Book Description

Learning communities purportedly show promise of alleviating the downward spiral of low academic achievement, rapid attrition, and student discomfort with the educational environment (Gabelnick, MacGregor, Matthews & Smith, 1990; Jacoby, 2000; Lenning & Ebbers, 1999). The purpose of this study was to explore factors present in a learning community that may have contributed to the increased academic achievement and retention of predominantly African American students in an urban community college developmental education program. The learning community was designed to restructure teaching and learning, to provide academic support, and to improve the success rates of entering students as suggested by state, local, and college reformers. This one-time study was conducted over a period of eight months using a qualitative research approach including interviews, observations, and examination of documents and reflective and field-notes. Data were analyzed using frequency counts, content analyses, and constant comparative analysis through the lens of Clark's (1996) model of synergistic community and Vygotsky's (1978) social constructivism theory. The findings suggested that the learning community model, structure, and practices assisted at-risk, low-achieving students in removing barriers to academic and personal success through the use of a cohort model linking developmental courses with a College Success Seminar. A curriculum centered on eight Success Principles created community, provided support, and engaged students and faculty in alternative instructional delivery in a variety of learning styles and teaching modalities. Major conclusions drawn from the findings in this study suggested that the learning community experience benefited the students, faculty, and institution through increased academic achievement and success rates and greater satisfaction with the learning community experience; and that implementing and sustaining learning communities was a challenging process that required committed administrative leadership and advocacy and the involvement of the total campus in order to become institutionalized into the college community. The conclusions drawn imply that community college students can and do succeed if provided supportive, academic environments in an institutional climate that fosters diverse and collaborative practices and policies. Recommendations for policy, practice, and future research included gathering multiple measures of data upon which to base future decisions regarding the purpose and direction of communal learning environments. -- Abstract.