“Discussion Guide 2: Focus on Spiritual Edification (40 minutes),” Guide for Institute Changes (2023)
“Discussion Guide 2,” Guide for Institute Changes
Discussion Guide 2: Focus on Spiritual Edification (40 minutes)
Institute programs are now authorized to move away from an approach that emphasizes the importance of receiving class credit and earning a graduation diploma and toward an approach that emphasizes the transformative spiritual experiences and support available at institute. While we will still make credit available to students who want it, our focus will be on providing spiritually uplifting experiences that respond to the needs and expectations of our students. This direction should be seen as authorizing flexibility more than mandating action. Areas, regions, and programs may choose to focus on credit and graduation to varying levels based on local student needs.
Instructions: Read and discuss the implementation examples given below, and consider what changes you can make in your institute program to focus on spiritual edification as the primary motivation for participation in institute.
Research
Internal S&I research shows that many students do not find value in the extrinsic motivation provided by working toward a graduation diploma. In one large survey of students from four continents, six in ten young adults said the academic requirement approach to institute was unappealing.1
For these students, emphasizing credit and graduation as the motive to attend institute caused some to not participate or to participate without enrolling.
The opinion of young adults on the value of credit and graduation varied regionally. In some areas of the world, particularly North America and Europe, a focus on graduation was seen as unimportant or a deterrent to formal participation in institute. In other regions of the world, particularly in parts of Latin America and Africa, graduation was viewed more positively.2 Overall, most students worldwide report that growing in testimony and faith in God and connecting with a community of their peers are their primary motivations for attending institute.
Discuss how well this research fits with your experience and conversations with students. Make plans to ask young adults, both those who attend and those who do not, about their experience with credit and graduation.
Implementation Examples
This change will have a significant though subtle impact on many things we do and say in institute. A few examples on ways to emphasize growth in faith and testimony over credit and graduation are given below. Review these examples and discuss as a group how they might apply to your program. Remember, the level to which you de-emphasize credit and graduation should be adapted to local circumstances.
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Change the way you talk about institute with current students, prospective students, fellow faculty, and others. Emphasize the outcomes of feeling closer to the Savior, being edified (see Doctrine and Covenants 50:17–22), and being part of an important cause rather than completing requirements for credit or an institute diploma.
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Do continue to emphasize the benefits of consistent attendance, engaging in the classroom experience, and preparation outside of classes and other offerings at the institute.
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Do speak often about the transformative spiritual experiences available and the increased faith, testimony, and connection to God.
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Do talk about the community and the great cause to which students will belong.
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Do testify of the peace, confidence, and hope available to those who lay hold on the word of God.
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Do make sure all are welcomed and encouraged to participate, regardless of how long or how consistently they can attend.
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Do create experiences at institute that build a sense of belonging and connection to God and community.
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Do adapt in-class experiences and messaging to focus more on the uplifting experience and less on helping everyone in attendance meet academic requirements.
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Do not create posters or internal messaging that only focus on graduation as the primary reason for attending.
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Do not emphasize messages that imply that institute graduation is a requirement to be righteous or to be accepted by the Church or prophets.
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Do not overly push students to commit to completing credit or graduation requirements. Instead, invite students to opt in to credit if they choose.
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Do not expect that every student in every class will complete all requirements to earn credit.
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As a result of the reduced emphasis on graduation, employ increased flexibility to adapt other aspects of the institute experience.
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Do collaborate with the institute council or local YSA committee to consider which classes would best respond to student needs.
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Do consider what class lengths, course duration, and semester cadence will best respond to student needs.
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Do continue to offer cornerstone courses and scripture-based courses as needed.
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Do not abandon existing curriculum.
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Continue to track and report enrollment and attendance while making credit and graduation a secondary consideration.
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Do continue to use WISE. Add individuals’ names to the class list in WISE, even if those students are not seeking credit.
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Do mark attendance in WISE daily. Attendance data provides S&I a measure of the impact of our programs. In cases where students desire to earn credit, mark reading progress and the completion of Elevate Learning Experiences so that completed courses will appear on those students’ CES transcripts.
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Do include a head count number in WISE for each class session that accurately accounts for all the individuals who participated in that session.
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Do continue to report to priesthood leaders the number and names of students who are participating in institute, even if those students are not seeking credit.
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Do seek to extend the reach of institute by inviting more to participate.
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Do not prioritize tracking student participation over creating edifying experiences.
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Do not abandon software programs designed to track and report participation. There is still a need to know how many students are participating and who they are.
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Do not send messages to students implying they are in danger of losing credit if they miss class, do not report their reading, or do not complete an assignment unless the student has opted in to such messages.
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Continue to make credit available on a program or individual level for those who desire to graduate from institute or to transfer academic religion credit to a university.
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Do seek to understand which of your students are participating in your class to earn transferable credit.
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Do be aware of which students in your classes are Pathway students. Pathway students typically take institute to earn transferrable credit.
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Do work with students who desire to earn credit to help them meet credit requirements.
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Do become familiar with online institute options, which are designed to lead to transferrable credit.
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Do send attendance, reading, and assignment reminders to students who have opted in to seeking transferrable credit.
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Do adapt institutional messaging about credit and graduation to fit local circumstances.
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Do invite the institute council or local YSA committee to guide the messaging around credit and graduation at an individual institute.
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Do not stop encouraging students to prepare for class by completing reading and other assignments. Class preparation is valuable for an effective learning experience, even if it is not being used toward credit.
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FAQs
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Do I still put everyone in WISE?Yes. Anyone who is willing to be named and counted, even if they are not seeking credit, should be added to the class list in WISE. Students who choose to participate anonymously are welcome to do so. Anyone who participates, whether named or not, should be counted in the WISE “Total Participants” box.
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What metrics will be used by S&I?Total participants (head count), enrollment, and weekly attendance of enrolled students will be the primary indicators of how many students S&I reaches through institute. Head count counts the number of individuals who attended a class or workshop. Enrollment counts all participants who are willing to put their name on the roll for classes or workshops. Participants do not need to be seeking credit to be enrolled. Weekly attendance of enrolled students reports how many enrolled students attended. In addition to these quantitative measures, S&I is developing survey questions to measure the perceived qualitative impact of classes and workshops. More information about S&I survey questions is forthcoming.
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How will we know we are succeeding?One indicator that we are succeeding is an increase in enrollment. Innovate Institute efforts have already contributed to a significant increase in institute participation: 35,000 more students enrolled in institute in 2021–22 than the year before, a 12 percent year-over-year increase. Total enrollment in 2021–22 was at a five-year high. This increase is one indicator of a vibrant and successful program. In addition, future measurements obtained through student surveys will give us greater insight into the depth of the impact we are having on the faith, connection to God, and belonging of each of those who attend. These two measures (enrollment and impact) will combine to give us a more holistic view of the overall breadth and depth of our impact as an organization, as a program, and as individuals.
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Will the requirements for credit and graduation change for those who seek them?No. Credit and graduation requirements remain the same for those who seek them. For class credit, a student must complete attendance, reading, and Elevate Learning Experience requirements. For graduation, a student must complete the four cornerstone courses and six additional credit hours.
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How can I provide credit to those who still want it if as a program we are not offering it generally?All students should be informed that any student desiring credit toward institute graduation or for transfer to another CES institution can complete the attendance, reading, and Elevate Learning Experience in any institute offering and receive credit. There are a few options to provide credit to students who want it. First, in locations where the institute program is large enough, credit-seeking students could be directed to specific classes created to meet credit requirements. Second, credit-seeking students could be directed to the local online institute program. All classes offered through area online institute programs lead to CES transferrable credit. Finally, teachers can work directly with individual students who are seeking credit in any class to help them complete credit requirements. Teachers then track these students’ progress toward the completion of credit requirements in WISE.
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Where can I find information on online institute courses in my area that students can use to earn credit?Online courses are listed at icl.ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Additionally, online directors assigned to your area can provide information.
Discussion Questions
The following questions may be helpful in discussing how to implement these changes.
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What do our students and potential students tell us about their desire to earn credit and graduate? In what ways can we listen and seek to better understand their needs and expectations?
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How will a focus on spiritual edification and intrinsic motivation over academic achievement change our students’ experience at the institute? How will it change our experience as faculty?
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How are our interactions with students influenced by an emphasis on helping them receive credit and work toward graduation?
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What can we do as a faculty to update our messaging to be in line with the needs and expectations of our students?
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How does the principle of local adaptation apply to this strategic change? How do we need to adapt this change to best meet the needs of our local students?
Action Plan
In the space below, write a few things you or your faculty plan to do to focus messaging on intrinsic motivators rather than on academic achievement: