Kutztown University Learning Communities

Fall 2008

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What are learning communities?

(the following taken from The National Teaching Learning FORUM Volume 6, No.1,1996)

"Most definitions center on a vision of faculty and students working collaboratively toward shared, significant academic goals in environments in which competition is de-emphasized. In Learning Communities everybody has both the opportunity and the responsibility to learn from and help teach everyone else. Faculty become designers of learning environments and experiences; expert guides, practicing master learners themselves.

In practice, Learning Communities typically feature purposeful groupings of students, shared scheduling, collaborative learning approaches and an emphasis on connecting learning across course and disciplinary boundaries. A group of 10-20 students would enroll as a cohort in a cluster of courses organized around a theme. Through this experience students learn not only the academic content, but also group process skills needed to shift successfully from an individualistic to a cooperative academic culture."

Learning Community (purpose)... "to rearrange the curricular time and space of both students and faculty to foster community, coherence and connections among courses and more sustained intellectual interaction between students, between students and teachers and among teachers."
- Washington Center News

The following information is based on material presented by The Washington Center AAHE March 1997

Learning Communities address needs for...

Greater intellectual interaction:

Student ↔ Student
Student ↔ Faculty
Faculty ↔ Faculty

Curriculum coherence: reinforcement and/or integration of ideas
Understand issues which cross subject matter boundaries
Ways to facilitate the move toward a richer leading-centered environment
Active and collaborative learning
Explaining and understanding diverse perspectives
Student retention and faculty development

Learning Community Models...

Level One: Cohort Model - Part of each class in cluster

Level Two: Total Class Clusters - 100 % of all involved classes (class boundaries)

Level Three: Team Taught Integrated Classes (no class boundaries)

A comprehensive list of Learning Communities of a variety of types can be located at Iowa State University (1999).

Kutztown University Learning Communities:
Level One Freshman Clusters

Over one hundred fifty Kutztown University faculty members have taught clustered sections during the past six year period. Currently the clusters are separated into two types: Curriculum clusters (students with certain majors or programs) and Advisement clusters for Undeclared students. The Learning Community concept has been accepted as an on-going program of the Academic Affairs division of the university and is coordinated by the CET director in close association with the Academic Deans.

A cluster would consist of 10-20 students identified from the new students as fitting the cluster designation (i.e. Social Work, Early Childhood Education, Undeclared) taking two or three courses together in the fall semester. In some courses this number would represent more than half the students in the section but in others it will be less than half.

If a faculty member were to participate she/he would agree to allow the cluster students to enroll in the designated section. Involved faculty would attend a planning workshop. The workshop would provide a menu of objectives and strategies for the cluster faculty to consider. The cluster groupings would be finalized and cluster faculty would then plan for the fall semester.

Additional faculty are always needed. Anyone teaching a general education course is welcome. Anyone with an idea for a new Learning Community is encouraged to forward their idea to the CET or the appropriate Dean.

Suggestions are most welcome and encouraged. Please email your suggestions to Vera Brancato.

Learning Communities:

• Fall 2005
• Spring 2005
• Previous Years (Archives)

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