Student Learning in College Residence Halls: What Works, What Doesnt, and Why

Praise for Student Learning in College Residence Halls

"Residence halls are often the center for holistic learning on campus this is an exceptional resource for up–to–date research and best practices to improve our impact on our students′ growth and development."
Sallie Traxler, executive director, the Association of College and University Housing Officers International

"The breadth and depth of this book are astounding. Blimling does an excellent job reviewing the past, summarizing the present, and forecasting the future of residence halls and their significance to the educational experience of college students. This should be read by every residence life professional from entry level to most senior and it should be consumed by campus presidents and vice presidents as well."
Kathleen G. Kerr, executive director, Residence Life & Housing, University of Delaware

"No one knows more about the educational potential of college residence facilities than Greg Blimling. His important new book should be required reading for anyone involved with college residential life."
Ernest T. Pascarella, professor and Petersen Chair in Higher Education, University of Iowa

List of Tables and Figures ix

Foreword xi

Preface xv

Acknowledgments xxi

About the Author xxiii

1. The Historical and Philosophical Foundations of Student Learning in Residence Halls 1

2. How Biological and Psychological Development Influence Student Learning and Behavior 29

3. How Students Learn in Residence Halls 59

4. How to Create Learning Environments in Residence Halls 89

5. Selecting and Developing Residence Life Staff to Advance Student Learning 135

6. How Residential Environments Influence Student Learning 179

7. How to Shape the Peer Environment in Residence Halls to Advance Student Learning 201

8. Managing Student Life in Residence Halls to Support Student Learning 231

9. Assessing and Improving Residence Life Programs 257

10. The Future of Residence Halls 275

References 307

Name Index 353

Subject Index 365

GREGORY S. BLIMLING is a professor in the Rutgers University Graduate School of Education where he teaches college student affairs administration. For twenty–two years he served as a senior student affairs officer and for nine years as the editor of the Journal of College Student Development. A former ACPA president, he is the author, coauthor, or editor of many scholarly publications and books including Good Practices in Student Affairs: Principles to Foster Student Learning (Jossey–Bass, 1999).