The Pomona College Student Affairs Division has identified six Student Learning Outcomes which help shape the Orientation Adventure (OA) experience. As student OA leaders progress through leader training and first-year students participate in the OA program, we expect students will increase their understanding and gain skills and experiences in these six areas:
- Knowledge Acquisition
- Cognitive Complexity
- Personal Development
- Engaging Others in Action
- Social Responsibility and the Dynamics of Difference and Power
- Practical Competence
OA leaders and first-year participants gain these skills in a variety of ways during the program from community engagement and environmental justice projects to cooking a meal with their OA group and technical skills training for outdoor activities like rock climbing, kayaking, or camping.
Knowledge Acquisition – OA Leader Examples
- Researching trip details such as weather, trails, reservations, and bus routes.
- Training workshop about different leadership styles
Knowledge Acquisition – First-Year Participant Examples
- Learning while doing (experiential learning)
- Learning about Pomona life first hand from OA leaders
- Gaining information about the local areas they visit on OA
Cognitive Complexity – OA Leader Examples
- Thinking outside the box for OA group’s needs
- Reflective journaling projects during training and during the OA trip
- Decision making skills with OA group
- Modeling environmentally friendly behavior for first-years
- Working with co-leaders to come to agreements when opinions differ
- Working on the fly to solve real life problems in the now
Cognitive Complexity – First-Year Participant Examples
- Reflective journaling assignments during and after the OA trip
- Practice planning skills for self-care while on an extended trip
- Allowed to voice opinion while debriefing activities on OA
Personal Development – OA Leader Examples
- Self Understanding (leader styles workshop)
- Identity Development (diversity identity training)
- Ethics and Integrity (LNT , Teal Dot)
- Personal Responsibility (taking care of one’s self first to be more effective leader of others)
- Adaptability and flexibility in difficult situations
Personal Development – First-Year Participant Examples
- Identity Development (personal journey using OA to feel out their new community of Sagehens)
- Ethics and Integrity (LNT, environmental ethics)
- Personal Responsibility (self-care, health, hydration, food, sun protection)
- Connection to Pomona community
Engaging Others in Action – OA Leader Examples
- Communication and lesson planning workshop and practice
- Effective leadership styles workshop
- Conflict Resolution mediation training with monsour counseling center
- Collaboration with community partners on and off campus
- Civility/ Respect for others while on trips and in training
- Engagement/ Participation in activities
Engaging Others in Action – First-Year Participant Examples
- Effective leadership (given opportunities on trip to be “leader of the day”)
- Collaboration with others during projects, cooking, activities, etc.
- Civility/ Respect for others while in stressful situations
Social Responsibility and Dynamics of Difference and Power – OA Leader Examples
- OA leader training workshops including topics on:
- Understanding and appreciation of cultural and human differences
- Sense of civic responsibility from
- Global Perspective
- Positionality within a community
- Identify power in relationships
- Learning concept of privilege
- Understanding plus identifying injustice, and advocating for change
Social Responsibility and Dynamics of Difference and Power – First-Year Participant Examples
- Participation in environmental service projects and civic community engagement activities, helping gain knowledge of:
- Understanding and appreciation of cultural and human differences
- Sense of civic responsibility
- Community engagement projects while on OA
- Environmental service projects while on OA
- Debriefing activities
- Global Perspective
- Positionality within a community
- Identify power in relationships
- Learning concept of privilege
- Understanding plus identifying injustice, and advocating for change
Practical Competence – OA Leader Examples
- Public speaking/ Presentation skills training and practice
- Technological Competence using GPS locator devices
- Outdoor gear training for camping specific activities
- Finance management practice of an OA trip including payment to guides, petty cash distribution for meals, etc.
- Demonstrate professionalism with guide companies, bus services, and rangers.
Practical Competence – First-Year Participant Examples
- Gear and outdoor activity training
- Practice using Pomona College systems for OA sign up process