Fostering Engagement, Connections and Persistence: Insights from a SOC101-EGL101 Learning Community

• In Event: 2322 - Activities and Techniques Poster Session

Abstract

Community colleges and their instructors often struggle to create educational experiences that promote intellectual and social engagement and foster persistence among students from all backgrounds—and especially among historically underserved, at-risk students. Recognized as a “high-impact educational practice,” learning communities that combine two courses with the same students and the same instructors are one approach to addressing these teaching and learning challenges. In this presentation, I will share my experiences developing, delivering, and assessing a learning community that combined Composition I and Introduction to Sociology. I will discuss the benefits to students, faculty, and colleges more broadly; the challenges my colleague and I encountered; and additional ways that we engaged with students to help foster student success and persistence. Audience members who attend this presentation will gain an understanding of what learning communities are, why to consider creating one and some suggested best practices for this course format.

Author

• Michelle E. Naffziger-Hirsch, Oakton Community College