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Building Communities of Active Learners
Southwest Regional Learning Communities Conference
February
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COMBINED SESSION:
FACILITATOR: Brenda Larson, Chandler-Gilbert Community College, Maricopa Community Colleges
University of Central Arkansas
Steven Lance
The learning community that my four-year teaching partner and I represent for this conference is the Freshman Interest Group (FIG) program at our university, designed specifically to help build student relationships, establish focused learning communities, and increase freshman retention. I teach writing in four different FIG's spanning four different colleges at our university, combining my freshman-level writing classes with speech-language pathology, geography, speech communication, andÑthe one we wish to discuss hereÑeducation. To the same group of prospective freshman education majors, my partner, Mrs. Carolyn Kelley, teaches an introductory education course, and I teach a composition course. The classes are taught back-to-back in the same classroom, and we voluntarily attend and participate in each other's classes (cooperative teaching/learning). Further pedagogical approaches jointly integrated into the classes are group brainstorming, research, and presentation; carousel learning; mapping; journaling; distribution lists; and the use of the state's public school list-serv to survey teachers in the field. Our strongest, largest, and most integrated unit deals with issues pertaining to both multiculturalism (my partner's focus) and traditional regional culture (my focus) in the teaching/learning environment (diversity issues). Through a variety of pedagogical approaches, we require the students to consider these related topics as they will impact their teaching and the lives of their future students (critical thinking). Students prepare coordinated, major projects as they consider both the specific cultural groups that they will encounter in their classrooms, and also the relationship of their regional culture(s) to more "mainstream."
contact information:stevel@mail.uca.edu NOTE: this session is combined with the following session
University of Northern Colorado
Patricia Doherty, Helena Al-Kubaisi
The University of Northern Colorado (UNC) offers several pre-professional learning communities which include ASCENT for pre-health majors and Class Act for pre-service elementary teachers. These learning communities link general education classes required for pre-professional majors, a profession-specific new-student seminar, and additional tutoring/advising to enhance student success at the university. Learning communities bring together faculty with demonstrated interest in freshman success, provide academic support, facilitate student study groups, and guarantee seating in high demand general education classes. The new-student seminar, taught by a content faculty from the linked classes, acquaints students with the demands and opportunities of the various fields. Students hear from professionals, attend workshops or panel presentations about their program of study, and develop a four-year plan of study in their chosen major. Since the same faculty member teaches the new-student seminar and one linked content class, the student-faculty connection is strong. The faculty members, who assist the students with advising, gain an awareness of advising issues and needs that the students encounter in their time at the university. The result for the students in these pre-professional learning communities is that they are well advised and confident in their educational focus. Faculty also become more knowledgeable and competent about advising issues as they relate to their students. Relationships between faculty and student often continue throughout the student's career at the university. Presenters will provide specifics on how to construct this type of learning community and identify potential obstacles to successful implementation. Time will be allowed for questions from the audience.
contact information:pldoher@bentley.unco.edu
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