Muhlenberg Offers Students A Living-Learning Experience
Muhlenberg College has introduced a new residential learning program, the Living Learning Experience. This pilot project, set to begin in the fall semester, combines academic life and residence life by connecting students' classroom work with life experiences.Tuesday, April 27, 2004 10:30 AM
Muhlenberg College has introduced a new residential learning program, the Living Learning Experience. This pilot project, set to begin in the fall semester, combines academic life and residence life by connecting students' classroom work with life experiences.
Nineteen students, including a residence advisor, will reside together and take two classes together - Social Justice Policy in the fall, and Philosophy East and West in the spring. The two courses will be taught in the Hillcrest House, where the students will reside.
"Bringing academic endeavors into the student's living areas will create an environment where intellectual pursuits and social interaction blend into a seamless learning experience," says Dr. Christopher Borick, who will teach the Social Justice Policy class. The class will focus on the development, implementation, and analysis of public policies that deal with race, class, and gender. Throughout the semester the students will engage in service learning projects within the Lehigh Valley.
Philosophy East and West, taught by Dr. Larry Hass, will focus on one of the fundamental concerns of philosophy: to think about and identify the nature of "good living."
The Living Learning Experience will provide a unique learning opportunity for the students involved. "I like the idea of making a connection between what students are learning in the classroom and what they are doing in other aspects of their life," says Jan Schumacher, director of residential services. "I see a real value in providing opportunities for students to continue their intellectual pursuits beyond the classroom."
