The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 43, No. 3 - 89

Current Practices in Resident Assistant Training

homesickness, sexual assault, alcohol use/
abuse, drug use/abuse, time management,
and eating disorders.
The increase in the use of topics related to
the safety and security theme is striking when
one considers that Bowman and Bowman's
(1998) list of topics covered in pre-service
training did not take into account four frequently included topics: crisis management,
discipline/student conduct, emergency response, and institutional policies and procedures. Additionally, more pre-service training
programs included safety and security topics
such as fire safety, sexual assault, discipline/
student conduct, and administrative tasks.
While striking, the rise in safety and security
topics in RA training is not surprising given
the post 9/11 security environment, the rise
in random acts of violence on college and university campuses, and the increase in federal
regulations related to campus safety (Diekow
& Dunkel, 2013).

Teaching methods. Teaching methods used
in pre-service training have not changed much
since Bowman and Bowman's (1998) study.
Consistent with findings reported in 1998,
respondents to the present study reported a
heavy reliance on three traditional teaching
methods: lecture, discussion, and role plays.
Bowman and Bowman (1998) found that 66%
of their respondents used "other experiential
techniques, such as demonstrations" (p. 23).
Respondents to this study indicated the use
and frequency of 14 teaching methods in their
pre-service RA training programs (Table 2).
Nearly all respondents, on average, very frequently used discussion and sometimes used
role plays, lecture, games or simulations, and
guest speakers. While more than 80% of re-

spondents reported using peer teaching, observation, case studies, and videos, DVDs, and
YouTube clips, on average, these methods were
employed rarely to sometimes. Two teaching
methods, reflective essays and podcasts, were
seldom employed.

In-Service RA Training
Informed by Bowman and Bowman (1998),
the author defined RA in-service training as
generally brief sessions (one to two hours)
scheduled regularly (during or in addition to
staff meetings) and occurring after the RA has
begun the job. Nearly three-quarters of study
participants (73%) responded to questions
about the content and teaching methods used
in their in-service training for students serving
as RAs in the 2010-11 academic year.

Content. The scope of in-service training
on U.S. campuses continues to grow. In the
early 1990s, of 31 possible topics Bowman
and Bowman (1998) observed that "only nine
topics were covered at more than one-half the
respondent institutions" (p. 22). In contrast,

. . . in response to a call to
reconsider higher education's
approach to learning, faculty
and administrators in higher
education degree programs
should consider requiring
courses on curriculum design
for degree completion.
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The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 43, No. 3

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 43, No. 3