Learning communities lead to student success
Released: May 1, 2008
The old saying goes, "two heads are better than one." The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater's learning communities are designed around this basic principle, and are helping connect freshman students with other first-year students.
On average, there are about 25 students in each learning community. Students are placed in each community based on their major or area of study, while some learning communities focus on a theme. Students in each learning community often take the same courses and live in the same residence halls to promote outside-the-classroom learning.
"Students have told me how proud they are of their college for starting their educational career this way. They feel so much more connected to campus and a strong link between their major and general studies," said Diana Rogers-Adkinson, director of the Learning Communities program. "Learning communities provide potential for lifelong friendships and an even larger peer group than students not in learning communities."
The first learning community at UW-Whitewater was established in 2004. Since then, 11 new communities have been added as support for the program has grown. Rogers-Adkinson says she hopes to eventually see one-third of the freshman population participating in learning communities, and would like to see two or three communities added each year.
Research done nationwide has proven that learning communities promote student learning, student retention and student success. At UW-Whitewater, the average student retention rate is 75 percent, while students in learning communities average an 85 percent retention rate.
Rogers-Adkinson and communication professors Sally Vogl-Bauer and Sue Wildermuth conducted research on the impact learning communities have on student learning outcomes at UW-Whitewater. They used a variety of self-assessment surveys on students in Speech 110 classes and compared the results of learning community students with those not in learning communities. Their research paper, "Living and Learning: Educational Outcomes of Freshman Learning Communities," earned the Top Paper in Communication Education award from the Central States Communication Association.
Their research found that the learning communities improve students’ affective and cognitive learning. Affective learning pertains to motivation and enjoyment while learning. Cognitive learning refers to application and comprehension of course material.
In addition to these benefits, Rogers-Adkinson said that freshman registration is easier in a learning community and students in learning communities are more likely to achieve sophomore status by their second year.
"Learning communities are a great way to start freshman interaction with other students and faculty," Rogers-Adkinson said. "I have had so much positive feedback from students, and I am looking forward to this program growing on campus."
- Katie Rankin,rankinkd12@uww.edu
