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Huntington University (Huntington,
IN)
MindScape
Summary
The MindScape Program, which began in 1999 through a grant from the Lilly
Endowment, Inc., provides an opportunity for students and faculty members
to be involved in scholarship and service. The program is a partnership
between Huntington University faculty, local school administrators and
teachers, college students, students in grades K-12, and parents. The
objectives of the program are: to enhance traditional classroom curriculum,
to improve students’ attitudes toward learning, to increase students’
scores in basic skills testing and evaluation, and to encourage students
to pursue postsecondary education.
The Practice
Since its inception, the MindScape Program has benefited over 15,000 children
in grades K-12. The MindScape Program has two major components: field
trips and the MindScape Academy. All portions of the program are taught
outdoors at Huntington University’s Thornhill Nature Preserve. Field
trips are offered in a wide variety of subject areas including: math,
language arts, history, science, art, and physical education. The classes
are taught primarily by Huntington University students majoring in education.
In their sophomore year, education majors are required to do a practicum
at Thornhill with the MindScape Program. Over 100 college students have
been actively involved with the program, and the number continues to grow
each semester.
The second component, the MindScape Academy, is offered to 8th grade
students based upon the recommendations of their teachers and guidance
counselors. These are students who possess high abilities, but need extra
encouragement and support to reach their educational and career goals.
The Academy meets one Saturday per month during the school year. Different
subject matter is covered each month including: forensic science, nature
photography, Internet web page design, creative writing, music composition,
environmental science, and wilderness survival. In addition, students
are provided with information and training on how to explore and choose
careers, pick a college major, and what steps to take during high school
to prepare for college.
Effectiveness
One of the ways we have measured the effectiveness of the program is by
surveying the classroom teachers and asking them to evaluate the program.
Seventy-eight percent rated the program as excellent and the other 22
percent reported the need for only slight modifications. Teachers report
that what the students learn while at Thornhill directly supports what
they are studying in the traditional classroom.
Students who have participated in the 8th grade Academy also have made
positive gains. Each year the students are given a questionnaire that
addresses issues such as study habits, attitudes toward learning, career
and educational aspirations, and perceived hindrances to reaching their
goals. Comparisons of the pre- and post-questionnaires have shown that
the students have increased the amount of time spent studying and that
their attitudes toward learning have also improved. A majority of the
students have switched from taking general classes to taking college prep
courses in high school. Many students also see it as more probable that
they will attend college. On the Indiana state standardized test given
in 10th grade, the academy students outperform their classmates by at
least 20 percentage points.
Resources
The MindScape Program was initially funded by a grant from the Lilly Endowment,
Inc. For detailed information about the various MindScape offerings, please
visit the website.
A collection of all the curriculum units is also available in print form.
Contact Info
Jule McKanna
Director of MindScape Program
Huntington University
2303 College Ave.
Huntington, IN 46750
260-359-4120
jmckanna@huntington.edu
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