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Why should I encourage my students to participate in
out-of-class experiences?
Much research has demonstrated the value of out-of-class
experiences. These experiences contribute to the recruitment and
retention of students. Out-of-class experiences can have a positive effect on a
number of learning outcomes including success in chosen field of
endeavor after college.
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How will out-of-class experiences influence classroom
performance?
Out-of-class experiences in most cases have a very
positive influence on classroom performance. Students who
participate in out-of-class experiences are more positive about
their academic major. Out-of-class experiences contribute to the
development of leadership, decision making, planning skills,
social concern, critical thinking, and altruistic values. It is
important, however, that students do not become overextended in
out-of-class
experiences. Students should be as careful and planful
about their out-of-class activities as they are the courses they
take and the major they select. |
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How will using the Planning Map assist students?
The Map will assist students in thinking and planning
carefully about out-of-class
experiences. Based on our University’s mission and developmental
theories of young adulthood, the Planning Map guides students in
considering out-of-class experiences that will complement
their classroom experiences and prepare them for their futures.
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How can I use the Planning map in my advising of
students?
The Planning Map will assist you
as an advisor in several ways. The self-assessment will help you and
your advisee to better understand their goals. The self-assessment
will also help you recognize strengths and weaknesses that will
influence your advisee’s ability to meet their goals. Working
through the steps outline in the Map materials with your advisee
will give you an opportunity to have a positive influence on
your advisee’s decision making inside and outside of the
classroom. The Planning Map and related activities will provide
structured activities that will allow you to get to know your
advisees better and to begin establishing an effective
relationship. The Planning Map and related activities will help
you better understand out-of-class experiences and place you in
a better position to be helpful.
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Where should I direct students if they have questions?
The website has a
great deal of information about the Planning Map. The website
also provides links to sites where information about various
out-of-class experiences are explained. Contact persons for
specific out-of-class experiences may be found on the
various links. Questions about the Planning Map itself can be directed to
Student Affairs at 785-4111. |
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How was the
Planning Map developed?
In response to the challenge articulated in the
University Master Plan and the University Master Plan Update to
provide better integration of out-of-class and curricular
experiences, a group of people in Student Affairs and
representatives from other areas involved in out-of-class
experiences held a retreat in May, 2002. The purpose of the
retreat was to create a vehicle that could be used to better
integrate out-of-class experiences into the curriculum. The
Planning Map was designed after reviewing the Mission of the
University, theories of college student development, and
research on the value of out-of-class experiences.
After several months of refining and gathering
input from other constituencies, and revising the Planning Map is ready for campus
use. |
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Why use the title out-of-class rather than co-curricular?
We have found there
to be a great deal of confusion regarding the terms
co-curricular and extracurricular. The typical connotation of
extracurricular describes an activity that takes place outside
of the focus of the curriculum. Co-curricular implies activities
that complement the curriculum. In examining the
Mission of
Truman State University, most of the activities normally
considered extracurricular or co-curricular are activities that
directly address the desired outcomes stated in our Mission. In
addition, there are several activities such as Study Abroad,
Internships, on-campus employment, service learning and
undergraduate research that may have a curricular component but
are not necessarily part of the traditional classroom
experience. We believe these activities are a very important
part of the Truman experience and have purposely included them
as part of our out-of-class experience planning process. For all
of these reasons, out-of-class experiences seemed to be
the most appropriate term.
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