student effort, campus environments and institutional culture to student learning in three types of institutions: small residential colleges; large residential universities; and universities located in metropolitan areas. Data sources were qualitative assessments of 13 campus cultures…

The literature on personal development, student involvement and satisfaction is reviewed in the following categories: the warrant for personal development as a desirable college outcome; conceptual and theoretical foundations of personal development; empirical research on personal development during college; the undergraduate experience;…

Indices and manifestations of quality in undergraduate education are considered and a four-part framework is developed. Context indices represent institutional characteristics that remain relatively stable over time (e.g., expenditures per student and size of student body), while input indices reflect characteristics of entering students (e.g.,…

Common quantitative measures used as indicators of institutional quality (library holdings, student faculty ratio, expenditures) may be less revealing than other factors (out-of-class student-faculty interaction, special living environments, the institution's informal organization, etc.). Admissions staff should have such information available for…