ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 1008 / C&RL News ■ N ovem ber 2001 LEARNING C O M M U N ITIE S FOR EXCELLENCE Opportunities for collaborative excellence What learning communities offer by Donald G. Frank, Sarah Beasley, and Susan Kroll I n the September 2001 issue o f C&RL N ew s, ACRL President Mary Reichel states that the learning com m unity “captures the shift that has occurred in the last decade in higher education from teaching to learning.” She also asserts that, “Learning is both an indi­ vidual and collaborative experience, which takes individual effort and collective sup­ port.”1 Academ ic librarians are em phasizing stu­ dent learning and are collaborating w ith col­ leagues on campuses to create and refine learning com munities. This article builds on Reichel’s presidential theme, w hich focuses on learning com m unities and excellence in academ ic libraries. A review o f the relevant literature indi­ cates that learning com m unities are being discussed, cultivated, and adapted in a vari­ ety o f institutions, including colleges and universities as w ell as various prim ary and secondary schools. Several articles describe learn in g com m unities in natio ns such as Canada, England, Scotland, and Namibia. H ow ever the num ber o f articles that in­ clude the academ ic library as a key elem ent o f the learning com m unity is surprisingly small. W ith a few exceptions, articles in Li­ b r a r y L i t e r a t u r e focus on learning com m u­ nities in prim ary and secondary schools and in com m unity colleges. The results o f a dis­ cussion group conducted by A CR L’s Univer­ sity Libraries Section in 1997 are noted in an article in C o l l e g e & R e s e a r c h L i b r a r i e s N e w s .I 2 M ore articles on learning com munities ap­ pear in indexes, such as ERLC and E d u c a ­ t i o n A b s t r a c t s , but few are focused on aca­ demic libraries. Search engines provide nu­ m erous sites on learning com m unities and n e w learning com m unities in academe. Ex­ cellent bibliographies on learning com m u­ nities, including historical influences, current practices, and assessment, are available at the Web sites o f Tem ple University and Ev­ ergreen College.3 A classic definition o f learning com m uni­ ties was form ulated a decade ago in L e a r n ­ i n g C o m m u n i t i e s : C r e a t i n g C o n n e c t i o n s A m o n g S t u d e n t s , F a c u l t y , a n d D i s c ip li n e s - . A learning community is any one o f a variety o f curricular structures that link together several existing courses— or actually restructure the curricular mate­ rial entirely— so that students have op­ portunities for deeper understanding I A b o u t th e authors D o n a ld G. Frank is assistant d ire c to r f o r p u b lic services a t P o rtla n d S tate University, e-m ail: frankd@ pdx.edu; Sarah Beasley is reference lib ra ria n a n d in fo rm a tio n co n s u lta n t a t P o rtla n d State University, e-m ail: beasley@psu.edu; Susan K ro ll is d ire c to r o f th e H e a lth Sciences L ib ra ry a t O h io State University, e-m ail: k ro ll. 1 @osu. ed u mailto:frankd@pdx.edu mailto:beasley@psu.edu C&RL News ■ Novem ber 2001 / 1009 and integration o f the m aterial they are learning, and more interaction with one another and their teachers as fellow par­ ticipants in the learning enterprise.4 Five models o f learning communities are identified, including linked courses, learn­ ing clusters, interest groups for first-year stu­ dents, federated learning communities, and coordinated studies. Learning communities are developed for various purposes. For example, students may enroll in one or more content courses as well as a specific skills-based course (e.g., com­ puter or w riting skills). The courses are co­ ordinated or linked, w ith the faculty com ­ m unicating on desired goals. A com mon theme usually underscores the courses. In­ terest groups for first-year students provide opportunities for students enrolled in sev­ eral courses to meet in seminars or small groups on a regular (usually weekly) basis. Students have opportunities to build connec­ tions among their courses, enhancing the learning process. In coordinated studies pro­ grams, small groups o f students and schol­ ars from several disciplines focus on inter­ disciplinary teaching and learning. Team teaching underscores activities in these small groups.5 Effective learning communities share sev­ eral features: • Learning communities organize students and scholars into sm aller groups, providing atmospheres or environments that are more casual or “intim ate.” Students are more likely to ask questions, challenge the status quo, build logical ties am ong disciplines, and learn. • Learning communities facilitate student socialization. Students in the sm aller groups that characterize learning communities tend to be more comfortable or relaxed and, as a result, become more fam iliar w ith the be­ haviors and practices needed to succeed. • Learning communities “provide an ideal setting for new . . . students to develop a sense o f student responsibility.” Students are essentially responsible for the group or learn­ ing community. They focus on community learning as well as individual learning, ne­ cessitating preparations for the sessions as well as the importance o f contributing to the overall discussions. A sense o f responsibil­ ity is cultivated and refined. • Learning communities challenge tradi­ tional instructional m ethodologies and the ways students usually learn. Courses are clus­ tered and conducted to facilitate the creation of intellectual connections among disciplines and skills, providing opportunities to look at content from creative or innovative per­ spectives. Students and scholars are chal­ lenged to examine issues critically and to add value to content. Communities o f learn­ ing are basically “curricular structures that allow faculty to teach, and students to learn in more interdisciplinary, intellectually stimu­ lating, and challenging w ays.”6 Selected exa m p les o f learn in g co m m u n ities Several examples o f learning communities illustrate the scope and variety o f these in­ novative educational initiatives: • The C o lla b o ra to r is a learning com­ munity developed at the University o f Ha­ waii at M anoa in the mid-1990s.7 This initia­ tive integrates the expertise and skills o f stu­ dents and professionals in museums, uni­ versities, and secondary schools. Students in secondary schools in several nations are par­ ticipating on teams to create exhibits that are linked on the Internet. The museums are essentially virtual communities in which stu­ dents are able to view exhibits and, collabo­ rating with scholars and other students, de­ velop innovative exhibits. • Incoming students at the University of Washington have the opportunity to partici­ pate in learning communities via U W ir e d ? This is a collaboration o f the University Li­ braries, Computing & Communications, and the Office o f Undergraduate Education. Students enroll in a cluster o f them ati­ cally linked courses with other students who have sim ilar interests. They also participate in an inform ation and technology seminar that introduces students to available infor­ mation and computing resources; demon­ strates the use o f e-mail, discussion lists, and Internet strategies; and provides opportuni­ ties to confer w ith scholars in inform al set­ tings. The sem inar has actually evolved into a formal two-credit course in which students, librarians, peer advisors, and computer spe- 1010 / C&RL News ■ November 2001 Learning co m m u n ities are dynam ic and are c o n tin u a lly evo lving, in te g ra tin g academ ic and social elem en ts in to fle x ib le com m unities o f students, scholars, and practitio n ers. cialists participate. “U W ir e d works w ith fac­ ulty in a wide range o f disciplines to inte­ grate information and technology literacy into specific courses.” Professors, librarian s, and com puting professionals are collaborating to integrate the effective use or application o f informa­ tion and technologies into the students’ day- to-day activities, facilitating student learning as well as student retention. • Learning com m unities are intercon­ nected via a three-sem ester sequence o f courses at GateWay Community College, one o f the Maricopa Community Colleges in A ri­ zona.9 STARS, the initial course, focuses on stu­ dent needs and, in particular, on the stu­ dents who fall into the at-risk category. The STARS community is concerned with aca­ demic success and student retention. Exper­ tise, skills, the content o f two development courses (Literature and Reading), and a Suc­ cess Orientation Seminar are combined to create a supportive community or network. CLOUT, the second community, empha­ sizes important commonalities in the speak­ ing, reading, and writing processes and pro­ motes critical thinking skills. Courses in Hu­ man Communication, Critical and Evaluative Reading, and First-Year Com position are combined to provide an interactive forum for students, scholars, and practitioners. The LINK community integrates specific instructional skills into content courses. As students become fam iliar with the content in a psychology course, for example, they are sim ultaneously developing reading and w riting skills. Additionally, as reading and writing skills are developed, students are able to transfer these skills to the content of other courses. • First-year students at Indiana Univer- sity-Purdue University at Indianapolis (IUPUI) have the opportunity to enroll in special semi­ nars or learning communities. Collaborations o f faculty, staff, librarians, and administra­ tors provide inform ation on the culture and context o f the university; the ability to view issues and information critically; technology (including access to inform ation resources); the ability to locate, evaluate, and use infor­ mation via information literacy skills; and the ability to communicate effectively. Ways to develop practical skills, including time and stress management, are reviewed. Additionally, academic advising and the IUPUI Principles o f Undergraduate Educa­ tion are discussed in the seminars. Students are challenged to learn in “classroom climates o f cooperation and collaboration in an ef­ fort to foster an environment o f active learn­ ing.” 10 Im p o rta n c e and im p act o f learn in g co m m u n ities Learning communities are dynamic and are continually evolving, integrating academic and social elements into flexible com m uni­ ties o f students, scholars, and practitioners. This integration influences curricular changes as well as strategic priorities. The learning community model crosses institutional lines and boundaries, allowing students to focus on c o n t e n t in ways that are more meaning­ ful. The benefits o f learning communities for students are numerous. First-year students, in particular, become more fam iliar with the organization and culture o f the institution. They are exposed to critically important is­ sues and topics associated w ith information and technology. Combinations o f content and skills facilitate opportunities to succeed. Stu­ dents extend their network o f support and learning by meeting and collaborating with librarians and other important people on the campus. A sense o f com munity is generated for the students. Critical thinking, tolerance for other points o f view, and the ability or willingness to become involved in the analy­ sis and integration o f ideas and concepts are some o f the skills that are cultivated in learn­ ing communities. Overall, student learning and retention are affected positively.11 Faculty have opportunities to relate to stu­ dents as collaborators and co-learners in learning com m unities. They are also re lat­ C&RL News ■ Novem ber 2001 / 1011 ing to other faculty from d ifferen t d isci­ plines, creating op portunities fo r research and p u blication on issues o f teaching and lea rn in g .12 Participating in learning communities on campuses can contribute to success in aca­ demic libraries. Mary Reichel’s article under­ scores the importance o f this participation. She discusses several outcomes o f the cur­ rent emphasis on learning. • An emphasis on learning “puts teach­ ing into perspective in the sense that good teaching has to result in learning.” • Different learning styles are recognized by effective teaching. • An appropriate balance between the content being learned and the processes of learning is considered. “Inform ation literacy also focuses on the learner and the process o f learning as well as the ideas, knowledge, and facts to be learned.” • Learning is an individual as well as a collaborative experience, necessitating indi­ vidual effort and collective support. To “tie learning with community provides meaning for the higher education experience.”13 Concluding com m ents A sign ificant num ber o f academ ic libraries are actively involved in learning com m u­ nities. The results o f these initiatives have not been generally reported in the litera­ ture. A ctiv itie s and in itiatives th at have been successful as w ell as those th at have not been p articu larly successful need to be recorded. Learning communities are dynamic, col­ laborative, intellectual, and exciting. “Librar­ ies, Scholarship, and Technology” is an in­ novative course developed for a learning community at the University o f Hawaii at Manoa. The course received the ACRL In­ struction Section’s Innovation in Instruction Award in 2001.14 The pedagogical and organizational ob­ jectives addressed by the learning commu­ nity model provide unprecedented oppor­ tunities to integrate librarians and libraries effectively into the scholarly community, el­ evating the position and status o f academic librarians. Collegiate experiences become more meaningful for students in com muni­ ties o f learning. Collective expertise is ap­ plied to solve realistic problems. Lifelong learning is facilitated. Learning communities provide excellent opportunities to demon­ strate and promote the library’s ongoing rel­ evance in the academy. Notes 1. Mary Reichel, “ACRL: The learning com­ munity for excellence in academic libraries,” C o l l e g e & R e s e a r c h L i b r a r i e s N e w s 62, no. 8 (2001): 818-21. 2. Anne O. Garrison, Paula M. Walker, and Linda K. TerHaar, “ULS discusses new learn­ ing communities,” C o l l e g e & R e s e a r c h L ib r a r ­ i e s N e w s 58, no. 4 (1997): 242-43+. 3. The Temple University site is at: http:// w w w .te m p le .e d u /u n iv e rsity _ stu d ie s/lc _ publications.html. The Evergreen College site is at: h ttp ://w w w .e v e rg re e n .e d u /u se r/ washcntr/LCBibliography.shtm. 4. F aith G ab eln ick, Je a n M acG regor, Roberta S. M atthew s, and B arbara Leigh Smith, L e a r n i n g C o m m u n i t i e s : C r e a t i n g C o n ­ n e c t i o n s A m o n g S t u d e n t s , F a c u l t y , a n d D is ­ c i p l i n e s { N ew D i r e c t i o n s f o r T e a c h i n g a n d L e a r n i n g , no. 41, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1990): 19. 5. Ibid. Also, see http://www.temple.edu/ university_studies/generaljnfo ,html. 6. Nancy S. Shapiro and J. H. Levine, C r e ­ a t i n g L e a r n i n g C o m m u n i t i e s : A P r a c t i c a l G u i d e t o W i n n i n g S u p p o r t , O r g a n i z i n g f o r C h a n g e , a n d I m p l e m e n t i n g P r o g r a m s (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1999). Also, see http:// www.temple.edu/university_studies/general_ info.html. 7. See http://www.isoc.org/HMP/PAPER/ 198/abst.html. 8. See h ttp ://w w w .w a sh in g to n .e d u / uwired/. Also, see U W ired : T e c h n o l o g y , T e a m ­ w o r k , T r a n s f o r m a t i o n , University of Wash­ ington, 1997. 9. See http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/ ilc/. 10. See h ttp ://w w w .u n iversityco llege. iupui.edu/LC/. 11. Reichel, “ACRL: The learning commu­ nity for excellence in academic libraries.” 12. Ashley Williams, “Learning Communi­ ties: An Overview,” LNVENTLO 2, no. 2 (Fall 2000). Also, see http://www.doiiit.gmu.edu/ Archives/fallOO/index.html. 13. Ibid. 14. See http://libweb.hawaii.edu/uhmlib/ news/lis 100.html. ■ http://www.temple.edu/university_studies/lc_ http://www.evergreen.edu/user/ http://www.temple.edu/ http://www.temple.edu/university_studies/general_ http://www.isoc.org/HMP/PAPER/ http://www.washington.edu/ http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/ http://www.universitycollege iupui.edu/LC/ http://www.doiiit.gmu.edu/ http://libweb.hawaii.edu/uhmlib/