Learning Outcomes

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:

  1. Knowledge Acquisition
  2. Cognitive Complexity
  3. Personal Development
  4. Engaging Others in Action
  5. Social Responsibility and the Dynamics of Difference and Power
  6. 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