How might resonance play a part in learning?
From an institutional perspective, we aim at alignment focused on outcomes. In terms of the student’s learning experience, perhaps we should reframe that as resonance, defined as “the quality of a sound that stays loud, clear, and deep for a long time,” or “a quality that makes something personally meaningful or important to someone” (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/resonance).
We can create the “loud, clear and deep for a long time” experience for students through close alignment across:
- institutional vision and values
- Use of AAC&U’s High-Impact Practices
- learning outcomes at the assignment, course and program level (where the suite of general education course comprise the “program”)
- design, logistics, processes and pedagogical practices at the assignment, course, and program level
- interdisciplinary themes
- the entire student learning journey, from their first course to their last
For the “quality that makes something personally meaningful or important to someone” aspect of resonance, we can embed reflection into the design of assignments, courses and program (through folio thinking and portfolios).
Creative commons license
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Vicki Suter 