Integrating Democratic Education at Stonehill (IDEAS)
Integrating Democratic Education at Stonehill (IDEAS) is an interdisciplinary, student-centered program that fosters engagement and active learning by creating an environment for students to share their passions, wisdom and knowledge with one another through student-led courses.
Why IDEAS Is Important?
Democratic education celebrates the joy of learning and enables students to play an active role in shaping their own learning by creating a framework for the sharing of ideas, learning philosophies, teaching practices and community visions. These programs give students more ownership over their education and they are a vehicle for students to share their passions, experiences and wisdom with their peers in ways that aren’t always possible in a traditional classroom setting.
IDEAS courses foster intellectual discussions among peers where everyone plays an equal role in teaching and learning. IDEAS classes promote open discussion and multiple opinions which leads to greater class participation. This type of environment has led to students being more confident after taking part in the classes. Students who take part in these classes tend to gain confidence and are more willing to offer opinions during discussions than in traditional classes.
Students often have the ability to shape the direction of courses. Facilitators are incredibly responsive to their students and often cater their courses to what the students would like to learn. The practice of democratic education increases student engagement because students take ownership over their education and create the course alongside their peers.
IDEAS courses make Stonehill graduates more attractive to graduate schools and employers because of the initiative reflected in teaching a course as well as the skills developed in the process. The program provides an opportunity to gain confidence and teaching experience as well as skills that can be used on a broader scale to engage and lead groups through effective management, cooperation and administrative skills.
The IDEAS program not only benefits Stonehill students. It also invites faculty members into a conversation about democratic education. By creating an inclusive, judgment-free environment, similar to the IDEAS program, faculty may discover that discussions are more fruitful in the traditional classroom.
IDEAS classes are heavily based on collaboration and effective communication. Better collaboration undoubtedly leads not only to improved group projects and assignments but greater mastery of the course content. Additionally, courses often require oral presentations, a task feared by many students. If students become more comfortable participating during an IDEAS course, they will not only be more inclined to share their opinions during traditional course discussions but also will become better at classroom presentations.
These classes show the importance of interpersonal interactions and closeness in the academic process. When you feel supported and comfortable, you will be more open to new perspectives.
Student-led IDEAS Program Strengthens Leadership, Deepens Learning
The IDEAS program enables students to become more active learners and take ownership over their education by engaging their peers in intellectual conversations focused on topics and ideas about which they are passionate.