Stockton University is a mid-size liberal arts institution in Southern New Jersey. Degree seekers must complete required course work in both liberal studies and core, specialized areas, such as business, health sciences, hospitality, education, social and behavioral sciences, or organizational leadership. Stockton emphasizes Essential Learning…

The pedagogy of performing arts courses in theatre, film, music, and dance programs found in most liberal arts curricula is clearly experiential insofar as the making of art involves active engagement in classroom activities or events that are staged or filmed. But because many educators outside the arts perceive performing arts programs as solely…

The relationship between collaborative learning and some major theoretical and empirical approaches to fostering critical thinking are examined. Three frameworks for combining collaborative learning and critical thinking are suggested: use of mental models, creation of discourse communities, and creation of disciplinary discourse communities. (MSE)

At a time when higher education appears to be diverging from a sense of shared purpose, learning communities offer a way to maintain the balance between striving for oneself and contributing to the common good. They promote cooperation, help students forge interdisciplinary connections, empower students, revitalize the institutional environment,…