Overview

Broward Community College has individual Learning Community projects on each of its three major campuses. However, these projects are tired together through a team made up of a faculty coordinator located on each campus. The coordinators meet together throughout the term sharing the successes and challenges of the individual programs.

North Campus initiated the first Learning Community at Broward Community College three years ago. They offer two different programs. The “FYE”, First Year Experience, is designed for a cohort of students testing into all three college prep areas of reading, mathematics and English. “HELIX”, also a cohort, is made up of honors students who’s curriculum last year centered around a the theme of politics..

On the Central Campus, the past two academic years have centered on two or more linked courses, purposefully designed to create opportunity for students to work and grow with one another. Learning Community faculty working with coordinated syllabi create assignments relevant in both courses. Often these classes offer coursework designed around a specific theme or topic. These classes will often have a counselor that will work specifically with the themed Learning Community as an added layer of support for students. Interested students must enroll in both classes. Students build peer groups and friendships inside and outside the classroom.

South Campus has offered Learning Communities for the past two academic years. Although during the first year, limited linked courses were offered at one of the campus’ satellite centers, the major efforts have been centered around the “CLASS”, Community of Learning Achieving Student Success, project. The students in this cohort must test into all three college prep areas, two of which are at the lowest academic level. The faculty who volunteer to work with this program meet every other week with the campus faculty coordinator, a teaching member of the team, to discuss “pedagogy first and administrative issues second”.

Although all three campuses initiatives have enjoyed success, each realizes the need to expand their programs to include more students, as well as expand the faculty base involved are critical to the continuation of Learning Communities at Broward Community College.

Team Plans for Summer Institute

Although the nine member team, three members from each of the major campuses, has somewhat different programs, each is facing similar challenges. In order for Learning Communities to continue to grow, a plan which is reflective of the institution’s Educational Master Plan needs to address nurturing more faculty and administrators participation while providing support for creative expansion of learning community initiatives. In order not to duplicate personnel and efforts, the team also needs to include in the program a way of incorporating the efforts of both the Title V and Lumina grants currently being administered at the college.

Issues for Discussion

• What have been the major challenges with linking courses, and what combinations of courses have been most successful?
• Has anyone developed a training or staff development program which has proven successful at attracting Learning Community participation?
• Has anyone managed to successfully develop learning communities for college level or college prep courses taught in a blended or fully online environment?
• What role is there for adjunct faculty in Learning Communities?
• When in the position to hire new faculty, what attributes should the college look for, and during the interview process how best can those attributes be revealed and measured?
• What role does such academic support areas as the library and learning labs plan in the success of Learning Communities?