Integrated Learning at a Creative Institution

The University of Michigan Rochester has decided, not only to rethink higher education, but to actually change it. A recent news story explores a dynamic new campus, changing the way institutions design classrooms.

The campus is located in a shopping center in downtown Rochester

Stephen Lehmkuhle, a psychologist, spent years studying cognitive processing and how people learn. When he applied for the job of chancellor at University of Michigan Rochester he told them he wanted to create a completely different learning environment. He wanted to develop education based on research about how students actually learn. The campus is a block away from the Mayo Clinic and Lehmkuhle wanted to prepare excellent students who could find learning and employment opportunities at the well-known medical center.

The campus is in a thriving part of downtown Rochester. They are reengineering classrooms, infusing technology and putting traditional tools to new use.

There are no lecture halls. There is no "front of the class." Classes are set up so students are the focus. All the classroom furniture is mobile so students can work together in groups.

The class seating arrangement, designed so students are the focus.

Portable dry erase boards allow students to work together and then hang their work on the walls so others can see. Students can take pictures of the dry-erase boards with cameras hanging from the ceiling. They save these pictures on their laptops for future reference. Projection screens are on each wall so students can see what the instructor is talking about from any seat in the classroom.

While faculty may give a short lecture at the beginning of class, they do not believe the teacher is the only one possessing valuable knowledge. Peer instruction is an important element of this school. The university believes research has demonstrated traditional lecturing is simply not effective. With emphasis placed on peer instruction, students come to class having actually read the assigned materials.

Most of the materials assigned by instructors are delivered online. The university campus does not have a library. Books are delivered from other campuses if needed. Each student accesses almost all of their materials via their laptops.

Teachers circulate around the room answering questions and working with groups. Students come to class prepared and work together to understand the material. This approach allows students to socially construct learning in a way that is meaningful for them. More importantly, Lehmkuhle points out that this teaches students how to learn, a skill they will use throughout their life.

In addition to peer instruction, many of the classes are linked together. Students take groups of classes designed to enhance their learning. Biology students may learn about stem cells in their biology lab, question methods of genetic engineering in their ethics class, and write about their values around the evolution of genetic technology in their writing class. They also have opportunities to volunteer at the Mayo Clinic, practicing the skills learned in their classes.

There are no traditional departmental structures at the institution. Faculty all work together to create the curriculum. "Student-based" faculty are only responsible for teaching and working with students. "Learning Design" faculty, in addition to teaching, are expected to do research in their own field and in the field of education. They are researching how their students learn.

Currently, there are 100 freshman and 35 sophomores, but they expect the campus to grow. The university's goal is to build the student body to approximately 1,000 students. Though small, the campus has an impressive number of student organizations, on-campus housing, and a tutoring center.

The commons

The University of Minnesota Rochester is still a ways from declaring this model a success. However, it is refreshing to hear of an institution thinking and acting creatively!