![]() One of the reasons for this is that not everyone arrives at institutions of higher learning with the same skillset. These DFWI rates are especially high in introductory and gateway courses (Koch & Drake, 2019). But colleges and universities have also experienced increasing DFWI rates, which refers to the number of Ds, Fs, withdrawals, and incompletes awarded in courses (Koch & Drake, 2019). Over the past 30 years, higher education has become more accessible (Vieira et al., 2020). ![]() Thinking deeply about how we structure our courses has become increasingly important. Many USU instructors have shown dedication to excellence in teaching through thoughtful course design, with an explicit goal of helping students succeed in college. As Steven Gavazzi (2019), author of Land-Grant Universities for the Future, explained at the USU Empowering Teaching Excellence Conference, land-grant universities provide a key service to their communities-to “support equitable access to all formats of learning.” With a large statewide campus system that is committed to strong in-person teaching, equitable online learning, and a sincere dedication to nontraditional and first-generation students, USU embodies Gavazzi’s ideal. ![]() This three-pronged mission is what makes USU a premier land-grant institution, one dedicated to innovation in teaching and learning. “We champion exceptional education, research and discovery, and community contribution,” the strategic document emphasizes. This is evidenced in USU’s three-part “Strategic Direction,” which lists teaching first. Unlike many R1 institutions of higher learning, which can shy away from teaching excellence as a core component of their mission, USU actively encourages exceptional college-level teaching. But research, though crucial for knowledge production, is not the only thing that USU department chairs, deans, and administrators care about. The R1 designation means that our faculty and graduate students must meet high standards of research productivity and innovation. USU is a land-grant university that carries the prestigious R1 (or “very high research activity”) classification from the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education. In the 21st century, this commitment is more important than ever, especially at an institution like Utah State University. Doing so, we hope, will demonstrate USU’s commitment to offering a strong educational experience for our students. In Habits of Mind: Designing Courses for Student Success, we bring together 32 transformative USU instructors who, in 22 chapters, highlight their experiences in developing the Habits of Mind framework in the courses they teach. To underscore the pedagogical possibilities of remaking college courses, we have assembled the perspectives of USU faculty, instructors, and learning specialists from across the University in a single edited volume. Our belief that USU offers a strong model for education compelled us to edit this collection. ![]() Though we may be biased, we believe that USU is an innovator in combining the rigorous teaching of content knowledge with an emphasis on study skills. USU’s most transformative educators continue to cultivate these skills and dispositions throughout the undergraduate course of study. Before they even begin their formal coursework, USU students start learning about the study skills that will help them thrive, not only in college but in their careers. Utah State University (USU) instructors are particularly adept at providing study skills and academic competencies throughout the undergraduate curriculum. If students are not prepared for these postsecondary education challenges, then it is fair to say that college faculty have failed them. If we do not focus on skills-building in college courses, students will not be prepared for the challenges that await them after they leave institutions of higher education. To “grow their capacity as efficacious thinkers to navigate and thrive in the face of unprecedented change” (Costa et al., 2023), students must learn and improve important study skills and academic dispositions throughout their educational careers. Although content knowledge remains at the heart of college teaching and learning, forward-thinking instructors recognize that we must also provide 21st-century college students with transferable skills (sometimes called portable intellectual abilities) to prepare them for their futures (Vazquez, 2020 Ritchhart, 2015 Venezia & Jaeger, 2013 Hazard, 2012).
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