Rob Cassidy and Ian MacKenzie attended the annual conference-retreat for ACLC colleges and universities in Hartford, CT.  Joye Hardimann from Evergreen State College gave the keynote address, speaking to how inclusivity and diversity can by promoted through appreciative inquiry.  Subsequent sessions over the next two days touched on integrating community-based research and service into course work; using urban settings like New York City as the focus of themed learning communities; adopting a “growth mindset” outlook to promote success for 1st generation college students; the promotion of “high impact practices” in teaching and learning; and strategies for introducing and sustaining curricular innovation across institutions.

The conference afforded us a opportunity to gather a range of clear and concrete ideas of how other colleges and universities are succeeding at curricular innovation via the learning community model.  The collective experience and insights of ACLC insitutions is likely to be a significant resource as we move forward in the development of Dawson’s own LC framework.