Roompact is proud to sponsor of ACPA’s Institute on the Curricular Approach. Offered annually to educators and professionals in residence life and education, the Institute is a three day series of sequential workshops and sessions that teach participants how to implement a curricular approach to education in residence life and student affairs.
As provider of software that enables colleges and universities to implement and track a residential curriculum, Roompact is on the ground in Anaheim this week. In case you missed it, we’ll be recapping each day of the Institute:
- Day 1 ICA Recap (current)
- Day 2 ICA Recap
- Day 3 ICA Recap
DAY ONE
Preparing To Learn
Today is my favorite day! Happy day 1 of #ACPAICA. Get ready to learn, engage and discuss—it’s going to be transformational.
— bonnie mcgahee (@bonniemcgahee) October 13, 2019
Good morning colleagues! Cheers to the start of an incredible day of learning and connecting at #ACPAICA pic.twitter.com/0bxtU7X7p5
— Dr. Hilary L. Lichterman (@HilLichterman) October 13, 2019
@ACPA I’m so excited to be REPRESENTING @NYUHousing with colleagues to learn, grow and share more at #ACPAICA pic.twitter.com/fT08WFrHMY
— Chloe Beck (@ChloeZora) October 13, 2019
@Roompact im obsessed with our workbooks! #ACPAICA pic.twitter.com/TSn71nOdVq
— bonnie mcgahee (@bonniemcgahee) October 13, 2019
3…2…1… time to learn! #CurriculumCoolKids #SmartGirlsHaveMoreFun #acpaica pic.twitter.com/4hPInlGHbM
— Michele Kleeman (@michelekleeman) October 13, 2019
How important is this work? 500+ attendees and over 130 institutions represented at #ACPAICA.
— Dr. Brandon W. Jones (@drjonz84) October 13, 2019
Excited to get my learn on at ICA 2019! #ACPAICA @ACPA pic.twitter.com/vk00Oy0W3M
— Ricardo Lewin (@Ricardo_L3win) October 13, 2019

Institute Welcome
This is what 500 transformational educators looks like. #ACPAICA pic.twitter.com/x6rijkKn11
— Paul Brown (@paulgordonbrown) October 13, 2019
This accurately depicts what has happened with my knowledge around a curricular approach. #ACPAICA pic.twitter.com/YhT6w4p9Tz
— Jason Johnson (@greppson) October 13, 2019
Today I am #GRATEFULAF to be here for #ACPAICA with colleagues who are looking to #transform the ways in which we serve our students! Want this workbook to figure out what you’re grateful for? Reach out to @pjeanai pic.twitter.com/NK9JGUUbYN
— Chloe Beck (@ChloeZora) October 13, 2019
We lead from our values. We are all here because we believe in the power of transformation -Chris Moody #ACPAICA
— Shanoya (@shanoyaconner) October 13, 2019
PRO-TIP: The #ACPAICA hashtag is a 24/7 FREE resource for those everyone doing this work and not able to attend the conference. Take advantage of this robust learning community.
— Dr. Brandon W. Jones (@drjonz84) October 13, 2019
Plenary: Curricular Overview
Buckle up #ACPAICA …@KeithEPhD and @KathleenGTweets are going to blow your mind.
— Jamie Penven (@VTrunnerDude) October 13, 2019
rockstars. 🤩 #ACPAICA pic.twitter.com/raoYjk7eEU
— bonnie mcgahee (@bonniemcgahee) October 13, 2019
Curricular work is revolutionary and obvious.
— Erica Thompson (@EricaKThompson) October 13, 2019
With it, we never think about our work in the same way – our paradigm is turned upside down. But it is not complicated. Once you make the shift, you can be on purpose and simple.@keithephd #ACPAICA
"You must unlearn what you have learned…" #ACPAICA @KathleenGTweets @KeithEPhD pic.twitter.com/vDEXmJmawD
— Chester L. Miller (@ChesterLMiller) October 13, 2019
Pro Tip: Take time to open your mind and explore the possibilities of learning. @KeithEPhD #ACPAICA pic.twitter.com/00RuqUpBlK
— Ryan Lloyd (@Ryanelloyd) October 13, 2019
A lots of times, we get confused between the things we want students to experience and the things we want them to take with them for the rest of their lives. The latter is the outcome, what we need to focus on. @keithephd #ACPAICA
— Erica Thompson (@EricaKThompson) October 13, 2019
#acpaica pic.twitter.com/E2UeCmPAzX
— Juls White (@yulievite) October 13, 2019
“We can’t outwork a problem or changing demographic. We need a new paradigm” #ACPAICA
— Danielle Remigio (@missdaniellelyn) October 13, 2019
The path doesn’t matter if you don’t know where you’re going.#aliceinwonderland@kathleengtweets #ACPAICA pic.twitter.com/Wk3Tfte3IM
— Erica Thompson (@EricaKThompson) October 13, 2019
It’s educational malpractice to outsource student learning to students who should be doing the learning #ACPAICA
— Shanoya (@shanoyaconner) October 13, 2019
Institutions don’t exist for our passion projects—they exist for student learning. #ACPAICA pic.twitter.com/y7H77Dx6uJ
— Erin Simpson 🏳️🌈 (@ErinSimp) October 13, 2019
The Ten Essential Elements #ACPAICA pic.twitter.com/XZDBCUB4JJ
— Renee Kashawlic (@courage629) October 13, 2019
Making lots of connections in my mind between Curricular Approach and restorative practices. #ACPAICA
— Mikal Kenfield (@MikalReslife) October 13, 2019
It’s not about *just learning outcomes.
— R❄️❄️mpact (@Roompact) October 13, 2019
It’s paradigmatic change. 👏🏻👏🏻 https://t.co/uzRodKRVdd #ACPAICA
Mission statements and educational priorities are different. #ACPAICA pic.twitter.com/OjJNvrMty2
— Renee Kashawlic (@courage629) October 13, 2019
Considerations – how do you communicate your learning goals to constituents? How do you thread your goals through multiple connection points for students so they hear & learn about them over time and across multiple different strategies? @KeithEPhD #ACPAICA
— Ryan Lloyd (@Ryanelloyd) October 13, 2019
No longer asking student staff “how is your floor doing this week,” and instead, I’ll be shifting gears to, “what sort of learning is happening on your floor this week.” #ACPAICA
— Tyler Bradley (@TylerSBradley) October 13, 2019
Mic drop…
— Renee Kashawlic (@courage629) October 13, 2019
Who is higher? #ACPAICA pic.twitter.com/gr1JNtzvjG
@KeithEPhD and @KathleenGTweets have me like during this Plenary Session… #ACPAICA pic.twitter.com/uZnYyXMPf4
— Chester L. Miller (@ChesterLMiller) October 13, 2019
Create a “culture of positive restlessness”. Always moving forwards. Never settling. #ACPAICA pic.twitter.com/T4Ibfkp6uN
— Danielle Remigio (@missdaniellelyn) October 13, 2019
Who sits in committee meetings for 18 months and only makes recommendations? #ACPAICA pic.twitter.com/F7DYUqWAk0
— Chester L. Miller (@ChesterLMiller) October 13, 2019
Encouraged to hear some recognition of this in the #acpaica plenary. Because adaptive change means changes in culture from varying stakeholders that the “expert as educator model” does not tend to support. #acpaica
— diagnosing cognitive dissonance (@laurteresa) October 13, 2019
#ACPAICA Thinking a lot about how we can create a better experience with residential curriculum/learning outside the classroom for both students&SAPros. How can we foster the confidence& encourage the ability of entry level pros to take on a new initiative/unfamiliar territory?
— Jess Damour, M.Ed (@jessT_doit16) October 13, 2019
Recommended #ACPAICA faculty reads… pic.twitter.com/r4wH177xrJ
— Renee Kashawlic (@courage629) October 13, 2019
🎤 ⬇️
— R❄️❄️mpact (@Roompact) October 13, 2019
Mic drop.
📚 💣
Knowledge bomb.
– @KathleenGTweets @KeithEPhD #ACPAICA
Showcase: Lehigh University
Lehigh University’s showcase is a fantastic example of how multiple offices work together to advance a divisional curriculum. Outstanding commitment to a core educational priority and learning goals with coordinated work across multiple offices! #ACPAICA
— Ryan Lloyd (@Ryanelloyd) October 13, 2019
Lehigh U’s bLUeprint website:https://t.co/BmCPbWtMVF #ACPAICA
— R❄️❄️mpact (@Roompact) October 13, 2019
I love seeing examples founding curriculum in self-authorship work. Everyone should be critical thinkers and grow self-reflection capacity @LehighU #ACPAICA
— Tyler Fultz (@tyler_fultz) October 13, 2019
Lehigh’s 5 foundations: https://t.co/uo57vMuF6U #ACPAICA
— R❄️❄️mpact (@Roompact) October 13, 2019
This self-critique is so real. How do you make institutional culture change feel manageable or how do you work through initial resistance from other depts by starting the change in your own sphere without creating a culture of competitiveness? #ACPAICA
— Tyler Fultz (@tyler_fultz) October 13, 2019
For those of us with falling enrollment, I can see the danger of creating learning goals that will sell well to prospective students and families. #ACPAICA
— Mikal Kenfield (@MikalReslife) October 13, 2019
Love that the Lehigh team is showing us HOW they do this. #ACPAICA https://t.co/csOdlLNYDB
— Keith E. Edwards (@KeithEPhD) October 13, 2019
LEHIGH University breaking it down and making a divisional curricular approach seem WAY less intimidating. 💙#waytogo #ACPAICA pic.twitter.com/DiSeazlrt2
— Danielle Barone (@DLeighBarone) October 13, 2019
I love the co-creation language in the @LehighOFYE vision – TOGETHER. It’s the how, not just the what. #ACPAICA pic.twitter.com/uaYtCCDdWO
— diagnosing cognitive dissonance (@laurteresa) October 13, 2019
It is so important for curriculum work to be explicit to your audience. Otherwise you’re creating an agenda they didn’t sign up for. Thriving and being a self-motivated wonderer are important, and it’s so different when you are explicit about your goal. @LehighU #ACPAICA
— Tyler Fultz (@tyler_fultz) October 13, 2019
This Draft Book from Lehigh is really great. Flip through a real copy during the Resource Fair if you get a chance. #ACPAICA
— Keith E. Edwards (@KeithEPhD) October 13, 2019
Imagine if campus partners could host this, instead of asking, "when can I come to student staff training to talk at the RAs?" #divisionalcurriculum #seamlesssequenedlearning #ACPAICA pic.twitter.com/bHUwApdngb
— Danielle Barone (@DLeighBarone) October 13, 2019
Would love to connect with institutions that utilize a workbook with students/student staff where it is actually used by students. I’ve seen a number of great workbooks, but almost all struggled to get students/student staff to actually engage with them. #ACPAICA
— Jason Johnson (@greppson) October 13, 2019
This draft book idea is so cool. I’d love to see common (adjustable) reflection tools for all sorts of initiatives. Normalizing reflection would really help push initiatives past surface level and make them meaningful @LehighU #ACPAICA
— Tyler Fultz (@tyler_fultz) October 13, 2019
Awesome way to encourage reflection through intentional design from LehighU. #ACPAICA pic.twitter.com/af1TbcgCgX
— R❄️❄️mpact (@Roompact) October 13, 2019
Session 1
Beginning Track: The Archeological Dig and The Educational Priority
Kotter’s Model Of Change feels so much like grassroots organizing. #ACPAICA
— Tyler Bradley (@TylerSBradley) October 13, 2019
Don’t try to work backwards and make fit what isn’t working. #ACPAICA pic.twitter.com/pofQ1vesJT
— Danielle Remigio (@missdaniellelyn) October 13, 2019
We are overworked. We need to figure how to have a more balanced work day with greater impact. @paulgordonbrown #ACPAICA
— Renee Kashawlic (@courage629) October 13, 2019
As reference, here’s UMass’s educational priority. #ACPAICA pic.twitter.com/rkMi46FrCJ
— Tyler Bradley (@TylerSBradley) October 13, 2019
Your Educational Priority becomes the blueprint for your work …. @DHibbTweets #ACPAICA
— Chester L. Miller (@ChesterLMiller) October 13, 2019
Who you have at the table when you ask these questions will be different based on their perspective, positionality and relationship with students at your institution #ACPAICA pic.twitter.com/XeVBhXOBpH
— Chester L. Miller (@ChesterLMiller) October 13, 2019
“If you need to change all practices (i.e. hiring, training, etc.), how do you capture that when an educational priority is just focused on students?” This is why I’m so glad we reference how we foster environments in our EP. @UMBC #ACPAICA
— Tyler Fultz (@tyler_fultz) October 13, 2019
From the Returning Tracks:
Experts shut down experimentation because they know more than anyone else. Experts are concerned about their ego, not learning-centered.#ACPAICA
— Erica Thompson (@EricaKThompson) October 13, 2019
Reflecting on what I believe influences what I think students should learn is tough when recognizing that most learning happens in informal spaces. I think I’m influenced by seeing the power of infusing reflection into everything so that seeps into informal spaces #ACPAICA
— Tyler Fultz (@tyler_fultz) October 13, 2019
Seven Areas of Focus#ACPAICA pic.twitter.com/2WTSJiFBoC
— Erica Thompson (@EricaKThompson) October 13, 2019
Session 2
Beginning Track: Learning Goals, Narratives, and Outcomes
Kotter’s change model got me a little excited. Thanks for such a great resource #acpaica pic.twitter.com/cnUrEYqA6M
— Trelana (@trelanad) October 13, 2019
“Pulling back the curtain on what we do to students doesn’t make us less magical. If anything, it makes us more magical” #ACPAICA
— Danielle Remigio (@missdaniellelyn) October 13, 2019
The first time I’ve ever been told to not use SMART goals #ACPAICA pic.twitter.com/FodsWzoh64
— Chloe Beck (@ChloeZora) October 13, 2019
Constantly impressed by how revolutionary our students are. They are always also experts. #ACPAICA
— Tyler Fultz (@tyler_fultz) October 13, 2019
From the Returning Tracks:
QBQ Guidelines:
— Erica Thompson (@EricaKThompson) October 13, 2019
1. Begin with what or how (not why, when, or who)
2. Contain an I (not they, them, we, or you)
3. Focus on an action#ACPAICA
The lack of willingness to share personal definitions of "organizational change" serves as a metaphor for just how scared or hesitant we can be to initiate the things that we MUST do to move our field forward. #ACPAICA
— y – Frank W. Tierney (@frankwtierney) October 13, 2019
Question Behind the Question (QBQ): what do people really want to know?@Becks2354 #ACPAICA
— Erica Thompson (@EricaKThompson) October 13, 2019
#ACPAICA book recommendation for thinking about learning organizations: The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth https://t.co/Jg79BDAKuG
— Dr. Hilary L. Lichterman (@HilLichterman) October 13, 2019
This self-critique is so real. How do you make institutional culture change feel manageable or how do you work through initial resistance from other depts by starting the change in your own sphere without creating a culture of competitiveness? #ACPAICA
— Tyler Fultz (@tyler_fultz) October 13, 2019
End of Day 1
One more time: what we do IS curriculum, not "curriculum and…"@Becks2354 #ACPAICA
— Erica Thompson (@EricaKThompson) October 13, 2019
Stop thinking about your training as an event and start reframing is as ongoing education.@Becks2354 #ACPAICA
— Erica Thompson (@EricaKThompson) October 13, 2019
Stop thinking about your training as an event and start reframing is as ongoing education.@Becks2354 #ACPAICA
— Erica Thompson (@EricaKThompson) October 13, 2019
I’ve found the sessions at #acpaica to be a great refresher for creating curricula. I was feeling a bit discouraged this morning during the opening and plenary, but the sessions have been a great foundation for folx new to this work.
— Nikola Maebre (@NiktheChick) October 13, 2019
I’ve found the sessions at #acpaica to be a great refresher for creating curricula. I was feeling a bit discouraged this morning during the opening and plenary, but the sessions have been a great foundation for folx new to this work.
— Nikola Maebre (@NiktheChick) October 13, 2019
If you change the language you start changing the culture #ACPAICA
— Juls White (@yulievite) October 13, 2019
Curriculum is what we do -> if it's an "and" you're not there yet" @Becks2354 #ACPAICA
— Matt Phister (@MPhister1831) October 13, 2019
A criticism I hear often of this approach is that it diminishes professionals' ability to be unique. Hard Truth: It's not about you. It's about our students. There's plenty of ways to be creative within the contexts of a curriculum while being strategic & intentional. #ACPAICA
— y – Frank W. Tierney (@frankwtierney) October 13, 2019
Debriefing and creating actions from day one at #ACPAICA @ResLifeAtPurdue pic.twitter.com/ZUm0gqC1BD
— Renee Kashawlic (@courage629) October 13, 2019
Working the @UTHousing table at #ACPAICA. ALL of that stuff on the table is gone now 🤘 pic.twitter.com/laVid6yrVF
— Dr. Brandon W. Jones (@drjonz84) October 13, 2019
Thinking about how we can create strategies that help students engage with the curriculum instead of curriculum happening to them! #ACPAICA #SmartGirlsHaveMoreFun pic.twitter.com/5EGGbK9zGW
— Michele Kleeman (@michelekleeman) October 14, 2019
You KNOW you brought the right team when the challenging and incredible conversations last beyond session end time and throughout dinner. #goumass #lastonesintheroom#ACPAICA pic.twitter.com/XrdinXFuOE
— Danielle Barone (@DLeighBarone) October 14, 2019
Had a great dinner and dialogue with my SJSU peers. This is the first ICA where I’ve had a delegation and I couldn’t be happier. They make my brain hurt in the best way. 🤯 #ACPAICA #Grateful
— bonnie mcgahee (@bonniemcgahee) October 14, 2019
Day 1 is in the books! Lots of learning and engagement. This introvert is ready for some quite reflection and yes that may mean I end up eating pizza in bed! #ACPAICA
— Rex L. Jackson (@jacksrex) October 14, 2019
Day 1 at #ACPAICA often involves some overwhelm: paradigm shifts, student affairs blasphemy, discussing the very purpose of our work. Tomorrow gets more tangible: strategies, sequencing, assessment, and lots of showcases. You got this! pic.twitter.com/WFW5LoI2uQ
— Keith E. Edwards (@KeithEPhD) October 14, 2019
The big question I’m pondering after Day 1 of #ACPAICA: what does it mean to have a student development background? What questions does it force us to consider about students, institutions, and our role in the learning process?
— Jordan Todd (@_JordanTodd) October 14, 2019
Day one of #ACPAICA is in the books. My heart is full and my head is swimming with questions, ideas and affirmations. Can't wait to continue learning tomorrow. #SApro
— Danielle Barefoot (@barefoot_d) October 14, 2019