a
variety of curricular approaches that intentionally link or
cluster two or more courses, often around an interdisciplinary
theme or problem, and enroll a common cohort of students. They
represent an intentional restructuring of students' time, credit,
and learning experiences to build community, enhance learning,
and foster connections among students
and their teachers, and among disciplines. At their
best, learning communities practice pedagogies of active engagement
and reflection. (p.20)
Learning communities involve collaboration not only across academic
disciplines but also among other institutional resources that
serve student needs. Departments such as academic affairs, student
development, and the library offer services and skills that contribute
to students' experience of higher education and to their success.
Learning
Communities began at Kingsborough Community College in 1995 with
the Intensive ESL Program,
a program which annually serves approximately 10 cohorts of up
to 25 first-semester ESL students who take five linked courses:
ESL, Speech, two Student Development courses, and a General Education
course such as Psychology, History, or Sociology. The Opening
Doors Program grew out of a Perkins Grant project which started
in 2001 with 4 learning communities. Currently, Opening Doors
Learning Communities, offers 30 learning communities each semester
and serves over 1,200 incoming freshmen annually. In this program,
three courses - English, Student Development, and a General Education
course - are linked. By 2010, Kingsborough hopes to expand freshman
learning communities to 40 cohorts, in order to serve 80% of incoming
freshmen. In addition, Kingsborough is currently piloting Career
Focused Learning Communities, for students who are not incoming
freshmen. These learning communities are designed for career oriented
students who are pursuing A.A.S. degrees in programs such as Business
or Early Childhood Education. Second Semester learning communities
link two required courses in a particular major with an Integrative
Seminar.
Linked
courses are block programmed, and instructors collaborate to identify
common themes around which materials, activities, and assignments
can be created. Library faculty are often part of this collaboration.
Students
in all learning communities are offered extensive support to help
them become part of the Kingsborough community, make a smooth
transition into college life, and succeed academically. For example,
instructors of the Student Development course in Opening Doors
serve as students' case managers;
in the Intensive ESL Program, Student Development instructors
are academic advisors. Students in the Intensive ESL Program and
those in Opening Doors who are in the lowest developmental English
courses have scheduled time in the Reading and Writing Center,
working with tutors who also sit in on classes once per week.
Students in the Second Semester Program are offered supplemental
instruction via small group or one-on-one support by Kingsborough
faculty.
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