Developing Habits of Mind for Academic Success

The low-stakes assignment Habits of Mind for Academic Success was designed to support First Year Seminar for Liberal Arts: Social Science and Humanities students in developing habits of mind essential for success in college. Using Costa and Kallick’s 16 Habits of Mind (HOMs) as reference, the assignment is staged and starts by prompting students to assess their current use of Habits of Mind and to identify what HOMs would be of value to them as college students. Upon completion of the individual assessment, students are introduced to examples of Habits of Mind in action through a video created for the Advanced Study of Learning course at Kennesaw State University. This next step also includes a collaborative exchange between students that culminates in a roleplay that requires the application of what has been learned. Finally, students write a reflective essay that describes their plans for using Habits of Mind in college. Students complete Steps 1 and 2 in class, which take approximately 90 minutes and can be done in the same class or during two consecutive class sessions. Students complete Step 3 outside of class. The assignment complements the overall course objectives by helping students who are new to college identify and develop strategies for academic success. It is worth 10 percent of the final grade