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To be prepared and ready for your future, UCO encourages you to grow and transform in 5 other areas in addition to becoming an expert in your academic major (your discipline knowledge). Employers and graduate schools say they want new candidates to be more well-rounded in areas shown below that we call the Central Six Tenets of Transformative Learning. Employers say no matter what your major or future job might be, the values and skills in the Central 6 Tenet categories are what their organizations need to be successful.
While your growth in your discipline knowledge is shown on your traditional academic transcript through your grades, UCO created the first of its kind, Student Transformative Learning Record (STLR) and the STLR Snapshot for you to be able to see and show your growth in these other areas. The STLR Snapshot is like a second transcript that displays your growth from both in- and out-of-class activities. You can track your progress any time by viewing and organizing your STLR credits on your STLR Snapshot online dashboard at http://stlrsnapshot.uco.edu. Later you can use the tool to create a STLR Snapshot Page Printout (a PDF), which is your customizable record to reflect on your experiences, share for scholarships, job applications, or grad school applications.
Examples of how STLR credits can help you grow and stand out:
- learning how to work well in teams with people whose opinions differ from your own; improving your ability to interact positively and appropriately with co-workers, clients, customers, and others from different countries and cultures (Global and Cultural Competencies)
- discovering how to manage stress, responsibilities, and take care of yourself (Health and Wellness)
- developing leadership qualities by helping others and making an impact in the world around you (Leadership)
- practicing solving unexpected problems and devising creative solutions through projects or independent research (Research, Creative and Scholarly Activities).
- contributing as a productive citizen in your local communities, the nation, and the world through volunteering (Service Learning and Civic Engagement);
- Learn more about using STLR to stand out and career-readiness.
For an activity to be STLR-tagged for STLR credit, a STLR-trained faculty or staff member must submit the activity to the STLR office for approval. Once approved, the STLR office works with the faculty/staff person to set up the technology in D2L (llearn.uco.edu) to capture and document the experience. Once the credit is recorded in D2L, after 24 hours, the credits should display in the STLR Snapshot dashboard where you can organize them into a printable PDF record called a STLR Snapshot page. Students can display these experiences and credit on their STLR Snapshot pages and in different versions of ePortfolios that you can share with potential employers, graduate schools, or others to highlight your most employable strengths. Learn more about how activities become STLR-tagged, including where to find STLR-tagged opportunities.
Students can earn STLR credit at three levels: Exposure, Integration, and Transformation. Students can earn Exposure credit from class assignments, campus events, student groups, out-of-class projects, or visiting and interacting with STLR locations across campus. Students can earn Integration and Transformation credit through class assignments, groups, or out-of-class projects. To earn Integration or Transformation, the faculty/staff member has students submit a reflection in D2L. The faculty/staff member than rates the student based on their growth and provides feedback. Students that earn Transformation credit will earn a cord for graduation in the color of the tenet category. Learn more about the STLR levels.
For more info on STLR, view stlr.uco.edu, or contact info: CTL Building (Center for Transformative Learning Building) Room 200, 405-974-5570, or follow on instagram, twitter, and facebook at @ucostlr.