Intentional conversations, or structured interactions between residents and peer leaders, are increasingly being used as integral components of educational efforts in the residence halls. At the most recent International Convention of ACPA – College Student Educators International in Houston, Texas, I had the pleasure of presenting with Hilary Lichterman on some high impact practices associated with this approach. Ryan Lloyd was also an invaluable resource contributing to the session.
The following abstract, outcomes, and slides walk participants through the process of organizing these conversations and training their staff members for a successful implementation. This presentation also works in companion to the blog post series on the topic.
Abstract:
In some residential education departments, 1-1 student staff-to-resident conversations have replaced programming as a main method of educational outcomes achievement. These conversations also feature prominently in designs for residential curricula. In this session, participants will learn how to implement effective interactions through intentionally developed guides and prompts. Additional topics include staff selection and training as well as assessment techniques.
Learning Objectives:
- Describe the benefits and challenges of using intentional conversations as an educational strategy.
- Recall best practices in implementing and assessing intentional conversations in the residence halls.
- Discuss how to best select and train student staff to implement intentional conversations.
