Learning Communities

Do you want to have fun learning about a subject? Make friends? Develop an in-depth knowledge about a subject? Learn about how different fields of study in a college relate to each other? Enhance your thinking and communication skills? Improve your GPA?

If so . . . .

Consider Taking Learning Community Courses

What is a Learning Community (LC)? Also known as "block classes" or "linked courses," Learning Communities are an educational format that "weaves together the learning, skills, and assignments of two or more classes into a unified mosaic of educational objectives by blending the instruction of logically related disciplines" (Dodge and Kendall, 2004). Basically, learning communities draw connections between academic disciplines and "real" world experiences to foster a more complex way of learning about a topic and to add depth to the educational skills needed to communicate about and understand the topic. Learning communities are communities; this means that in most cases, students co-enroll together (a cohort) in all courses that make up the learning community and this fosters friendships as well as strong academic discussions. Learning communities are a fun and supportive way to add depth to your knowledge of a subject, hone your academic skills, and meet lasting friends.

Why enroll in a learning community? Learning communities have many proven benefits:

• Success: Student course success tends to be significantly higher for students participating in learning community courses than in tradition courses, meaning that fewer students drop out of the course at mid-term and more pass the course with a C or above (Dodge & Kendall, 2004; Hesse & Mason, 2005; Price, 2005).
• Satisfaction: Students tend to express greater satisfaction with their course experience in Learning Communities classes than in the same traditionally taught classes (Dodge & Kendall, 2004; Hesse & Mason, 2005; Price, 2005).
• Authority & Knowledge: Many studies find that students participating in LC courses tend to demonstrate more complex knowledge over their subjects and a greater sense of authority in discussing the subjects than students in the same or similar traditionally taught courses because students approach their topics from interdisciplinary perspectives and because Learning Community courses often share a theme that's discussed in all of the joined courses. Moreover, courses are generally linked based upon complimentary skills requirements, so students receive more instruction and assistance in developing those skills (Dodge & Kendall, 2004; Hesse & Mason, 2005; Price, 2005).
• Transferable College to Work Skills: Students in learning Communities tend to see more connections between their academic learning experiences and their work related experiences because the collaborative model behind Learning communities is directly related to skills needed in most employment environments (Price, 2005).
• Friendships & Peer Support: Students in Learning Community courses form closer study groups and lasting friendships because they have more opportunity to get know each other by taking two or more classes together. Studies find that students are less likely to feel isolated and more likely to form peer relationships as well as improve their social skills through their participation in Learning Communities (Dodge & Kendall, 2004; Hesse & Mason, 2005; Price, 2005).
• Support & Encouragement: Most Learning Communities offer a skills support course or component to help students more individually strengthen their academic skills.

Updated October 2006 by the College Advancement Department.