Annotated Bibliography

Rachel Surgent

Madeleine Kahl

ENC 2135

31 January 2018

Annotated Bibliography

Arensdorf, Jill and Janett Naylor-Tincknell. “Beyond the Traditional Retention Data: A

Qualitative Study of the Social Benefits of Living Learning Communities.” Learning

Communities: Research & Practice, vol. 4, no. 1, 01 Jan. 2016. EBSCOhost.

http://washingtoncenter.evergreen.edu/lcrpjournal/vol4/iss1/4. 25 January 2018.

Jill Arensdorf is the Chair and Associate Professor of Leadership Studies at Fort Hays University. She studied Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University, Masters in Agricultural Education and Leadership at Texas A&M and her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction at Kansas State University. Her interests are focused on youth leadership, service learning and civic engagement. She is involved in the American Democracy Project and Fort Hays University’s L3- Live. Learn. Lead. LLC program. Janett Naylor-Tincknell is the Associate Professor/ Director of the Experimental Psychology Graduate Program. She has her PhD from the University of Oklahoma. She focuses her research on Developmental Psychology.

It is understood that Living Learning Communities (LLCs) show increased student retention rates and overall academic performance in comparison to non-LLC students. In this focus group study consisting of 42 students including 17 non-LLC residents are asked several questions to examine the social aspects of the LLC and compare the results with students who are not involved in a LLC. There was some background on LLCs and previous research was done before the beginning of the focus group study. The twist on this study is the in depth analysis of the social aspects of an LLC, rather than the academic aspects. It is a well stated fact that, “LLC participants have higher retention rates, more timely progression towards a degree and higher GPAs (Buch & Spaulding, 2008),” (Arensdorf & Naylor-Tincknell). The questions were condensed and broken up into categories that were thoroughly analyzed. The categories included, Organization/Student Success, Engagement/University Community, Communication with Peers, and Faculty Connections. Both LLC residents and non-LLC residents were asked the same questions, however there was stark contrast between the answers. In terms of Engagement, LLC students responded like, “When you’re in a learning community, you’re automatically more noticed. I mean you stand out more than the rest of the freshmen in the class.” While non-LLC students responded along the lines of, “Through my fraternity brother actually getting involved in church, and just getting more involved in church and meeting all the older people that attend there and not just college students.” It was recognized that LLCs often stuck together and didn’t know many outside of their LLC, while non-LLC students knew more people throughout the campus, as well as the community.

This research is helpful for me because I can analyze the effects of an LLC in relation to social benefits or deficits. The research here shows that there are positives and negatives to an LLC because it can bring people together who share a commonality, however it can restrict residents from expanding their realms out onto the college campus, as well as the community, and prevent them from getting to know those who come from diverse backgrounds, or those who have other interests.

Dunn, Allison L., et al. “Leadership Mindsets of First Year Undergraduate Students: An

Assessment of a Leadership-Themed Living Learning Community.” Journal of

Leadership Education, vol. 15, no. 3, June 2016, pp. 151-169. EBSCOhost,

doi:1012806/V15/I3/R6. 25 January, 2018.

Leading author Allison Dunn is an Assistant Lecturer at Texas A&M University. She studied Chemistry at Brigham Young University, has her Masters in Sociology and is working towards her A.B.D. Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications from Texas A&M University. She often researches topics such as Collegiate Leadership Programs, Intersection of leadership education in Student and Academic Affairs, Leadership pedagogy and Student motivation and intent to lead.

In this research, Dunn et al. give pre and post surveys to show how participation in LLCs influenced their leadership mindset in hierarchical and systemic thinking. Research showed greater improvement in systemic thinking rather than hierarchical thinking in terms of leadership. Prior research was noted before the results of the surveys. Dunn noted, “Modern LLCs are developed and designed as a high impact practice aimed at improving the educational environment to subsequently improve educational outocmes of undergraduate students, (Rocconi, 2011),” (Dunn et al. 152). The research showed that, “by focusing on active rather than passive learning, LLCs are able to create a sense of community within the participants and between the program participants and their faculty members, thus providing a positive environment for improved educational outcomes,” (Dunn et al. 152).

This source can tie together with the previously cited source because of the engagement, faculty connections, and sense of community mentioned in both studies. While this article focuses mainly on academics, rather than social aspects, the results can easily be bound together to show the overall success provided by the Living Learning Community.

Inkelas, K. K. & Weisman, J. L. “Different by Design: An Examination of Student Ouctomes

Among Participants in Three Types of Living-Learning Programs.” Journal of College

Student Development, vol. 44, no. 3, 2003, pp. 335-368. Project MUSE,

doi:10.1353/csd.2003.0027. 29 January, 2018.

Primary author Karen Kurotsuchi Inkelas is currently an Associate Professor at University of Virginia Curry School of Education. She graduated from Northwestern University Phi Beta Kappa, has her Master of Science in Education and a Doctor of Philosophy from University of Michigan. She has written a plethora of articles, books, journals and more scholarly papers.

The study explores three different types of college environments through living learning communities. Additionally, this study is powered through three questions: 1. Do LLC students see their college environment more positively? If so, are they more involved in college activities than non-LLC residents? 2. Based on academic, social and leadership pursuits, are the outcomes more successful for LLC residents? 3. Does a living-learning community environment influence the individual students? After over 40 years of combined research, Inkelas can conclude that the college environment that has ample involvement with academics, faculty and student groups shows the most successful academic outcomes.

Inkelas’ research has been referenced through several of my other scholarly and peer reviewed articles about the subject. Her information and research is vital to my research essay as it answers many questions that are posed throughout my research essay.

Sears, Stephanie and Dawn Lee. “The Esther Madriz Diversity Scholars: A Case Study of

Critical Consciousness Development within a Living-Learning Community.” Journal of

College & University Student Housing, vol. 43, no. 3, May 2017, pp. 54-67. EBSCOhost,

login.proxy.lib.fsu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&d

=eue&AN=125043619&site=eds-live. 23 January, 2018.

Stephanie D. Sears is a Chair and Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of San Francisco and co-author Dawn Lee Tu is the Interim Associate Dean of Students at the University of California, Berkeley.

The Esther Madriz Diversity Scholars is a social justice LLC. The main focus of this article examines the critical consciousness of students throughout the time spent in the LLC program. Overall, students “acknowledged an increase in their understanding of self and others,” (56). They did this through community-service based activities that exposed them to the issues that the community outside of the campus faced. The goal of these activities was to, “explore how social change happens locally in community-based organizations,” (58). The findings of this research showed that students felt they could receive support from others, they could be challenged by their peers as well as learn from them. Students noticed self-awareness and reflection throughout the course of the program and overall the LLC amplified their own desire for social change.

This article selection is beneficial for my research because it shows how academics and social exposure can merge together and create a successful environment for LLC participants. This research examines more of the social aspects and how participating in LLC activities can strengthen social bonds within the LLC, proving to be beneficial.

Spanierman, Lisa B., et al. “Living Learning Communities and Students’ Sense of Community

and Belonging.” Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, vol. 50, no. 3, 01

Aug. 2013, pp. 308-325. EBSCOhost. 27 January, 2017.

Five researchers collaborated to write this article. All are involved in various parts of the Educational, Psychology and Housing departments at the University of Illinois. In this study, LLC students were measured and compared to non-LLC students in terms of social. Observed was 344 undergraduates with 48% participating in an LLC. The study observed the social benefits of an LLC including what each LLC and non-LLC student ranked “socially important”. Surprisingly, LLC and non-LLC students found different things important to them and ranked them differently.

There is evidence in this research that contrasts from the typical argument that LLC students feel disconnected from their campus as a whole. This can be used as a counterargument about LLC students feeling isolated from the rest of their non-LLC peers. Here, research shows more community and university involvement was linked to participation in LLCs.

Wuhib, Frehiwot“Living-Learning Programs for the Success of Undergraduate Women in

STEM.” 2014 IEEE Integrated STEM Education Conference, Integrated STEM

Education Conference (ISEC), 2014 IEEE, 2014, p. 1. EBSCOhost. doi:

10.1109/ISECon.2014.6891054. 23 January, 2018.

Frehiwot Whuib works at the Department of Teaching and Leadership at Syracuse

University, focusing her research on STEM education. She is a Graduate Teaching Assistant at Syracuse.

Wuhib’s research in this article focuses on women in STEM fields. While there is not a strong foundation to prove that women or coed STEM LLCs provide beneficial outcomes, there are findings that show the benefits of women-only LLC programs for STEM majors, specifically. Wuhib claims that women are vastly underrepresented in the STEM fields because of the male-dominance, intentional exclusion and even discrimination. Wuhib poses claims that, “during the first two years [of the STEM education path]. It has been suggested that there is a chilly climate for women in science and engineering courses and departments.

Academically, Wuhib’s findings show that this LLC resulted in women with higher, “confidence in mathematics and engineering courses, plans to attend graduate school and satisfaction with college.” Compared to their male STEM counterparts, women showed higher performance and an overall smoother transition into college via the LLC program.