Scaling Up Learning Communities: The Experience of Six Community Colleges
Summary
In an effort to help academically unprepared students improve their ability to complete their studies, community colleges are increasingly adopting a “learning communities” approach. This approach, long used in four-year colleges, co-enrolls a cohort of students together in two or more courses. Models often feature thematically linked courses, aligned curriculum and support services, and integrated assignments.
The report examines the Learning Communities Demonstration, a large-scale, random assignment evaluation of learning community programs at six community colleges. Conducted by the National Center for Postsecondary Research and MDRC, the report presents the strategies and approaches used to scale up their programs while working to improve their quality, and the many complex challenges faced by community colleges implementing effective learning communities.
Some key findings from the study include: (1) a dedicated coordinator and committed leaders were essential in managing and expanding learning communities; (2) as coordinators clarified expectations and offered support, faculty responded by changing their teaching practices; (3) curricular integration remained difficult to widely implement; and (4) creating student cohorts led to strong student relationships which created personal and academic support networks.
Citation
Visher, M., Schneider, E., Wathington H., and Collado, H. (March 2010). Scaling Up Learning Communities: The Experience of Six Community Colleges. National Center for Postsecondary Research and MDRC.
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