Library Resources: Reimagine Teaching Library Resource Guide: Learning Communities

What Are Learning Communities?

Learning communities are a family of programs, typically implemented at the collegiate level, that intentionally create community to accomplish specific learning objectives or goals. They are characterized by intentionally crafted spaces that bring groups of learners together to achieve shared goals around a central theme, increase interaction and collaboration with peers and faculty both in and out of the classroom, and use active learning techniques to focus on multi-or interdisciplinary concerns. Studies evaluating learning communities’ effectiveness suggest they promote students’ attainment of a wide range of academic and social outcomes important to graduates facing new social, political, and economic challenges.

from:

Rasmussen, Kristin, and Neil J. Salkind. Encyclopedia of Educational Psychology. SAGE

Publications, Inc, 2008, p.579.

Book Resources

Learning Communities in Community Colleges. Fogarty, J., Dunlap, L., Dolan, E. (Available free online at Evergreen State College). This publication includes an extended analysis of how learning communities meet the multiple purposes and pressures of community colleges as well as brief profiles of 18 programs that fit various college goals (e.g., general education, basic skills, and community partnerships). Tips on getting started, a selective list of print resources and a list of information specifically for learning communities in community colleges.

Learning Communities: Reforming Undergraduate Education. Leigh Smith, B., MacGregor, J., Matthews, R., and Gabelnick, F. (In CTLE for checkout) . Learning Communities is a groundbreaking book that shows how learning communities (LCs) can be a flexible and effective approach to enhancing student learning, promoting curricular coherence, and revitalizing faculty. Written by acclaimed national leaders in the leaning communities movement, this book provides the historical, conceptual, and philosophical context for LCs and clearly demonstrates that they can be a key element in institutional transformation.

Discipline Centered Learning Communities: Creating Connections Between Students, Faculty & Curricula. Buch, K. and Baron, K.E. (In CTLE for checkout). Learning communities are a powerful vehicle for creating and sustaining connections amongst students, faculty and the curriculum, but creating one can be a challenge. By providing resources, practical case studies, and theoretical grounding, this volume can both inspire and guide faculty, staff and administration in meeting their pedagogical and curricular goals.

Scholarly Articles

Learning Communities in Higher Education: Best Practices (Journal of Student Success and Retention, 2(1), 10/2015)
Student learning communities are often cited as leading to greater student success. This article examines the research describing the effectiveness and best practices for the development and delivery of this method of teaching.
Learning Better Together: The Impact of Learning Communities on Student Success (Vincent Tinto, Syracuse University)
Although older, this article provides a good description of learning communities and their impact by the renowned expert on student retention, Vincent Tinto.
History of Learning Communities Within American Higher Education (New Directions for Student Services, 2015(149)
This article describes the development of learning communities in American Higher education as well as describing the different types.
A Workbook for Designing, Building, and Sustaining Learning Communities.
To address the professional development needs of learning community instructors at Kingsborough Community College, faculty coordinators and program directors developed a workbook for instructional teams. This workbook walks instructors through the collaborative process of creating and sustaining successful links and focuses on what we believe is the heart of learning community work--transparency, relationship building, integration, assessment, and reflection.
Learning Communities Faculty Scholars: An Online, Targeted Faculty Development Course to Promote Scholarly Teaching.
. This paper describes an online faculty development program for learning communities faculty in which participants explored such topics as first-year student needs, basic principles of learning and course design, integrative assignments, and the scholarship of teaching and learning. Designed intentionally to work alongside faculty members’ busy schedules, this program provides a way to encourage scholarly teaching and the scholarship of teaching among learning communities faculty.
A New Era in Learning-Community Work: Why the Pedagogy of Intentional Integration Matters.
The article focuses on the creation as well as the transition in the agenda for learning-community models to the generation of learning of college students in the U.S. According to the article, the Washington Center who supports the learning in the communities expects that it will design and implement an integrative assignments for their student support. In addition, they think that learning-community practice is as foundational to learning-community work as teaching for active and collaborative learning.

Web Resources

Learning Communities Research and Practice
Learning Communities Research and Practice (LCRP) is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal that provides a forum for higher education faculty, staff, researchers, administrators, and students to share current research, effective practices, critical reflections, and resources related to student learning communities in higher education. The purpose of LCRP is to promote practices and knowledge that strengthen the learning communities field.
Unlocking the Gate: What We Know about Improving Developmental Education
This web publication from MDRC covers contextulaized instruction, including learning communities.
Washington Center for Learning Communities at Evergreen State College.
The Washington Center for Improving Undergraduate Education at Evergreen State College serves as a resource for 2 and 4 year colleges intent on making equitable learning opportunities for all students. They providing information on learning communities, including research, and sponsor a Summer Institute where teams from different colleges come and plan the implementation of learning communities at their campus.

Video

Learning Communities at NECC
This video interviews students and instructors at their community college describing what they like about them and the different subjects that they've combined.
Learning Communities at Chandler Gilbert Community College
Interviews students at CGC asking about their experience with learning communities.
Research Works: Learning Communities
Interviews students about their perceived benefits of learning communities.
Learning Communities at Harper College
Describes learning communities at Harper College.