2008 Annual Conference of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education

From Camaraderie to Learning:

Improving the Classroom Experience with Leaning Communities

Monday, December 8, 2008

10:45 - 11:30 am

Anna Andriasova

Assistant Professor, Program Director, MBA program

University of Maryland University College

3501 University Boulevard East, Adelphi, MD 20783

From Camaraderie to Learning:

Improving the Classroom Experience with Learning Communities

Drs. Anna Andriasova and Jane Ross

University of Maryland University College

Figure: Evolution of Leaning Communities

The benefits of cohort education are widely discussed in the literature; the question is - where do we take it from here?

Can we utilize connections that students are accustomed to through social networking without turning the classroom into Facebook or MySpace? Will those connections be useful in online education? If yes, what is the next level of cohort development and what benefits can we expect from closer connections students have to each other – for students themselves, faculty and administration?

Please join us on Monday December 8 at 10:45 am to discuss these issues.