Shelf by Sissiley Childers

Demographics and Background

sissiley6 — 2025-09-04 01:19:14 UTC

30 students, HEL-101 Foundations for Success in Higher Education
Evening, in-person course
Ages: 24–58 years
Gender: 18 women, 12 men
Cultural/Ethnic Diversity: 40% White/Caucasian, 30% Hispanic/Latinx, 20% Black/African American, 10% Asian/Pacific Islander
Languages: 80% English, 15% Spanish, 5% Mandarin

Education and Work Experience

sissiley6 — 2025-09-04 01:23:43 UTC

Education: 10% High school, 40% Some college/Associate’s, 40% Bachelor’s, 10% Graduate/Professional degree
Work Fields: Healthcare (40%), Education (20%), Business (15%), Trades (10%), IT/Tech (10%), Government (5%)

Learning Preferences and Challenges

sissiley6 — 2025-09-04 01:24:43 UTC

Preferences: 45% Visual, 35% Hands-on, 20% Reading/Writing
Tech Savviness: 30% High, 40% Moderate, 30% Limited
Challenges: 25% Time constraints, 15% Learning disabilities, 10% Tech literacy, 10% Language barriers, 5% Neurodiverse, 20% Assessment anxiety

Career and Learning Goals

sissiley6 — 2025-09-04 01:26:56 UTC

Career Goals: 40% Career advancement, 30% Career change, 20% Personal growth
Learning Goals: 50% Professional development, 30% Career transition, 20% Enrichment

Name Tent Icebreaker

sissiley6 — 2025-09-04 01:31:41 UTC

Students create name tents with personal facts and career goals. Encourages cultural sharing and connection.

Digital Collaboration Wall

sissiley6 — 2025-09-04 01:33:19 UTC

Students post learning goals and expectations on a shared wall. Builds ownership and visibility.

Case Study Problem-Solving

sissiley6 — 2025-09-04 01:45:11 UTC

Small groups solve scenarios related to their professional experience. Promotes collaboration and peer learning.

Interactive Poll/Quiz

sissiley6 — 2025-09-04 02:08:07 UTC

Refelection

sissiley6 — 2025-09-04 02:11:08 UTC

Belonging is essential for adult learners’ motivation and persistence. Maslow’s hierarchy reminds us that belonging must be met before students can reach self-actualization. Transformative learning emphasizes that adults change perspectives when they feel supported and included.

This course design fosters belonging by:

Acknowledging cultural and professional diversity
Encouraging multiple learning pathways (visual, hands-on, collaborative)
Creating relationship-building opportunities from the first class
Reducing barriers by addressing tech literacy, time constraints, and assessment anxiety

Visual Resource

sissiley6 — 2025-09-04 02:58:35 UTC

Multimedia Resource

sissiley6 — 2025-09-04 03:13:13 UTC

Resource

sissiley6 — 2025-09-04 03:14:31 UTC

Digital Collaboration Board

sissiley6 — 2025-09-04 03:19:00 UTC

Students will post their learning goals, challenges and expectations. This builds ownership and surfaces needs early.