Learning Communities
Crossing Borders: Making History REVISED! FALL 2009
Each set of combined classes is a learning community that uniquely revolves around the theme "Crossing Borders." More info on Crossing Borders.
GOALS! : Getting Onboard for Athletic and Learning Success! NEW! FALL 2009
Students interested in sports will have the opportunity to read and write about sports in this Learning Community. Combines READ 826 BL3, ENGL 826 BL3, and CRER 401 BL3.
College Success in the Evening NEW! FALL 2009
Provides evening students the opportunity to participate in a Learning Community. College Success in the Evening A combines ENGL 826 BL4 and CRER 401 BL4. College Success in the Evening B combines READ 836 BL5 and CRER 407 BL5.
One Childhood /Two Languages | Una Infancia – Dos Idiomas
The goal of the One Childhood/Two Languages Learning Community is to assist second language learners in ECE to acquire English language skills. Combines ESL 832 EL1 and ECE 211 EL1.
The First Year Experience (FYE) Program
The FYE Learning Communities are designed to help first-year students succeed in college. More info on FYE.
Student Information
What are learning communities?
Learning communities are linked or clustered classes: the same group of students takes two or more classes together; the classes themselves are linked: the teachers have organized readings and other activities around common themes or questions.
Why should you take a learning community?
Students who take learning communities are more likely to do well in all their courses; they work together and support each other; the assignments from the different courses are related to each other and the faculty members work closely with all the students.
Which learning community is right for me?
You should select your learning community based on your placement test score in consultation with your counselor.
Faculty Information
1. What are the benefits for your students?
Research says students will:
- Find greater coherence in what they are learning
- Learn more from courses that are integrated
- Begin to understand the relationships between course contents and to apply new concepts and skills
- Build a sense of identity
- Form partnerships with peers, faculty, and the college community
2. Why should I teach in a learning community?
Research says teaching in a learning community:
- Increases the sharing of teaching ideas among instructors
- Facilitates discussion of scholarly topics across the disciplines
- Broadens pedagogical repertoire of faculty
- Promotes a deeper interaction among faculty and students
3. How are learning communities taught?
There are several learning community models. At Cañada, our LCs take the form of linked courses or learning clusters. A cohort of students enrolls in two courses that are paired with a common theme or materials. Faculty work together to design syllabi, joint assignments, and projects. “The best learning communities are classrooms where students are connected through meaningful conversations in cooperative groups with each other and their teachers” (Hess & Mason, 2005, p.30). Therefore, strategies for building active learning in the classroom are recommended for linked courses. Some examples include: collaborative and cooperative learning, discussion groups, field trips, problem-based learning, writing and speaking across the curriculum, ongoing reflection, and self-evaluation.
Hess, M. & Mason M. (2005). The Case for Learning Communities. Community College Journal, 76 (1), Aug/Sep, 30-35.
4. How do I participate in a learning community?
Contact your division dean if you would like to participate in one of the existing learning communities or are interested in designing one with another colleague.
http://www.ncc.edu/Academics/LearningCommunities/FacultyFAQs.htm
UNA INFANCIA – DOS IDIOMAS
ECE/ESL COMUNIDAD DE APRENDIZAJE (“LEARNING COMMUNITY”)
El departamento de Early Childhood Education (ECE), en colaboración con el departamento de inglés como segundo idioma (ESL), está planeando un proyecto nuevo para que los estudiantes de ECE aprendan de currículo usando los dos idiomas (español/inglés) . Una comunidad de aprendizaje o un “Learning Community” es un modelo de aprendizaje con un grupo de estudiantes registrados en dos cursos (ECE y ESL a la vez). Los estudiantes y los profesores trabajan juntos para ofrecer un ambiente de aprendizaje activo donde comparten ideas en los dos idiomas.
La META es ayudar a los estudiantes de ECE que no hablan el inglés aprender el idioma necesario para comunicarse en los ambientes de ECE incluyendo el lenguaje necesario para la comunicación con los padres, maestros y los niños.
Primavera 2009 – los siguientes cursos forman el “Learning Community”:
41862 ECE 211 Curriculum (Programa de estudios de la educaciòn infantil)
Horario: los sábados, 9:00-5:00 pm Profesora: Leslie Baxter
Fechas: 1/24, 2/7, 2/21, 3/7, 3/28, 4/25
41997 ESL 832 Listening/Speaking II/(Comprensión Oral):
Horario: martes y jueves, de 7:00 a 9:00 pm Profesora: Linda Martinez Haley
Los requisitos:
- Se tiene que registrar en los dos cursos
- Se debe calificar para el segundo nivel del programa de ESL
Para más información, llame a: Sue Eftekhari, 650-306-3404 (eftekharis@smccd.edu) o a Val Goines, 650-306-3148 (goines@smccd.edu)
NO ESPERE – REGISTRESE TEMPRANO
Este proyecto es pagado por el programa “First 5 San Mateo County / Preschool for All”.
