Building Communities of Active Learners

Southwest Regional Learning Communities Conference
February

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COMBINED SESSION:
Support for Learning Communities
FACILITATOR: Maria Harper-Marinick, Maricopa Community Colleges

Creating an Infrastructure of Support for Learning Communities
San Jose /Evergreen Community College District
Louis S. Albert, Marcia Corcoran, Martha Kendall, Kelley Wells

Evergreen Valley College and San Jose City College have made major commitments to developing learning communities. In just two years, these colleges have implemented nearly 20 learning communities ranging from developmental to transfer. This session will briefly describe the variety of learning community initiatives at the college, then, focus on the importance of a supportive infrastructure for those initiatives. Topics include faculty leadership and coordination, the role of the Teaching and Learning Center, and administrative support and funding.
    contact information:louis.albert@sjeccd.cc.ca.us

NOTE: this session is combined with the following session

Strengthening the First-Year Experience through Learning Communities: The Paradise Valley Community College Experience
Paradise Valley Community College
Renee Cornell, Anne Eller, Michele Marion

This session is designed for faculty and administrators with entry-level or intermediate experience with Learning Communities (LC) and First-Year-Experiences (FYE) to explore the learning community/first-year experience relationship. The connections with students involved in learning communities have proven especially effective for first-year community college students. Paradise Valley Community College has incorporated the learning community concept into a number of coordinated first-year experiences. Strategies begin with the evolution of the colleges' LC/FYE program and specifically highlight the mechanics of establishing the program. The logistics include administrative buy-in and support, establishing a class schedule and loading the faculty to meet the tasks, identifying courses, marketing the program to the outside community, and finally, the successes and challenges for the teachers and students. The presentation will conclude with a brainstorming/implementation activity and a Q&A session.
    contact information:renee.cornell@pvmail.maricopa.edu