Learning Communities

1. Learning Communities An overview

2. What are Learning Communities?

3. Learning Communities Two or more faculty members collaborating together to link their class assignments, themes, or activities

4. Goals of LC’s • Provide students with greater curriculum coherence • Provide both students and faculty increased intellectual interaction • Assist in boosting success and retention rates

5. What are the benefits?

6. Great for Colleges, Students, and Faculty • LC students had higher success, retention, persistence, transition rates, and transfer rates than non- LC students • 83% of students in an LC for the first time reported that they would enroll in another • LC instructors report that teaching in an LC is “the most rewarding teaching any of us have ever done”

7. Learning Community Data • Larger percentage successfully completed the course with grades A,B,C or Credit (60% vs. 43%) • Lower percentage withdrawal rate (18% vs. 34%)

8. Ongoing Benefits • More students transitioned to the next level of English • More students successfully completed the next level of English

9. Overall Learning Experience

10. Pass Rates at the SDCCDMesa College Math 95 & Personal Growth 127 100% and 83% Pass Rate! English 51 & Personal Growth 127 85% and 83% Pass Rate!

11. What are some possibilities for Miramar?

12. Types of Learning Communities • Fundamental Learning Communities • Transfer Learning Communities • Thematic Cluster Learning Communities

13. Fundamental LC’s • Target audience: “at risk” student populations • Aim to ensure student’s improvement in basic skills • Common links are between basic English and Math classes with Personal Growth classes

14. Fundamental LC Samples

15. Transfer • Target audience: students who wish to transfer to CSU or UC programs • Encourages discovery of similarities between GE required classes • Encourages study groups with common goals • Courses are offered in “bundles” that satisfy GE Breadth or UC requirements

16. CSU Transfer LC Sample LCOMM 100A

17. Thematic Cluster • Target audience: students who hope to gain higher understanding within one particular theme or focus • Honors students, special themes, special needs • Links are made between a variety of disciplines

18. Thematic Cluster

19. Leadership for Project Faculty Recruitment Faculty Support Involvement of Advisors/Counseling Publicity/Student Recruitment Scheduling Coordination Registration/Class Schedule Assessment Evaluation Successful Implementation

20. References Jensen, S. (2000). The pedagogy of possibilities: developmental education, college-level studies, and learning communities. Learning Communities Monograph Series, 106-107. Lenning, E. (1999). The powerful potential of learning communities: Improving education for the future, p. iv. Richards, E. (2006). The Learning communities experience: Bridging the gap. San Diego Mesa Community College. San Diego, CA.