3.1.2 Introduction to Learning Communities

The term “learning community” has taken on many meanings since this instructional approach was initiated in the 1920s. For some, it means the “intentional restructuring of curriculum” around a cohort of courses. For others, it signifies a cooperative approach to instruction in which students engage in cooperative learning activities. Still others may define this approach in social or affective terms, stressing the emotional/psychological benefits. A variety of approaches have emerged, including those inventoried in Table 1 (Gabelnick, MacGregor, Matthews, & Smith, 1990).

The models in Table 1 define a learning community as a cohesive group of students taking two or more courses together, taught by faculty who are committed to a collaborative, student-centered learning environment that supports the achievement of shared learning outcomes. Learning communities foster deep connection to the course content as well as to effective learning behaviors. Curricular integration is reflected in coordinated syllabi, learning activities, assignments, and evaluations. Organizational innovation is often required to support interdisciplinary experiences that feature active learning (Geri, Kuehn, & MacGregor, 1999).

Historical Development

From the beginning, learning communities have been revolutionary in nature. In 1927 the University of Wisconsin implemented a radical approach to education by establishing the Experimental College with its emphasis on student engagement through a “living-learning community” (Meiklejohn, 1932). This effort put theories of John Dewey, Malcolm Knowles, and Benjamin Bloom into practice.

Though it faded from the educational scene for several decades, the learning community model reemerged in the form of “federated learning communities,” “integrating seminars,” and other formats in institutions such as UC Berkeley, SUNY Stony Brook, and LaGuardia Community College in the 1970s. In the 1980s Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, took the lead in reactivating, implementing, and formalizing the learning communities concept. This initiative has been formalized in the National Learning Communities Project: <learningcommons.evergreen.edu> [no longer active]

Benefits of Learning Communities

Research shows that students involved in a learning community are “significantly more likely than their less involved peers to show growth in intellectual interest and values, and they are apparently more likely to get more out of their college education” (Cross, 1998). Significant gains in student retention, achievement, rates of degree completion, and intellectual development have also been reported (Gabelnick et al., 1990). By participating in learning communities, faculty can explore a wider repertoire of teaching approaches and new, more effective ways of relating to students and colleagues. Institutional effectiveness is also positively impacted through adoption of learning communities, as large groups of students and faculty become better aligned with institutional vision, mission, and culture.

Essential Elements

Learning communities are characterized by the following elements: absence of threat, mastery learning, immediate feedback, collaboration, meaningful content, freedom to make choices, and adequate time on task (Geri et al., 1999). They require the creation of a positive learning environment in which students find support, engage authentically in learning tasks, and relate course content to life experience. Ideally, the classroom also becomes an interactive place in which fear is minimized, and students become more responsive and willing to take risks. Table 2 describes a number of key features of learning communities.

Concluding Thoughts

Effective learning communities demand commitment from both learners and educators. They require a balance between structure and flexibility, a free-flowing give-and-take between student and professor. They also require the incorporation of new ideas and insights, strong leadership, and continued assessment of performance for all participants, including faculty. It is not enough simply to rewrite curriculum and include a few “enriching” activities, such as guest speakers, field trips, and visits to the campus library or labs. Launching learning communities requires a fair amount of courage, as well as a sense of adventure. It requires a spirit of “collective inquiry” in which the unique talents, abilities, and perspectives of all participants are honored and brought to fruition by a skilled mentor (Palmer, 1998). If your institution supports learning communities, get involved. If it does not, seek out other like-minded faculty and introduce them to the teaching and learning adventure offered by learning communities.

References