Connecting Life and Learning:

Connecting Life and Learning:Developing Integral Christian Learning through Curricular and Co-Curricular

Collaboration

Erik HoekstraProvost

Hubert KrygsmanAssociate Provost for Curricular Programs

Bethany SchuttingaAssociate Provost for Co-Curricular Programs

Demographic Particulars Founded in 1955 - associated with the Christian Reformed Church (Calvinist)49% of students are Christian Reformed65% are from “Reformed” denominations1,350 total undergraduate student body, mainly traditional residential50% of the total student body are from more than 500 miles from campus Largest majors - education, business, engineering, nursing, fine arts,

agriculture Strong programs in music, theater, and athletics Strong, stable religiously homogeneous faculty, 15:1 student/faculty ratioRural, population 6,300, and one hour from two metro areas Intentional and extensive residence-life and co-curricular programming

Unique Foundational Documents and Principles

Educational Task of Dordt College

Educational Framework of Dordt College

Serviceable Insight

Four Coordinates for Learning

Serviceable Insight

Education at Dordt College is not pursued for its own sake nor for its civilizing qualities nor for the strictly pragmatic purposes of vocational instruction, but to provide insight and develop talents that will sustain lifelong responsible service in God’s Kingdom. The knowledge, competencies, and commitments gained through the educational process aim to prepare students to live thankful lives before the Lord; to serve others with integrity, in common everyday activities as well as in specific vocations; and to unfold and care for creation.

Education of Whole Persons

To a large extent Dordt will have failed if it graduates knowledgeable and skillful students who lack the desire to carry out their tasks in service and loving obedience. Scripturally-oriented devotional and social activities… ought not to be considered mere additions to the academic task; rather, they should be integrated into the total pattern of curricular and co-curricular activity, all of which is designed to provide the student with serviceable insight, i.e., wisdom according to the mind of Christ.

Religious Orientation—Who owns your heart?

Creational Structure—How do things hang together?

Creational Development—What is the situation today?

Contemporary Response—What do we do now?

Four Coordinates

Consideration of General Education Retirement of VP of Academic Affairs Provost Office Structure

• Combine Curricular & Co-Curricular• Advent of Faculty Senate• Academic Leadership Team Concept

Timeline for Change

The new CORE Program

For details of the Core Program, see:

• http://homepages.dordt.edu/krygsman/core_program_resources.htm

• https://www.dordt.edu/publications/catalog/academic_offerings/core.pdf

http://homepages.dordt.edu/krygsman/core_program_resources.htm

https://www.dordt.edu/publications/catalog/academic_offerings/core.pdf

The CORE Mission

The Core Program:• Prepares students for Christian discipleship in

the common areas of life.• Articulates the religious foundation and

structural and cultural / historical contexts for other curricular programs.

• Provides a forum for addressing issues of common concern(Core Framework, p. 3).

The CORE Paradigm

“Core” means “central” From “distributive model” to “common

areas of life” Defined by Framework (4 Coordinates) goals Connected: inter-disciplinary; connected to

majors, Student Life, whole life Flexible, responsive to student needs Developmental – to a mature, integral

Christian worldview

CORE Components / Flow

CORE COMPETENCIES (FRESHMAN LEVEL):Communication (3)

COMM 100: Speaking and Listening, orCORE 110: Communication in Contemporary Culture

Writing (3-4)ENG 100: Writing for College, orCORE 120: Composition

Language (7)LANG 101-102: Foreign Language

Math (3-4)MATH 100: Mathematics for College, or college-level Math course


FRESHMAN-SOPHOMORE LEVEL COURSES

CORE 100 (2): Kingdom, Identity, and CallingCORE 130 (1.5): Health, Sport, the Body + 3 activitiesCORE 140 (3): Roots of Western Worldviews/CultureCORE 145 (3): Modern West Culture in Global ContextCORE 150 (3): Biblical FoundationsCORE 160 (3): Introduction to the ArtsCORE 180 (3): Literature

SOPHOMORE-JUNIOR LEVEL COURSES:

CORE 200 (3): Introduction to Christian PhilosophyCORE 210-219 (3-4): Unfolding the Biotic CreationCORE 220-229 (3-4): Unfolding the Physical CreationCORE 250-259 (3): Persons in CommunityCORE 260-269 (3): Justice and StewardshipCORE 270-289 (3): Cross-Cultural Studies

SENIOR LEVEL COURSES:

CORE 310-329 (3): Advanced Reformed ThoughtCORE 399 (3): Calling, Task, and Culture



Academic Competencies *• Comm 100 / CORE 110• English 100 / CORE 120• Foreign Language• Math 100


Redemptive-Historical Outlook: Religious Orientation

• Theme: “My story” in “God’s story”• CORE 100: Kingdom, Identity, Calling• CORE 150: Biblical Foundations

CORE 100: Kingdom, Identity, Calling

First-semester “bookend” Foci:

• Advising• Mentoring into college life• Exploration of identity and calling inside

God’s story:– How has God been at work in my life?– Who am I?– What am I supposed to do?

Core 150: Biblical Foundations

The Biblical story: God at work in history• Whose we are• God’s Word for creation (and how we read it)• Creation >Fall>

Redemption>Consummation• Called to faithful response


Redemptive-Historical Outlook: Creational Development

• Theme: humans developing creation in response to God

• CORE 140: Roots of Western Worldview and Culture

• CORE 145: Modern Western Culture in Global Context


Contextual / Inter-disciplinary – Creation Structure:• Academic Competencies *• CORE 200: Christian Philosophy• Arts and Lit:

– CORE 160: The Arts– CORE 180: Literature

• Natural Sciences:– CORE 130+: HPER + activities– CORE 210-19: Unfolding the Biotic Creation– CORE 220-29: Unfolding the Physical Creation

• Social Sciences:– CORE 250-59: Persons in Community– CORE 260-69: Justice and Stewardship

• Cross-Cultural: CORE 270-79

CORE Natural Science

CORE 220-29: Unfolding the Physical Creation• CORE 221: Physics Applications and Implications• CORE 222: Intro to Environmental Studies: Energy,

Materials and the Environment• CORE 224: Solar System Astronomy• CORE 227: Chemical Principles


CORE 222: Energy, Materials & the Environment

“Showering with the 4 Coordinates”


1) Why care about hot water production?Religious Orientation – Biblical Foundation• God as creator/sustainer/redeemer• God’s love for His creation• Call to serve as stewards & shalom seekers



2) Why do we use electricity for hot water?Creational Development• Brief history of society’s use of energy



3) How is it produced and how much do we use?Creational Structure • Tour Dordt’s boiler and dorm mechanical rooms• Measure hot water used for showers• Calculate amount of coal/year

& bales of corn stalks required



4) How might I steward hot water?Contemporary Response• Conservation – low flow, short showers• Use renewable energy

CORE Social Science: Being Human in Community

CORE 260-269: Justice and Stewardship• CORE 261: Sociology and Social Justice• CORE 262: Introduction to Politics• CORE 264: Faith and Social Justice• CORE 266: Economics and Christian Stewardship


Advanced / Post-Disciplinary – Contemporary Response:• CORE 310-19: Advanced Reformed Thought• CORE 399: Calling, Task, and Culture

Connections

Meeting students’ needs: a goal-based, flexible program Focus: the common areas of life Co-Curricular links

• CORE 100• CORE 399 (GEN 300)• Other

Curricular/Co-Curricular

Creating the Academic Partnership:• What is the role and task of staff?• What does the partnership look like?• Where are the connection points in the Core for

Co-Curricular engagement?

Defining the Partnership

Creating collaboration through structure:• Residence Life/Academic Skills Center• Counseling Services/Psychology Department• Campus Health/Nursing Department• Institutional Committee Assignments• Career Services/Academic Departments• Campus Ministries/Athletics• Student Services Staff/Admissions• Career Services/Advancement

Co-Educators or Partners?

Supporting Academic Programs• Retention Council• Academic Alert Process• Residence Life/Academic Skills Center• Career Services

Evaluating ‘educational programs’• Residence Life• Student Activities• Campus Ministries• Campus Health/Counseling

Connection Points With the CORE

Community Block Schedule First Monday Speakers Series

• Core 100• Core 399 (Gen 300)

Chapel• Core 100• Residence Life, Campus Ministries, Discipleship Groups, Athletics

Third Monday Advising with Departments Service Learning

• Core 100 Student Symposium

Conclusion / Questions