Learning Community (LC) Guidelines and Application-revised Fall 2012

Return ELECTRONIC COPY to Adelia Williams, () in PLV or Bill Offutt () in NY.

Deadlines: December 15 for Fall Learning Communities/June 1 for Spring Learning Communities

1) Obtain approval from your Chairperson to teach a Learning Community.

2) Participate in a Teaching Fellow Circle. Dyson faculty will receive a $300 stipend for their participation. Date of your participation in a Teaching Circle: ______

3) Complete the schedule entry for your Learning Community using one of the two models below:

I. Paired Course Learning Community:

Two paired integrated and coordinated courses, each taught by a different professor in a different discipline, but linked by a theme or problem. The same cohort of students must register for both sections of the LC:

SAMPLE:

THEME:Writing Right(s): Ethical Dilemmas in Human Relationships

ENG 120Critical Writing

Prerequisite: Old Core:ENG 101 New Core:ENG 110

CAMPUSDAYTIME FACULTY MEMBER

PHI 115LNormative Ethics: Contemporary Moral Problems

Old Core: Fulfills ENHANCEMENT/ New Core: Fulfills Area of Knowledge 5

CAMPUS DAYTIME FACULTY MEMBER

LEARNING COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION

OR

II.Interdisciplinary Learning Community

An interdisciplinary (INT) course (3 or 6 credit) team-taught by two professors from different disciplines and focused on a particular theme or problem.

SAMPLE:

THEME:New York City: From Dutch Trading Post to the Great Metropolis 1624-1898

INT 196G New York City: From Dutch Trading Post to the Great Metropolis, 1624-1898

Prerequisite: None

Old Core: Fulfills ENG 101/HIS 113

New Core:Fulfills ENG 110/HIS 113 AREA OF KNOWLEDGE 2

CAMPUSCRNTIME

COURSE DESCRIPTION

4) Semester LC will be offered.

5)Is this an Honors course?

6)Is this a CAP Learning Community?

7)Is this a writing-enhanced (“W”) course that meets the writing-enhanced course criteria?

8)Is this a new course? If so, it must go through the customary departmental approval processes.

9) Please attach a course syllabus or abstract.

Chairpersons’ Signatures ______

Return in ELECTRONIC AND HARD COPY to Adelia Williams, (/X3306)

Strong Learning Communities increase:

  • Student satisfaction with institution
  • Persistence to sophomore year and to graduation
  • Use of campus services
  • Friendships among first year classmates
  • Level of participation in campus activities
  • Out of class interaction with faculty
  • Social capital within the institution

In addition they provide an ideal and enriched learning centered setting for college students to:

  • Improve their academic abilities and GPA
  • Develop a sense of responsibility and community
  • Increase interaction among students and faculty
  • Experience active and collaborative learning, Deeper understanding and coherence of course materials, purposeful academic integration and reflection
  • Explore and understand diverse perspectives.

Guidelines for Scheduling Learning Communities

1)Classes should be back-to-back on at least one day, and instructors should arrange to be present together at regular intervals.

2) Both courses should meet in the same classroom.

3) First-Year Learning Communities are for Freshmen only. Exceptions can be made for transfer students. General Learning Communities are open to all students.

4) Both courses must be capped at the same number. The lower course cap will prevail.

5) All Fall Freshmen LCs are closed at 0. Freshmen will be hand-registered into a LC.