Learning Communities Nationwide
In the past 10 – 15 years, there has been a noticeable effort nationally in higher education to create more intentional and meaningful learning opportunities for students. This movement has come out of a growing concern about how students are being educated in postsecondary education. The creation of Learning Communities on college campuses has come directly from this concern, resulting in more innovative ways in which students can learn from each other and faculty.
There are many different types of learning communities. However in general, learning communities tend to break students and faculty into smaller groups than most other classes or groups on campus. This provides increased opportunity for contact with faculty, connection and support: all methods documented through research as ways to better promote student success in college.
Some examples of learning communities nationwide:
- Curriculum that links existing courses together to provide connections between classes and material
- FIGS (Freshman Interest Groups) that bring first year students together by registering small groups together for two or three shared courses.
- Residential groups where students of similar interests/majors live in a residence hall and learn together
- Faculty-in-Residence programs where faculty lives in residence halls with students and plan learning activities for specified groups.
Learning Communities at Boise State
Non-Residential Learning Communities
Through Boise State’s Office of Academic Support Services, a Learning Community is a group of students enrolled in a block of common courses. This provides a network of people already in place from first day of class that continues throughout your stay at Boise State University. This is a way to form meaningful relationships with other students both in and out of the classroom. These communities provide opportunities to create meaningful and lasting study groups.
Examples of learning communities offered in the past can be found at Office of Academic Support Services (weblink http://academicsupport.boisestate.edu/)
Living-Learning Communities (Students live in residence halls together)
The Residential College Program: Founded in 2004, the Residential College program provides Boise State students a unique and special opportunity to live and learn with students who share similar academic interests and majors. Each community is facilitated by a faculty member who lives within the residence hall, planning learning outcomes and activities that will benefit a student’s overall academic experience, including earning academic credit for participating.
There are 5 communities with faculty-in-residence:
Arts & Humanities, Business & Economics, Civic Leadership, Engineering, Health Professions
The Honors College has a living-learning community or a residential component of the overall College which is housed in Driscoll Residence Hall (first year students) and a small section of Taylor Hall (upperclass students). This living-learning community has a faculty director who does not live in the residence hall, but has an office within the hall.
First Year Focus
This is a living-learning community where 24 students will live together on one floor in Towers Hall and take valuable CORE classes together. Students who live on the floor together will be enrolled in University 101, English 101, and Communications 101. Residency on this floor is dependent upon enrollment in these classes and completion of the Housing application.
Global Village
The Global Village Community (GVC) is a living-learning community that is open to any student interested in a multi-cultural experience, regardless of cross-cultural or travel experience. Co-sponsored with the International Programs Office, students will participate in activities to learn more about intercultural communication and other skills.
