Learning that Lasts

By Marcia Mentkowski

"An exemplar of how to analyze and study the impact of a college on student development."--Wilbert J. McKeachie, professor emeritus, University of Michigan "Powerful organizing concepts for generating learning that lasts."--Arthur W. Chickering, visiting distinguished faculty, Vermont College of Norwich University Today's colleges and universities face increasing pressure to develop programs and curricula that will teach students how to handle life's unexpected challenges. Learning That Lasts explores what it means for learners to transform themselves and for educators to foster essential skills for learning, leading, teamwork, and adapting with integrity in college and beyond. The authors draw from two decades of longitudinal studies on student learning in the acclaimed curriculum at Alverno College--and on leading educational theories--to present a theory of deep and durable learning. They include practical strategies for enabling students to cultivate integrative and expansive capabilities across a lifetime. They also draw on their own and other colleges' experiences to develop concrete suggestions for how faculty and academic staff can work together to forge effective curricula, design innovative programs, implement key institutional goals, and renegotiate the college culture.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0787944823
• ISBN13: 9780787944827
• Release Date: December 1999
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass Inc Pub
• Length: 536 Pages
• Weight: 2.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.3" x 1.8" x 6.3"

Customer Reviews

Liberal Learning Equals Lasting Learning

The liberal arts tradition in higher education receives strong support - even (especially!) as far as workplace success is concerned - from Marcia Mentkowski and associates in this comprehensive book about the ways in which learning, development, and performance can interact in certain institutional settings to prepare college students for "the real world." Based on longitudinal studies of students at Alverno College in Milwaukee, among other institutions, Learning That Lasts demonstrates how colleges with a focus can make a significantly positive difference in their graduates' contributions to the work they do and the lives they lead as democratic citizens. Although the theoretical models and thorough research on which the book is based may make it difficult to follow for some audiences, that same attention to detail is what provides a strong, replicable basis for other institutions to follow. And skillful editing and the use of diagrams and summaries make this a book that many concerned parents and students - in addition to the faculty and administrators at whom it is aimed - will find intriguing.