Issue date: 5/1/08 Section: Campus News

"Engaged student learning is about skills and temperament and empowerment as much as it is about content, engagement means students are playing an active role," said Dr. Andrew Harris, executive assistant to the president.

Some will say, "do a research project" while others will say obtain an internship, but one fact remains: the students need to be actively involved in learning something new, and take responsibility for their own individual goals. Bridgewater wants to help students become "engaged" in the learning process, and help shape future curriculum.

Dr. Nancy Van Leuven of the communication department feels that service learning and being an "engaged" student is one and the same. "It's real life versus textbook knowledge," she said.

Recently Bridgewater State College got involved in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) to help define what "engaged student learning" means.

A task force has been convened under the supervision of Dr. Andrew Harris to understand the connections between things offered on campus like internships, undergraduate research, studying abroad, or any type of student learning experience, and be able to shape BSC for future students.

A survey was sent out to first-year and senior students to see which parts of their education were most important to them. "The whole idea of student engagement is that you are looking at another level, another layer of the student experience and how faculty and staff value and deliver a message to students, and that's why student participation in surveys is so important," said Dr. Harris.

Being an "engaged" student can mean many things: applying for an Adrian Tinsley Program (ATP) grant, working at an internship, having a customized directed study with a faculty mentor, or training and working as a peer tutor.

Dr. Bjorn Ingvoldstad, assistant professor of media studies and communication technology, was hired for a combination of production and critical studies. He thinks the engaged student "needs to use theory and practice and bridge them together through a range of discipline and productivity."

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