Student Learning in College Residence Halls – What Works, What Doesn′t, and Why

Add value to the student experience with purposeful residential programs

Undergraduate enrollment numbers have increased by 25% over the past 20 years and universities are building more residence halls to meet the increased demand for student housing. Every residence life professional knows that the field has experienced significant changes during this time as well, and Student Learning in College Residence Halls provides the current research to help them design innovative residence life programs that contribute value to the college experience.

Grounded in this research and practical experience, the book shows how to structure the peer environment in residence halls to advance student learning. Focusing on the application of student learning principles, the author examines how both neurobiological and psychosocial development influence how students learn in residence halls. The book is filled with examples, useful strategies, practical advice, and best practices for building community and shaping residential environments that produce measureable learning outcomes. Readers will find models for a curriculum- based approach to programming and for developing student staff competencies, as well as an analysis of what types of residential experiences most influence student learning. An examination of how to assess student learning in residence halls and of the challenges residence halls face provide readers with insight into how to strategically plan for the future of residence halls as learning centers.

Students and their parents look for colleges that promise a dynamic and enriching experience. Student Learning in College Residence Halls helps academic institutions deliver on that promise by introducing a progressive view of student housing as centers of learning that has the potential to contribute excellence to any residential higher education environment.