Oh, the places you’ll go…

The photos above were taken outside the UCSD Library, named after Audrey and Theodor Seuss Geisel, also known as Dr. Seuss. The amazing book, “Oh the Places You’ll Go,” by Dr. Seuss has influenced and shaped many of our life experiences. Explorations, adventures and pathways create unlimited opportunities to discover our passions and life ambitions. As part of my sabbatical research, I am interested in the support services for students at various educational institutions. These critically important resources provide numerous opportunities and experiences in guiding and facilitating student success and achievement.

In my previous blog entries, I have identified many of the support services at HTHSCV --- the CrASH Program, teacher advisement and mentorship in student clubs and extracurricular activities, internship programs, and the extensive partnerships and collaborations with community organizations and businesses. All of these support services are part of what makes HTHSCV a leader in innovative and creative schools. The next stop on the “journey” is to the University of California at San Diego.

UCSD is organized and designed around six undergraduate colleges (for further descriptions about each college see the ucsd website, www.ucsd.edu). This unique “small college” design offers students personalized advising, support services and leadership at one of the best Tier 1, research institutions in the world. An integral part of the university student support services is the “Teaching + Learning Commons.” Established in 2015, this program is designed to advance and improve the teaching and learning on campus.

In an interview with Jen Homrich, Internship Counselor and UCDC Coordinator, she shared the following information: “As per our mission at T + LC, a suite of services and programs are in place to develop better instructors and more engaged learners. Our campus is committed to delivering an educational experience that prepares students who are capable of solving problems, leading, and innovating in a diverse and interconnected world.”

In addition, the following information, from the T + LC website provides this statement: “The Commons has created a wide range of outstanding programs, services and research to assist all members of the UC San Diego community in developing highly effective learning environments. The Commons has established a strong infrastructure that develops teaching skills and enhances learning: new faculty workshops, course and curriculum redesign studios, teaching with technology, teaching online, individual teaching consultations, classroom visits, assessing learning outcomes, seminars and short, dynamic discussions and workshops addressing critical classroom issues.”

In my opinion, these types of student and faculty support services that “cross academic disciplines and programs” are invaluable in higher education today. Once again it speaks to the necessity for interdisciplinary thinking and organizational design that “open up” innovative and creative dialogues and conversations. This is part of the “360-degree teaching and learning” approach that I discuss and support.

The magnificence of these ideas is evident at HTHSCV and UCSD as both institutions offer and promote interdisciplinary curricular planning and organizational design supported by teaching and deep learning that is problem/project based as well as student-centered.

Oh, the places you’ll go…