Stonehill College

IDEAS

Integrating Democratic Education At Stonehill

Spring 2013

Prepared by: Hailey Chalhoub, Anthony Borzaro, Patrick Cabral, Gabrielle Cole, Meredith Kalinski and Christopher Wetzel

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TABLE OF CONTENTSExecutive Summary2Background3Facts and Figures5

Final Projects7

Pedagogy Seminar8Challenges9Benefits to the Stonehill Community: Students & Faculty12

Why IDEAS is Important for Students Enrolled in IDEAS Courses12

Why IDEAS is Important for Students Instructors16

Why IDEAS is Important for Faculty19Benefits to the Stonehill Community: Stonehill as an Institution20Conclusion23Appendix A: Spring 2013 Course Descriptions24

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Appendix B: Instructor Application25Appendix C: Syllabus for Pedagogy Seminar26

2012-2013 PEDAGOGY SEMINAR PARTICIPANTS

Program Co-FacilitatorsHailey Chalhoub (‘13)Christopher Wetzel (Assistant Professor of Sociology)

Course InstructorsChristopher Astephen (‘15)Prithak Chowdhury (‘15)Michelle Curtis (‘13)Nicole D’Angelo (‘14)Noah Dunn (‘14)Laura Dzgoeva (‘14)Daniel Gardiner (‘14)Kristen Kennedy (’14)Jessica Mardo (’13)Stephanie Murray (’13)Samantha Smith (’14)Matthew Tardiff (’14)

IDEAS Project ResearchersAnthony Borzaro (’13)Patrick Cabral (’13)Gabrielle Cole (’14)Meredith Kalinski (’13)

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Integrating Democratic Education At Stonehill (IDEAS) is an interdisciplinary, student-

centered program that fosters engagement and active learning by creating an environment for

students to share their passions, wisdom and knowledge with one another in student-led one

credit courses. In the fall of 2012, Stonehill College’s Faculty Senate voted unanimously to allow

IDEAS to run as a pilot program for two years. In the program’s inaugural year, six classes were

offered on the following topics: baseball statistics, the chemistry of baking, nerd culture,

environmental activism, stereotypes and multicultural encounters, and designing for the iPad.

Thirty seven students from all class years and academic disciplines enrolled in these classes and,

during focus group interviews, they all shared overwhelmingly positive remarks regarding their

experiences with the IDEAS program. Many students acknowledged that their IDEAS courses

embodied the spirit of Stonehill’s academic values, particularly personal growth, intellectual

engagement, leadership and collaboration. In this report, we illuminate the critical role that the

IDEAS program plays in creating a platform for democratic education, student-centered learning

and active engagement in the classroom. In so doing, we outline the process of creating the

IDEAS program, the challenges we faced, our goals for the future success of the program and the

ways that IDEAS benefits the Stonehill community.

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BACKGROUND

Democratic education celebrates the joy of learning and enables students to play an active

role in shaping their own learning by creating a framework for the sharing of ideas, learning

philosophies, teaching practices and community visions. In the mid-1960s, during a time when

thousands of students and educators began to assess the importance of incorporating democratic

pedagogies into the classroom, democratic education programs emerged on college campuses

across the country. These programs give students more ownership over their education and they

are a vehicle for students to share their passions, experiences, and wisdom with their peers in

ways that aren’t always possible in a traditional classroom setting.  This philosophy of

engagement and truly student-centered learning is particularly well reflected in the mission

statement of Tufts University’s Experimental College, the oldest democratic education program

in the United States:

Through its innovative, interactive, and interdisciplinary programs, the Experimental College strives to enrich the intellectual experience of undergraduates at Tufts.  These programs serve as an incubator for new ideas about teaching, learning, and curriculum.  They also aim to engage students actively in the design and delivery of new academic initiatives, often in collaboration with faculty.  Shared governance, collaborative learning, and involvement with the community are hallmarks of the ExCollege.1

Stonehill’s transition to a credit-model presented a great opportunity to pursue new models of

learning that can more deeply engage the entire community.  After examining various models of

democratic education at other institutions, we focused on emulating programs which offer a

rigorous academic framework featuring peer-to-peer education where students are responsible

for creating and teaching innovative classes.

1 Tufts University Experimental College. “Mission Statement,” Accessed May 1, 2013. Available at: http://www.excollege.tufts.edu/.

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The idea for the creation of the Integrating Democratic Education At Stonehill (IDEAS)

program emerged from a desire to enhance student engagement on campus and it has developed

over the past two years as a collaborative initiative between faculty and students. In the summer

of 2012, the details of the program began to materialize with the recruitment of student

instructors and the development of course ideas. Below is a timeline of events that were

instrumental in creating the IDEAS program:

May-August 2012: Research democratic education models at other colleges and informational meetings at Stonehill

June 2012: Meet with director of Tufts’ Experimental College

July 2012: Meet with Stonehill students to discuss democratic education

August 15, 2012: Deadline for instructors to submit course ideas

September 15, 2012: Deadline for submission of instructor applications

October-December 2012: Meetings with IDEAS instructors for syllabus design, course activities, and teaching reflections

December 2012: IDEAS open houses for students

January 2013: IDEAS courses begin

IDEAS is a unique program that enables students to become more active learners and

take ownership over their education by engaging their peers in intellectual conversations focused

on topics and ideas about which they are passionate. In the fall of 2012, IDEAS was approved as

a two-year pilot program by the Faculty Senate and in its inaugural year, the program offered six

student-led courses that are evaluated on a pass/fail basis: Baseball Statistics, Chemistry of the

Cupcake, Design for the iPad, Engaging Environment, I Am Because You Are, and Nerd

Culture. (Descriptions of each class can be found in Appendix A.) These one-credit elective

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classes are intended to compliment, rather than replace, students’ traditional academic

experiences and one of the main goals of the program is to enhance student engagement in

classes outside of the IDEAS program.

IDEAS classes are developed and organized in the fall semester with instructors meeting

periodically with Professor Chris Wetzel to discuss syllabi design, class activities and lesson

plans. The classes run during the spring semester for about thirteen weeks to accommodate

students’ schedules, which tend to be busier and filled with other academic commitments at the

beginnings and ends of semesters. Classes met for two hours per week, generally in the evening

or on the weekends to expand the time for learning and engagement. Sophomores, juniors and

seniors from all academic disciplines are invited to apply to be instructors and they are

encouraged to develop classes on topics about which they have a level of expertise. (The

instructor application can be found in Appendix B). Enrollment is limited to eight students in

order to promote more discussion and engagement. Ultimately, we aspire to offer classes that are

simultaneously academically rigorous and engaging.

FACTS AND FIGURES

In its first year, the IDEAS program offered six classes with a total of 49 students

participating in the program. Of these 49 students, 37 are enrolled as students in the classes while

the remaining 12 act as the teachers for these classes. Students participating in the program

effectively represent the academic diversity of the student body of Stonehill. Overall 19 different

majors are represented in the IDEAS classes, spanning numerous departments, such as business,

science, humanities and the arts (Table 1). The students are also fairly well distributed in age,

with every class year having at least 7 students enrolled in a class (Figure 1). The gender of

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IDEAS program participants is also relatively evenly divided with 19 females and 18 males

(Figure 2).

Figure 1. Breakdown of Enrolled Student Class Years

Class Yr Number0123456789

10111213

Breakdown of Student Class Years

2013 2014 2015 2016

Figure 2. Breakdown of Student Gender

1819

Breakdown of Student Gender

MaleFemale

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Table 1. Breakdown of Majors Major Number of studentsAccounting 3Biology 2Chemistry 3Criminology 1Economics 2Education 2English 2Environment 1Healthcare Administration 2History 1Interdisciplinary Studies 1Marketing 1Management 1Neuroscience 1Political Science 1Psychology 4Sociology 1Undeclared 5Visual & Performing Arts 3

Final Projects

Every student in each of the courses completed a final project, which served as an

integrative and dynamic culmination of the knowledge they acquired from their IDEAS courses.

Projects ranged from in-class presentations and activities to community outreach, both on and off

campus. For example, in Baseball Statistics, students utilized the statistical methods that they

had been employing all semester to try and answer specific questions about the game of baseball,

such as the difference between day and night games, the prime age of pitchers, and the

relationship between the number of home game wins and crowd attendance. In Chemistry of the

Cupcake, students recreated a recipe while following a specific dietary restriction. Using the

knowledge they acquired regarding chemical processes, they prepared vegan and gluten-free

desserts. In Engaging Environment, the class completed several projects: they addressed issues

of waste on campus by applying for a Green Fund Grant and purchasing 300 reusable cold coffee

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cups; they applied classroom discussions on activist strategies by participating in two rallies

against the Keystone Pipeline; they helped coordinate the Grab the Green campaign, which

sought to educate students on the wastefulness of plastic to-go containers; and finally, they

created an “eco mural,” by painting a homemade moss concoction onto pieces of plywood in the

form of leaves and trees, symbolizing growth and an embrace of environmentalism.

Pedagogy Seminar

In addition to teaching their respective courses throughout the semester each instructor

also attended a weekly teaching seminar that was co-facilitated by Professor Chris Wetzel and

Hailey Chalhoub ’13. The seminar provided a space for instructors to share teaching strategies,

formulate ideas about how to engage students and address any other concerns. (A copy of the

seminar syllabus can be found in Appendix C.) To help with the development of teaching

practices, we invited two guest speakers to share their experiences and offer insights to the

instructors, which was particularly useful because only a handful of instructors were Education

majors and have experience in a classroom setting. Stacy Grooters, the Director of the Center for

Teaching and Learning, facilitated a discussion on teaching methodology and classroom

management. She provided the instructors with teaching tools they could incorporate into their

classes. Professor John Golden, Chair of the Foreign Languages Department and current winner

of the Hegarty Award for Excellence in Teaching, shared his experiences with teaching strategies

that have been successful at engaging students. Using personal stories, he illustrated how to

prepare, organize and execute classes in ways that are engaging and dynamic.

Throughout the course of the semester we also discussed the state of higher education and

the role that democratic education plays in shaping students’ experiences both inside and outside

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the classroom. These discussions were also particularly attuned to questions about the value of a

liberal arts education. Data from the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) at the

University of California, Los Angeles illustrated the reality that college students do not spend

much time preparing for their classes and their main motivations for attending college are to

become qualified for well-paying jobs after graduation. These findings demonstrate a clear need

for creative ways to engage students and inspire them to learn for the sake of learning. In

reflecting on the current state of higher education, instructors were inspired to think outside the

box and experiment with innovative teaching strategies. During the seminar we also discussed

how students’ experiences with democratic education can be applied to other academic and non-

academic settings. The instructors acknowledged that the skills they have developed, such as

communication, leadership and management, can be applied to most work, service and school

environments.

For the pedagogy seminar, students wrote weekly teaching journals reflecting on

developments in their courses and the experiences of engaged teaching and learning. They also

completed two larger assignments for the end of the semester: a teaching portfolio that included

copies of their initial and final course syllabi, examples of student work and a statement of their

teaching philosophy; and an analytic paper addressing the topic of what democratic education

means and its role at Stonehill College. Both of these assignments also required students to

submit a self-evaluation.

CHALLENGES

Throughout the development stages of IDEAS, we were met with a number of challenges

and administrative barriers that slowed down and hindered our student outreach and recruitment

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process. One major challenge was convincing the Stonehill community that these courses were

valuable and that students were ready to be instructors.  For administrators and faculty, it was

critical to emphasize that students drawn to the program were already leaders on campus

who regularly took the initiative to enhance their education. In order to get the program up and

running, we recruited a group of students who could easily be identified as leaders and who were

willing to take a risk and give the program a try. We also underscored how the program was

structured to promote critical learning and engagement and we invited faculty members to be a

part of the process by encouraging instructors to work with faculty mentors who could serve as

content experts for their courses. Going forward, the program needs administrators and faculty to

continue trusting that the students involved in the program are doing excellent work and that

engaged conversations in the classroom amplify and extend the learning that occurs in traditional

classes. Although they are not professors, students teaching the courses have a love for the

subjects they choose to teach and build their knowledge through extensive research and

preparation as well as conversations with faculty mentors.

For students, it was critical to show them the value of peer learning and that IDEAS

courses would be a different mode of engagement.  Here we intentionally had the courses meet

in the late afternoon or evening or on the weekends to expand the parameters of when we learn. 

It was also important to have classes that were driven by discussions and interactive experiences

to help students become engaged in shaping the directions of classes.  Further, we wanted to

ensure that these classes would run as pass/fail so that students would not be subjectively grading

their peers.

In addition to cultural challenges, we also ran into a number of logistical challenges.  The

first concern here was getting approval to run the pilot program, which was received on October

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3, and then determining the number of courses that could be offered, which happened in mid-

October.  This meant that much of the course preparation work we hoped to complete early in the

fall, such as course design and syllabus construction, was pushed fairly late into the fall semester.

Going forward, we trust this will not be a challenge. The second concern was advertising and

outreach to prospective students.  Given that the program was new, and timing of the approval,

we were running behind on sharing the story of democratic education with prospective students. 

Although we had several open houses in the fall and used social media to advertise, we would

have liked to disseminate information about the courses more widely.  A particular challenge

here is the fact that we cannot easily list courses with meeting times through MyHill because the

instructors will not know their schedules until they enroll for spring courses. Going forward, we

recognize that a streamlined, accessible registration process is crucial to ensuring the success of

IDEAS. Course descriptions should be available on MyHill to reach more students. Enrollment

should be done after regular course registration to allow all students who are passionate about a

topic, regardless of year in college, to take the classes offered. A third concern is about

resources. This year, we applied for and received a Classroom Innovation Grant from the Center

for Teaching and Learning.  While the financial needs for the courses are fairly modest (we

budgeted $125 per course for materials and mentoring), there are absolutely some needs. 

Students used these resources to take the members of their classes on field trips, provide

materials for hands-on learning in the classroom, and have access to resources that enriched

learning experiences. Moreover, in the case of the Design for the iPad, we needed to borrow

items from Information Technology.  Going forward, continued institutional support in the form

of allocating small budgets for each class needs is important to foster the learning experience in

democratic education.

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It is critical to have continued discussions about how we deal with these challenges. In

light of these cultural and logistical challenges, we have increased our outreach to students,

administrators, faculty and staff in order to make the program, and the message of democratic

education, more visible on campus.

BENEFITS TO THE STONEHILL COMMUNITY: STUDENTS & FACULTY

“You hear all the time that teachers learn as much from their students as the

students learn from them and I don’t think it has ever been more true or apparent

as it was in this program, which has done a lot to enhance the entire experience

and has gotten us to learn and experience more.”—IDEAS Participant

Why IDEAS is Important for Students Enrolled in IDEAS Courses

The IDEAS program has the potential to play a critical role in the dynamic Stonehill

community. The students enrolled in courses, instructors teaching courses, and even faculty

members all stand to gain something by participating in or supporting this program. The

following anecdotes emerged from focus group interviews that were conducted in five of the six

democratic education classes as well as individual student evaluations of the IDEAS program.

These candid interviews and written evaluations provide invaluable insight into the experiences

of students participating in the pilot program of IDEAS. Students offered overwhelmingly

positive feedback on the program and the main themes that emerged from these conversations

can be categorized accordingly: admiration for peer-to-peer learning; gratitude for the relaxed,

comfortable and flexible learning environment; appreciation that their opinions were valued; and

excitement around sharing common interests and passions with their peers.

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Students in several classes noted that their peer instructors had a broad knowledge base,

making it possible for students to learn from each other. They also highlighted the maturity that

their peers demonstrated by leading classes in a professional manner. Credit needs to be given to

these student teachers for balancing the time commitment of planning and teaching their

democratic education course along with the coursework for three to five other classes. Instructors

draw from their classroom and co-curricular experiences to create classes around topics that

connect to other students’ interests. Although the instructors use their expertise in a particular

area, they acknowledge that they are not experts and they learn as much from their students as

their students learn from them. One student in the Baseball Statistics class mentioned that his

instructor was “genuinely interested in finding the results” with the class and he was “learning

with [them].” Many students also echoed the sentiment that their democratic education teachers

displayed a particular passion about their subject area that they felt was sometimes lacking in

traditional classes. While this is should not be taken as a conclusion about faculty sentiments, the

questions that beg to be asked are why is there a gap in what faculty intend to share and what

students perceive in classes? And what can be done to bridge this pedagogical gap?

In the evaluations, nearly every student expressed their appreciation for the relaxed

environment promoted in democratic education courses. While students felt the majority of

Stonehill classes involve lectures and operate with a hierarchical structure that creates distinct

roles for professors and students, IDEAS courses foster intellectual discussions among peers

where everyone plays an equal role in teaching and learning. There is a much greater emphasis

on learning the material because the pressure to perform is transformed. By making the course

pass/fail, the students were not stressed about whether they were going to get an 'A' or a 'C' for

their efforts and that made them more inclined to "internalize the information because they were

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[actively] thinking about and reconstructing it," as one student mentioned in a focus group

interview. This is very different from how students generally approach traditional courses,

particularly those with grades that disproportionately weigh examinations. Many students

mentioned the tendency of cramming the night before exams just to regurgitate pieces of

information that cannot be recalled the following day. Then, when finals come, it becomes an

overwhelming task to "re-learn" the material from the entire semester that was temporarily

"learned" but not retained or internalized. IDEAS courses offer a different learning environment

that privileges students gaining mastery of the material and demonstrating it in creative final

projects. This creates an environment where students said they were more comfortable learning

and much more likely to retain and apply knowledge.

Several students who identified as shy or introverted mentioned that their IDEAS course

has made them more confident and willing to offer their opinions during discussions in their

traditional classes. Many IDEAS classes were enhanced by the ability of students to hear

multiple opinions instead of just the opinion of the faculty member or the one student who

participates in every class discussion. The hope is that this will translate into an increase in

discussion in traditional Stonehill classes, decreasing the frequency of the infamous "Stonehill

stare." For example, all students in the class on stereotypes/perceptions, I Am Because You Are,

reported a social responsibility to share what they had learned during the semester. This certainly

shows initiative on the part of students to create open lines of communication regarding

academic matters and it also reflects the beginnings of more actively participating Stonehill

students.

Students also enjoyed having the ability to shape the direction of their courses. While the

student facilitators spent the fall semester and winter break planning syllabi and lessons, they

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were incredibly responsive to their students and catered their courses to what the students wanted

to learn about. This practice of democratic education increased student engagement because the

students took ownership over their education and created the course alongside their peers. One

student from the Baseball Statistics course articulated that his IDEAS class is “more interesting

than [his] other classes because [the students] have all created it together.” During the focus

group interviews we wanted to understand the ways in which students’ experiences in the IDEAS

courses compare to their traditional learning experiences. After sharing the following statement

of Stonehill’s learning goals and values, we asked them to reflect on how their IDEAS class

compared to typical Stonehill classes: "At Stonehill, learning is built on the foundation of the

Cornerstone Program, which emphasizes intellectual engagement, effective communication,

leadership and collaboration, social responsibility and personal growth and discovery." Many

students acknowledged that their IDEAS course perfectly reflected the goals of the Cornerstone

program. Some even mentioned that their IDEAS course better embodied these values than

some of their traditional courses. The general sentiment among students was best summarized by

one participant, who said, "Intellectual growth and communication are achieved in Cornerstone

classes but it is not related to personal growth. That is sometimes forgotten [in those classes] but

it definitely happens here." According to the students enrolled in these courses, democratic

education classes have met the values and ideals that the school strongly embraces in creating a

liberal arts education.

Finally, the enrolled students repeatedly emphasized the pure enjoyment that they

experienced in their democratic education classes. For many students, the IDEAS class had

become their favorite and they “looked forward to [them] more than any other class” they were

taking. Their main reasons for loving these classes were the level of student interest in the topics

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and their ability to play a role in designing the course. Since students come together to talk about

something that they are genuinely interested in, the discussions are more fruitful and students

leave class with a “feeling of accomplishment” that they are actually getting something out of

their courses. During the focus group with the Nerd Culture class, students mentioned that,

“[they] are all here because of [their] love of learning of the subject” and they find themselves

asking, “how can I incorporate this into my life?” not “how am I going to memorize this

information?” There is something genuinely exciting and promising about creating an

environment where people love the topic being examined. Based on student responses in

interviews and evaluations, it is clear that democratic education is capable of transforming

students’ academic experiences by engaging in a unique academic setting and applying their

passions and critical thinking to their traditional classes.

Why IDEAS is Important for Student Instructors

In addition to the students enrolled in IDEAS courses, the instructors also participated in

focus group interviews that allowed us to assess the challenges and successes that came with

facilitating classes. The common sentiments expressed by the instructors were overcoming the

typical challenges that educators face, the excitement of witnessing students utilizing course

knowledge outside of the classroom, the application of their courses to the requirements of

Stonehill’s academic values, and the ways in which IDEAS may contribute to their future goals.

The major challenges that instructors faced were related to classroom management and

keeping students engaged for their weekly two-hour class time. For some it was also difficult to

teach their friends because they found it hard at times to shift to the facilitator mode. Over the

semester, instructors overcame these challenges by utilizing different strategies discussed in the

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teaching seminar. Others said that they struggled with navigating requests from their students to

adapt course content. However, their students had overwhelmingly positive things to say about

the instructors’ flexibility regarding the curricula. Throughout the focus groups, the instructors

emphasized that even with the challenges of balancing IDEAS with their other obligations,

teaching in the democratic education program was an incredibly worthwhile experience.

As previously mentioned, the final projects completed at the end of the semester

demonstrated to the instructors that their students were synthesizing information and integrating

it into their everyday lives. One teacher told us how “great it was seeing them enthusiastic and

applying [their knowledge] to things that they loved” because it confirmed that they were able

use what they had learned during class to better understand the world in which they live. Another

teacher mentioned the change in perspective he had by becoming an instructor because he was

able to see students in the classroom from the perspectives of both a student and an instructor,

which gave him an interesting insight into student culture. With the utmost candor, a teacher

noted that as instructors, “we do not know everything [about the subject we are teaching] but

collectively [the students and facilitators] are learning, which is what democratic education is all

about.” If you ask every one of us involved in IDEAS what democratic education means to us,

you will hear something different. However, we can guarantee that the theme of “students

teaching other students while also learning from them” would be a common response. That truly

is what education should be all about – when teachers stop learning from their students, the

connection between them is lost and students become disengaged. Therefore, the spirit of

democratic education is the reason why it is critical to an institution of higher education like

Stonehill. Democratic education creates relationships of reciprocity and equality between

teachers and students, leading to more effective teaching and learning for both parties.

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When asked how their classes relate to the values and goals of Stonehill’s Cornerstone

program, the instructors articulated that the IDEAS program actually goes beyond what the

Cornerstone program requires. One instructor noted that while “each of our classes emphasize all

of the qualities of the Cornerstone program, I find that the definition of the Cornerstone program

lacks ownership of our education, while the democratic education program challenges students to

be invested in their education so that they are not just showing up to their classes to get a grade

and a degree.” It is promising and exciting to see students enrolled in and instructing IDEAS

courses celebrating the importance of self-motivated students who learn because of a passion for

ideas rather than simply completing a degree requirement. Another student teacher credited the

Cornerstone and IDEAS programs for encouraging students to engage in a wide range of

academic subjects not solely focused on their majors. In that sense, democratic education courses

greatly contribute to the Cornerstone program’s vision by encouraging students to take classes

about non-traditional subjects which are worthy of scholarly study because they contribute to the

critical thinking skills and spirit of holistic inquiry that Stonehill College wants to foster.

One of the most unique aspects of the group of instructors is its interdisciplinary

composition. Humanities, natural science, and social science majors have come together to

collaboratively create a vibrant program with the common goal of increasing student engagement

and fostering a culture of active learning through peer education. These diverse scholarly

backgrounds have led to fascinating, insightful conversations about learning in the pedagogy

seminar. Interestingly enough, only a few of our student teachers are Education majors and

planning on teaching in the future. For them, this program has provided an excellent opportunity

to gain confidence and teaching experience. However, many others have aspirations of service

work, graduate school, or professional school, which means that the skills gained from this

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program will be used on a broader scale to engage and lead groups through effective

management, cooperation, and administrative skills. All of these skills have been enhanced and

strengthened by facilitating a democratic education course. For example, a senior instructing a

course applied to graduate schools this past fall and her interviewers asked her about her

experience with the IDEAS program, commenting that they were incredibly impressed that she

designed and executed a semester long class by herself. The IDEAS program promises to make

Stonehill graduates more attractive to graduate schools and employers because of the initiative

reflected in teaching a course as well as the skills developed in the process.

Why IDEAS is Important for Faculty

The IDEAS program not only benefits Stonehill students. It also invites faculty members

into a conversation about democratic education. We have found that students are more inclined

to participate in classroom discussions when they feel that their opinions are heard and valued.

While many professors try to facilitate discussions, they are often greeted by the infamous

“Stonehill stare” because students either believe the answers to the questions are too obvious or

they are worried about their answers being wrong. By creating an inclusive, judgment-free

environment, faculty may discover that discussions are more fruitful.

While it may not be feasible to have student input regarding the topics taught in

traditional courses, particularly major and minor requirements, another way to increase student

engagement may be to gauge what aspects of the course students find most intriguing. Spending

extra time talking about these, inserting new examples to illustrate concepts, selecting relevant

readings, or even reimagining certain major assignments could promote student engagement in

the curriculum. Our experience with the democratic education pilot has shown that students have

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some say in the content of democratic education courses and they contribute to the structure and

design of the courses by suggesting activities and assignments. This seems to suggest that

students want to feel that their voices and opinions are welcomed and respected in any classroom

setting.

Additionally, as the enrolled students described, these classes are heavily based on

collaboration and effective communication. Both of these skills are critical to every course a

student could take at Stonehill and the workforce. From the viewpoint of faculty members, better

collaboration undoubtedly leads not only to improved group projects and assignments but greater

mastery of the course content. Additionally, courses often require oral presentations, a task

feared by many students. If students become more comfortable participating during an IDEAS

course, they will not only be more inclined to share their opinions during traditional course

discussions but also will become better at classroom presentations.

Faculty support is absolutely critical to the future of the IDEAS program. Each course

requires student instructors to have a faculty mentor to provide feedback and support on

questions related to content, teaching, and engaged learning. We see democratic education as a

powerful and important complement to the work done by the faculty, sharing a common goal of

fostering a lifelong love of learning among Stonehill College graduates.

BENEFITS TO THE STONEHILL COMMUNITY: STONEHILL AS AN INSTITUTION

IDEAS is not only important to the Stonehill community, but also the college as an

institution. Stonehill’s mission statement proclaims that the institution, through “scholarship,

critical analysis and creative thinking…educates the whole person so that each Stonehill graduate

thinks, acts, and leads with courage.”2 After speaking with students who have taken an IDEAS

2 Stonehill College, “Our Mission,” Accessed May 1, 2013. Available at: http://www.stonehill.edu/x1273.xml

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course this semester, it has become clear that democratic education courses have succeeded in

achieving these ideals. Democratic education allows individuals to explore their passions and

hone their expertise in a particular area of interest. Through critical discussion IDEAS classes

have allowed already passionate students to personally grow and become leaders within the

Stonehill community.

Not only have IDEAS classes allowed students who participated in them to become more

critically engaged learners and leaders consistent with Stonehill’s mission, they have also

allowed instructors to become much more effective and competitive students and postgraduates,

helping the college on an institutional level. By supporting the IDEAS program, Stonehill has

the opportunity to demonstrate its students are leaders and so knowledgeable that some have

actually instructed college level courses, something which many competitor schools cannot do.

The IDEAS program, while also enriching the Stonehill community and the students who

participate in it, helps to make Stonehill a more nationally competitive college. The program

also produces much more competitive postgrads in the form of the instructors of the courses.

When asked about whether IDEAS has helped in future employment or internship opportunities,

one instructor stated that “whether you are going to be a teacher or not, there are a lot of skills

that are valuable to any job or occupation – engaging and leading a group of individuals – you

create your course and see it through to the end, whether you are learning managing skills,

cooperation, administrative skills – there are plenty of things that are applicable to just about

anywhere.” IDEAS has helped create better students and has helped prepare its instructors to

achieve their future goals, both of which can be used as a major selling point for the college’s

admissions.

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This thinking is consistent with the College’s current strategic plan, “Above & Beyond,”

which centers on five key strategies to make Stonehill a premier institution for undergraduate

education. Two strategies, raising expectation and creating advantage, fit directly with what has

been discussed above. IDEAS classes have raised the bar in many ways for their students.

Because each individual student is expected to participate in class discussions and the collective

learning of the group, each individual student has received more responsibility and therefore

raised expectations. In the same way, many classes have connected to projects outside of IDEAS

but within Stonehill or even outside the institution entirely, but which are critically connected to

the topics addressed in the class. This type of engagement has raised the expectations of the

students. As illustrated in the examples above, students have met these challenges with

resounding success, specifically building on how democratic education promotes discussion and

community learning. In this way, students come to expect more of themselves and their peers,

benefitting the entire community when each person reaches those expectations.

IDEAS can also help Stonehill College achieve its goal of creating advantage. Some of

these benefits for instructors and student participants have been described above. However,

IDEAS not only creates advantages for students, it also promises to create advantage for the

college, underscoring and amplifying the distinct value of a Stonehill education relative to its

peer institutions. As a small liberal arts college, Stonehill looks to educate the entire individual

and prepare that student for engagement with the larger world. Democratic education through

the IDEAS program provides yet another way in which the college can foster this sense of

community engagement and personal growth. IDEAS promises to enhance Stonehill’s unique

capacity to educate the whole person, promote community engagement, and foster a love of

engaged learning.

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CONCLUSION: THE FUTURE OF DEMOCRATIC EDUCATION AT STONEHILL

The success of the IDEAS pilot program in the 2012-2013 academic year illustrates how

democratic education inspires students to share their passions with their peers, fosters a love of

learning, and promotes an engaged community. We believe IDEAS courses contribute to

Stonehill College’s academic goals and mission in a variety of important, innovative ways. The

IDEAS program draws on scholarly, in-depth, student-led conversations to supplement the

critical learning that is already occurring at Stonehill. In addition to the challenges presented to

students through the Cornerstone Program and major and minor requirements, student-created

and led IDEAS courses provide new information, skills, and perspectives that may not be present

in a typical Stonehill classroom. Student passions and engagement are nurtured and thrive

through the IDEAS program. Feedback from both teachers and students in the six courses

consistently highlight how they became stronger, more confident and more engaged learners.

The IDEAS program gives students the freedom to explore their passions in innovative ways that

supplement the learning done in the traditional classroom while enriching students’ identities and

skills.

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APPENDIX A: SPRING 2013 COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

APL 090 A: Baseball StatisticsInstructor: Matthew Tardiff ‘14The course will apply statistics to baseball to understand how the game is played and how to play the game better. The class will look at common conventions in the game and use statistical research to determine if the conventions are accurate.

APL 090 B: Chemistry of the CupcakeInstructor: Stephanie Murray ‘13This class will look at the science behind baking, including bread making, ice cream production, and molecular gastronomy. Discussions, activities, and taste testing will be the main focus of classes. This course will encourage students to think about how science influences daily life.

APL 090 C: Design for the iPadInstructor: Michelle Curtis ‘13This course will explore how to use Adobe Digital Publisher, iBooks Author and Adobe Indesign to create publications and newsletters for the iPad. Students will study trends in digital design and apply them to their own digital publications. The class will also discuss how to engage iPad users through interactivity, video and digital layouts.

APL 090 D: Engaging EnvironmentInstructors: Jessica Mardo ‘13, Dan Gardiner ‘14, and Chris Astephen ‘15This course will introduce students to three perspectives of nature. Students will first understand nirvana in nature by exploring local forests, parks and waterfronts. Students will then learn about the artistic interactions between people and their environment. The third perspective will emphasize how environmental activism works to save these resources and students will development a plan to solve an environmental issue at Stonehill.

APL 090 E: I Am Because You Are: A Study of EncountersInstructors: Prithak Chowdhury ‘15, Noah Dunn ‘14, and Kristen Kennedy ‘14This course will focus on identifying stereotypes and discussing their origins, roles in society, and how people handle them. The class will discuss stereotypes in current events, in movies, and locally. The students will further understand their own cultures and learn about cultures in the Brockton area.

APL 090 F: Nerd Culture: The Historical and Sociological Relevance of Comics and Video GamesInstructors: Nicole D’Angelo ‘14, Laura Dzgoeva ‘14, and Samantha Smith ‘14This class will study the history of comic and video game industries and their impact on society. We will explore the nerd subculture and how its members label themselves and perceive others. The class will also discuss how pop culture mirrors the interests, habits, and mental states of authors and game makers.

APPENDIX B: INSTRUCTOR APPLICATION

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Integrating Democratic Education at Stonehill (IDEAS)Instructor Application

Spring 2014

Please complete the following questions in order to be considered for a position as an IDEAS instructor for the upcoming spring semester. There is no minimum or maximum word limit, but be specific and clear in your responses. Please email the completed application to Chris Wetzel (cwetzel@stonehill.edu) by May 2nd. Thank you for your continued interest in Democratic Education at Stonehill!

Background Information

1. Name:2. Class year:3. Major(s) and minor(s):4. Title of proposed course:5. Proposed faculty mentor:6. Have you been involved with the Democratic Education program before? If not, how did

you hear about IDEAS?7. What are you involved in on campus? Please list each extracurricular activity and time

commitment per week.

Course Information

8. Provide a brief course description. What will students learn?9. Why is it important to offer your course? 10. What are some potential activities, projects and other forms of engagement that you will

use to help students achieve the desired learning outcomes?11. How did you acquire the interest and/or skill in this subject area? 12. Would you be open to co-facilitating a course?

Teaching Philosophy

13. Describe a significant learning experience in your life in or out of the classroom. What happened? What made this experience so powerful?

14. Describe a time when you taught someone something. What were you teaching? What was that experience like? How could you use that experience as an IDEAS instructor?

15. What do you hope to gain from teaching an IDEAS course?16. What challenges do you anticipate encountering as a course instructor? How do you plan

to overcome them?

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APPENDIX C: SYLLABUS FOR PEDAGOGY SEMINAR

SOC 352: Democratic EducationSpring 2013

Tuesday 6:00-8:30pm, 206 Martin

OBJECTIVES AND AMBITIONS

We begin by recognizing some of the real tensions in contemporary higher education at a small, liberal arts institution that is heavily reliant upon tuition. On the one hand, we embrace Stonehill College’s mission to educate “the whole person so that each … graduate thinks, acts, and leads with courage toward the creation of a more just and compassionate world.” At the same time, we acknowledge the realities of how most students allocate their time. According to the senior exit survey for the class of 2011, 66 percent of seniors spent less than 10 hours per week preparing for class, 74 percent spent less than two hours per week talking with professors, and 77 percent spent less than two hours per week reading for pleasure.

Our goal this semester is to intervene and actively reshape some of these conversations (and ideally outcomes) by piloting a democratic education program. These programs give students more ownership over their education.  They are a vehicle for students to share their passions, experience, and wisdom with their peers in ways that aren’t always possible in a traditional classroom setting. Democratic education promises multiple lasting benefits for the entire Stonehill community. For faculty, it offers a different method to envision how to facilitate truly student-centered classrooms. We can begin to identify areas of student interest that may not be adequately addressed in the curriculum as well as strategies to foster a love of learning. For students, democratic education is a chance to explore areas of great personal interest. Teaching a course allows students to further develop SURE research, thesis projects, or capstone projects. We also envision that involvement in democratic education would lead students to demand more from their education while preparing them for admission to graduate programs or future jobs.

Democratic education is a pilot project so we have to prepare for the future. Collective projects for us to address include, but are not limited to: cultivating a board of directors to help oversee a program, recruiting next set of teachers, evaluating impacts of the courses, developing a mission statement, and coming up with a catchier program name.

COURSE READINGS

We will use selections from the following texts:

Arum, Richard and Josipa Roska (2010), Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses, Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Curzan, Anne and Lisa Damour (2000), First Day to Final Grade: A Graduate Student’s Guide to Teaching, Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

Freire, Paulo (2000), Pedagogy of the Oppressed, New York: Continuum.

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McKeachie, Wilbert J. and Marilla Svinicki (2006), McKeachie’s Teaching Tips: Strategies, Research, and Theory for College and University Teachers, Belmont: Wadsworth Cenage.

Nathan, Rebekah (2006), My Freshman Year: What a Professor Learned by Becoming a Student, New York: Penguin.

COURSE SCHEDULE

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, our teaching seminar will meet every Tuesday during the semester starting at 6pm.

January 15: Where are we going?

January 22: How do we get students talking? How do we effectively facilitate difficult conversations?

January 29: Continue discussion of facilitating conversations.

February 5: Guest: Dr. Stacy Grooters. Topics include: How do we think about preparing for class without being over or underprepared? How do we deal with a class where students have a wide range of knowledge, experiences, and backgrounds? At what level do we pitch classes? How can we think about our body language in class to send messages?

February 12: Check in about courses.

February 19: How do people perceive academic life? What is the state of American higher education? What is the value of a liberal arts education?

February 26: How do we deal with privilege in the classroom?

March 5: No class: Spring break

March 12: How do we push through the mid-semester funk?

March 19: Guest: Dr. John Golden. Topics include: What are the hardest lessons you’ve learned about teaching? What motivates you as a faculty member? What do you wish students knew about being a professor? How do you think about adjusting classes?

March 26: How do we design, scaffold, and support semester-long projects?

April 2: No class: Monday schedule

April 9: How do we evaluate college courses? How do we evaluate democratic education?

April 16: Check in about courses.

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April 23: Where have we been? What comes next?

April 30: A celebration of engaged learning!

SEMESTER PROJECTS

Since SOC 352 is a letter graded seminar, everyone will be responsible for a number of items throughout the semester including:

Attendance and participation 20 percent

Weekly teaching journal 25 percentThese should be emailed to Chris and Hailey before class. You should think about describing what is happening in your class, how you feel about the process, and what you’re understanding about engaged learning.

Teaching portfolio 25 percentThis should include your initial and final course syllabi, samples of student work, photographs from the class, and a statement of your teaching philosophy. You should also include a self-assessment. This is due in class on April 23.

Final reflection paper 30 percentThis should be a critical reflection on the meaning of democratic education and its place at Stonehill. You should also include a self-assessment. This is due in class on April 30.