Abstract
Financial hardship, social isolation, stress about transitioning to adulthood and the workplace, and the rapid pace of change in work environments are some examples of the challenges for college students as they prepare for graduation. The modern discourse on the post-college transition commonly emphasizes the economic and practical hurdles, such as educational loan debt, student employability, skill transferability, career networking, and job interviewing. Receiving far less attention are the psychosocial and developmental dimensions that color the student experience of the graduation transition, yet these factors have far-reaching implications for students at the end of their college careers. A team of college faculty at a public university in the United States, from social work, media studies, computer science, and communication, are tackling the conundrums facing students through an interdisciplinary, credit-bearing seminar titled, Launching into Life After College (LILAC). At the heart of the course are the concepts of agency and voice. The success of the course is evidenced in reduced anxiety and increased self-confidence to embark on a path forward toward a successful life and career. The course originators are currently engaged in a project to make LILAC available as an Open Educational Resource (OER). We share data and findings from LILAC as well as the process of creating a LILAC OER as we work to make the course accessible to a wider user base. We also provide a toolkit to participants, to allow for the replication or adaptation of LILAC in other educational settings.
Presenters
Leonard ShedletskyProfessor, Communication and Media Studies Department, University of Southern Maine, Maine, United States David Bantz
adjunct faculty, Computer Science, University of Southern Maine, Maine, United States Jeanette Andonian
Associate Dean & Associate Professor , Social Work, University of Southern Maine, Maine, United States Dennis Gilbert
Lecturer, Communication and Media Studies, Universtiy of Southern Miane, Maine, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
KEYWORDS
Life After College, Psychosocial, Transition, Young Adulthood, Decision-Making
