Learning Communities

Learning Communities class
An exciting way to learn

Research shows that students who participate in a learning community earn higher grades, make friends faster and graduate at higher and faster rates than students who don't participate.*

* The National Resource Center for Learning Communities

What is a Learning Community?

  • A common group of students is enrolled in the same classes.
  • Students and faculty build connections between subject matter, disciplines and ideas.
  • The community focuses on a central theme common to the disciplines.
  • Courses are collaboratively taught by faculty from two or more content areas.
  • Collaborative and experiential learning are central to learning communities.
  • Multicultural thinking is encouraged to promote the understanding of diverse perspectives.

Benefits of Learning Communities

  • Learning Communities classes emphasize that faculty and students alike are embarked on a journey of discovery.
  • Faculty and students are able to work together more closely and develop successful learning strategies collaboratively.
  • Students are able to become better acquainted with faculty and tend to be more comfortable asking questions.
  • Students have the opportunity to develop stronger skills, the confidence to explore issues in depth, and the ability to question and think rigorously.

Courses

Spring 2020 Courses

Download Spring 2020 Flyer

 

 Steps to Register for Learning Communities

  1. Log into MyHarper Student Portal
  2. Select Registration and Records
  3. Choose Add/Drop a Course
  4. Select the term and click Submit
  5. In the boxes below “Add Classes Worksheet”, type the five digit Course Reference Numbers (CRNs) for the two Learning Community Courses
  6. Click Submit Changes
  7. Finalize your registration

 Learning Communities FAQs

Students receive separate credit and separate grades for both classes in the Learning Community. If you take a three credit-hour ENG 101 linked with a three-credit hour PSY 101, you receive six hours of credit. Your classes will be listed separately on your transcript.

Students consistently report that they value the chance to get to know their teachers better, to make new friends, and to benefit from a variety of teaching styles.

Students frequently register for Learning Communities courses on recommendations from peers and counselors or sometimes because of a specific theme. Students enjoy the convenient scheduling of courses that the Learning Communities Program provides. Many Learning Communities offerings allow students to register for two classes that fulfill General Education requirements.

Yes, creating joint projects is an integral part of the Learning Communities experience for faculty and students.

Yes, if you are taking a fully coordinated class, both teachers will participate in both classes. Some classes are linked but not fully coordinated. In that case, the classes are not team-taught.

No, any course that is designated as IAI keeps that distinction in any type of Learning Community. Student transcripts list the courses separately and do not indicate that the course were taken as Learning Communities.
  1. Log into MyHarper Student Portal
  2. Select Registration and Records
  3. Choose Add/Drop a Course
  4. Select the term and click Submit
  5. In the boxes below “Add Classes Worksheet”, type the five digit Course Reference Numbers (CRNs) for the two Learning Community Courses
  6. Click Submit Changes
  7. Finalize your registration

 

Other questions about Learning Communities?  Contact us.