Learning Communities - Topic Reading Assignment #3
Learning Communities are making the most efficient use of both the student and teacher’s time. Learning communities may be found in freshman studies and also in graduate studies. Through the No Child Left Behind legislation there was a grant available to provide funding for smaller learning communities in high schools Learning communities are groups of students drawn together by a common goal.
Learning communities may be a small group of students that are part of a large class. The students have several classes together and they form a cohort group. When I was attending undergraduate school we called these groups study groups. The instructor and the school have nothing to do with setting these groups up. These groups form out of the student’s desire to work together.
Learning communities may be a group of students that are all enrolled in the same classes. The faculty set these groups up. They are the same students enrolled in the same classes. Several years ago my oldest son, Tyler was enrolled in the University of Wyoming with a major in Mechanical Engineering. Tyler was assigned to a learning community. Lesley University’s M.Ed. Technology in Education program is another example of such a group.
The third way learning communities may be set up is to have the group of students take classes that are team taught by a group of teachers. Chadron State College has their educational professional semester set up in this style. Once a student applies for the professional semester and is accepted into the program they are with the same group of students taught by a group of instructors.
Alan November has recognized the effectiveness of learning communities in education. He offers summer conferences on building learning communities. Alan November is a very forward thinking individual. He brings together some of the best and brightest individuals in the technology field. He offers educators and business people alike an opportunity to learn and build relationships (or learning communities) with these leaders.
November offers an opportunity through a blog site to read about the upcoming conference. Through the use of the blog we can also interact with participants and presenters at the learning community conference. He has teamed up with Apple Computer and has provided podcasts of last year’s conference. By downloading the podcasts it is possible to listen to some of the highlights of last year’s conference. The exciting thing about listening to these podcasts is to realize that we are on the edge of this technology. At last year’s conference they were talking about blogging. Podcasts weren’t widely used a year ago. Technology makes it possible for us to be in Nebraska and yet feel like we are part of a conference that is taking place in Boston, Massachusetts. Through technology the learning community has grown and can be very inclusive.
References:
Washington Center for Improving the Quality of Undergraduate Education (1996) What are learning communities? National Resource Center. Retrieved June 30, 2006 from http://www.evergreen.edu/washcenter/lcfaq.htm#21.
Learning communities may be a small group of students that are part of a large class. The students have several classes together and they form a cohort group. When I was attending undergraduate school we called these groups study groups. The instructor and the school have nothing to do with setting these groups up. These groups form out of the student’s desire to work together.
Learning communities may be a group of students that are all enrolled in the same classes. The faculty set these groups up. They are the same students enrolled in the same classes. Several years ago my oldest son, Tyler was enrolled in the University of Wyoming with a major in Mechanical Engineering. Tyler was assigned to a learning community. Lesley University’s M.Ed. Technology in Education program is another example of such a group.
The third way learning communities may be set up is to have the group of students take classes that are team taught by a group of teachers. Chadron State College has their educational professional semester set up in this style. Once a student applies for the professional semester and is accepted into the program they are with the same group of students taught by a group of instructors.
Alan November has recognized the effectiveness of learning communities in education. He offers summer conferences on building learning communities. Alan November is a very forward thinking individual. He brings together some of the best and brightest individuals in the technology field. He offers educators and business people alike an opportunity to learn and build relationships (or learning communities) with these leaders.
November offers an opportunity through a blog site to read about the upcoming conference. Through the use of the blog we can also interact with participants and presenters at the learning community conference. He has teamed up with Apple Computer and has provided podcasts of last year’s conference. By downloading the podcasts it is possible to listen to some of the highlights of last year’s conference. The exciting thing about listening to these podcasts is to realize that we are on the edge of this technology. At last year’s conference they were talking about blogging. Podcasts weren’t widely used a year ago. Technology makes it possible for us to be in Nebraska and yet feel like we are part of a conference that is taking place in Boston, Massachusetts. Through technology the learning community has grown and can be very inclusive.
References:
Washington Center for Improving the Quality of Undergraduate Education (1996) What are learning communities? National Resource Center. Retrieved June 30, 2006 from http://www.evergreen.edu/washcenter/lcfaq.htm#21.
posted by Technology and the Reader | 7:59 AM
4 Comments:
Learning communities don't seem to be a new idea, but how they operate must change continuously to be effective. Great post Crystal!
Kim
Learning communities aren't new; they just have the potential to be global now. With the explosion of communication tools, you can connect with anyone anywhere anytime. Nancy's point about our being a learning community is dead on. Good stuff.
Uh Oh.
I think I must have messed up, Crystal. I didn't make this topic as visible as I thought it was from Alan November's web pages,and the term could be seen in its generic sense!
Please look at this:
November's Learning Communities
If you can, read up on what the more specific term "November Learning Communities" means and repost some information for us, please!
Sorry for the confusion..my term was not capitalized and I thought the reference to November's site would take you to this particular program/product that competes with Blackboard, Moodle, and other course management systems.
Dan
Crystal, I have used learning communities in the classroom before and have had a lot of success with them. I found that you must set perameters or the lesson could not go in the right direction. I view this Lesley group as a learning community and we are learning with each other all the time.
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