Student Learning in College Residence Halls: What Works, What Doesn’t, and Why by Gregory S. Blimling (review)

For educators eager to articulate the value of an on-campus residential experience, Student Learning in the College Residence Halls: What Works, What Doesn’t, and Why is an essential library acquisition. Since the publishing in 1994 of Realizing the Educational Potential of Residence Halls (Schroeder & Mable), no texts have made similarly compelling cases that residence halls can, and should be, important tools in the delivery of a high-quality education. In the 1994 book, Blimling, with coauthors Pascarella and Terenzini, explored the emerging body of residential life student outcomes research. This recent Blimling text is an exponential advancement of their previous work, and moreover, it highlights the significant growth in knowledge gained through residence hall outcomes research over the past 20 years. Blimling’s stated purpose is to examine the effect of contemporary residence halls on learning, and that mission is no doubt achieved. Along the way, Blimling offers readers historical context, provides rich descriptions of approaches to residential life, and compares and contrasts the associated research on outcomes.

The articulated audience for this book is residence life professionals, graduate students interested in residence life, faculty involved in living and learning programs, and senior student affairs officers with responsibility for campus housing. Yet, anyone hoping to make the case that residence halls are a powerful but often underutilized mechanism for advancing important educational aims will scurry to get this book in the hands of others, especially college presidents, provosts, and those seeking to strengthen the campus learning experience. In a time when technology is offering alternative approaches for obtaining an undergraduate degree, Blimling arms readers with a wealth of research about the kinds of residential structures and formats that facilitate robust learning. Without reading like a literature review, the book highlights how residential life influences student learning. This is a significant accomplishment.

Chapter 1 articulates the philosophical shifts that historically have guided the primary practices of residence life administration. With each residential life paradigm comes new pedagogies, formats, and architecture. This in turn influences the prevailing art and science of educational efforts in residence halls, each of which are carefully and thoroughly explored in this chapter. In chapter 2, Blimling surveys the biological and psychological development literature and helps readers connect this science to the college student experience in general, and residence halls in particular. As part of Blimling’s treatment, a wealth of insight is shared about matters such as neurobiological development, music, sleeping, sexual behavior, alcohol, and adjustment issues that collectively influence student learning in residence halls. Chapter 3 introduces readers to a breadth of learning theories and how learning occurs in the residence hall context.

As part of this effort, Blimling describes multiple forms of intelligence, learning as a function of social group identity, the influence of peers and professionals on learning, and learning as an integrative process.

Once historical contexts, philosophical underpinnings, and theoretical foundations are established, the book becomes more pragmatic in its tone and offers research-informed counsel for practitioners interested in strengthening the learning environment of residence halls. Chapter 4, “How to Create Learning Environments in Residence Halls” analyzes research on the structure of peer relationships; chapter 5, “Selecting and Developing Residence Life Staff to Advance Student Learning” directs attention to training staff through a learning lens; chapter 6, “How Residential Environments Influence Learning” reminds readers of the importance of physical space in advancing student learning; chapter 7, “How to Shape the Peer Environment in Residence Halls to Enhance Student Learning” emphasizes the role of a student as a member of a peer group and the complexity this dynamic adds to the overall learning equation; chapter 8, “Managing Student Life in Residence Halls to Support Student Learning” introduces curricular approaches in residential education; chapter 9, “Assessing and Improving Residence Life Programs” challenges readers to be data driven in decision-making; and chapter 10, “The Future of Residence Halls” hypothesizes about...