Overview
REP4 (Rapid Education Prototyping) is a national alliance formed by six institutions, including Shippensburg University, with the aim of revolutionizing education with learners taking the lead in shaping the new system.
The "4" in REP4 represents four key elements: change, learners, community, and equity. The alliance envisions learners as co-designers of education prototypes, with the best ideas being scaled nationwide.
Learn more about the REP4 Alliance (https://rep4.org/alliance)
A Learner-Centric and Designed Educational Experience
The concept of Rapid Education Prototyping is centered around empowering learners to establish new and equitable systems for public higher education. It enables learners to lead change by designing flexible solutions that can be tested and quickly scaled up when proven successful. REP4 is supported by extensive networks of regional and national education, industry, and technology leaders, which further bolsters its ability to reform and recreate public education.
Building Connection & Engagement: Peer to Peer, Student to Self, and Student to Faculty
Shippensburg University strives to foster an inclusive and equitable learning environment. To better understand each student and their unique needs, the University continues to provide students, faculty and the campus safe environment to engage, have candid conversations about their educational experience, and work together toward building equitable pathways within and to education.
How Are We Building Better Educational Experiences at Ship?
Since joining the Rep4 Alliance, Ship has been busy with two primary projects that have built a strong foundation for year over year change and growth.
Getting Started in 2022
Ship was the only REP4 partner to facilitate faculty involvement by incorporating key findings into the classroom and coursework (CAS- Curtis Zaleski, Dhiman Chattodha, Corrine Bertram, CEHS- Sam Benbow, Wendy Kubasko, and Karen Johnson and Alex Karlheim.
Connections with Faculty to Students
- Program Orientation Pre-work: students completed surveys to select their campus identities and learning styles
- Building a Shared Learning Experience: assessment and examples for pacing conversations
- Value and Scale Opportunities: leveraging office hours and review sessions
Peer to Peer + Student to Self-Reflections and Outcomes
- Focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) by creating fidget-spinners to support student focus within the classroom
- Forging Peer to Peer relations by creating study materials and encouraging shared resources
- Creating ongoing conversations by ice breakers, check-ins, and welcoming diverse thoughts
Keeping Momentum for Change in 2023
Ship welcomed back past REP4 student participants to help support and facilitate summer intensive workshops, activities, and student-centered innovations. Leveraging past experiences, survey feedback, faculty insights— Dr. Lynn Bynum led new Rep4 program participants in engagement sessions to learn rising high school and incoming college students’ backgrounds, experiences, preferences, and learning styles. Over two days, qualitative and quantitative information was collected to help administrators, faculty, and staff tailor their support services and resources to meet the diverse needs of the student population.
Key Takeaways to Build a Network for Change and Engagement
- Fidgets for focus in and out of the classroom
- Student wellbeing and health resources made accessible and available
- Targeted interventions for students in need and support
- Monthly Check-ins with Students and Faculty
- CETL Meeting Invitations (First Fridays)
Empowering Minds and Shaping Futures
By involving students in the design process, REP4 believes that valuable insights and innovations can be gained to improve the overall educational experience. The alliance is focused on bringing together higher education institutions such as Boise State, Grand Valley State University, Amarillo College, Fort Valley State University, San Jose State University, and technology partner Microsoft. Microsoft's technological leadership is seen as crucial in facilitating the rapid change required for this transformation.
2023-2024 REP4 Initiatives
Under the facilitation of the Office of First Year Experience, the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, and the REP4 Planning Committee (Rapid Educational Prototyping) including the Office of Workforce Development, the Career Center, the Office of Student Success, Communications and Marketing, and Admissions, faculty, staff, and students met for a two-day summer institute to explore recommendations to improve students’ retention, persistence, and sense of belongingness.
Summer 2023 Summer Sessions
Building on REP4 recommendations from last year, the 2023 group of first time in college, first generation students came together to propose two initiatives: Fidgets vs Phones and Team Up.
Two Strategies, Many Opportunities
Fidgets vs Phones is a course level strategy that asks faculty to explain why the use of a phone during class time is distracting while fidgets help to engage active listening and thinking. Students noted: Allowing us to use fidgets reduces anxiety and pinpoints our focus. Phones distract our minds while fidgets distract our anxiety.
The Team Up initiative is a wellness strategy that uses I statements to reframe self-talk associated with anxiety, stress, apathy, and lack of motivation into phrases that are internalized as strategies to improve outcomes. An ”I” statement is an identity-building structure in which students repeat empowerment statements. Rather than saying I’M stressed, TEAM UP recommends having students say, “ I am stressed, BUT I will thrive.” The change in identity statements or “I statements” helps to change our beliefs in ourselves.
Downloadable Resources for Faculty
To maintain momentum for these strategies and to incorporate into your classroom, here are a few downloadable and printable resources that can help you have open, empowering conversations with students.
Click image below to download
Resources
Additional Resources to learn more about Rep4
REP4 Alliance (https://rep4.org/alliance)
Whitepaper - Reimagining higher education as a student-centered experience
Support
22-23 REP4 Students
| Andres Rivera | Jaimen Bryant |
| Emma Shank | Cherish Sims |
| Gwyneth Parthemore | Katlyn Hoskins |
| Caitlyn Corby | Devon Jones |
| Tatiana Casseus | Edwin Puckett |
| Jashton Best | Daeshawn Ford |
| Gabriella Dacosta | Bethany Butler |
| Sherlyn Martinez | Carlee Trembly |
23-24 REP4 Faculty
| Melissa Knouse |
Curtis L. Spencer |
| Heather Sahli | Emily Kramer |
| Laurie Cella | Alex Karlheim |
| Russell Hedberg | Mark Spicka |
| Steven Burg | Melissa McNelis |
| Josefine Smith | Luis Melara |
| Sue Morin | Toru Sato |