Review of key points from the readings.
Key characteristic of Learning Communities (LC’s). A curricular structure characterized by a cohort of students participating in an intentionally designed integrative study of an issue or theme through connected courses, experiences, and resources. Inherent Benefits of LCs. Providing a coherent, interdisciplinary space for intellectual engagement. Leveraging relationships among faculty, staff, and students to provide support. Connecting students with their institution. Learning communities as High Impact PracticesDemand considerable time and effort on purposeful tasks. Engage faculty and peers about substantive matters over extended periods of time. Include frequent feedback about performance. Allow students to see the ways that what they are learning works in different settings.
Discussion
Q. What new kinds of LC programming and formatting can we envision, assuming that there are no restrictions ? Idea: To have a cohort of LC students within regular classes (e.g. not all students in a course section are in an LC). Use SD or a seminar course for just the LC students. Rationale is that this might make enrollment and scheduling easier, given less college-wide enrollment. Idea: Promote longitudinal (successive semester) LCs. Perhaps 2 link subjects in one semester and 2/1 in the next, building on themes. Rationale is that this might make scheduling and enrollment easier owing to only having to program a 2-course linkage each semester. Idea: A new LC using a seminar course based on Shakespeare and Iambic pentameter recitation to improve speech and reading outcomes. Q. To what degree do you feel that LC’s at KCC today embody the above features of HIP, honestly?Response: LC’s are a HIP as they promote student relations, create foundations and yield a student-up, not teacher-down, structure. Students support each other organically and authentically, showing willingness to advocate for each other. Response: LC’s are a HIP because they place emphasis on quality of student learning not quantity of outcomes, promoting depth of learning not breadth. LC’s promote quality of interactions, relationships, and habits of mind that we want our students to engage in. Response: To be HIP requires investment in small groups to do quality, careful and intentional work that brings ideas together. Response: LC programming costs money but are a HIP as they deliver better outcomes b/c students feel valued and that who they are is recognized. Response: Integrating only works if you are meeting with your link partner – need shared syllabus and willingness to adjust as you go along. Response: To be more HIP LC’s need to provide students with more exposure to employment opportunities and pathways to employment. A role for SD courses?
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