This page is part of the 2016 Lane website archive, and is presented for historical reference only.

Examples of Learning Communities

Examples of Learning Communities

These are the most common configurations but do not exhaust the possible forms of linking classes.

Linked or Paired Courses

  • Students co-register in paired classes.
  • Faculty work to coordinate syllabi and assignments but teach their classes separately
  • Often skill courses and content courses are linked together
Examples of paired classes from Lane:
  • Afro Blue: Ethnic Studies and English Composition
  • BioBonds: Chemistry and Biology
  • EcoTrails: Global Ecology and English Composition
  • Food for Thought: Culinary Arts and Math and Writing
  • Thinking Indian: Anthropology and Writing
  • Transitions to Success: Life Transitions and Career and Life Planning
Examples of paired classes from other colleges:
  • "The Galactic Village ": Astronomy and English classes (Bellevue Community College)
  • "Culture, Poverty and Diet": Sociology and Nutrition Classes (Skagit Valley Community College)
  • "Everything but the Kitchen Sink": Material Science/Welding and Developmental English Composition Class (Clark College)

Course or learning clusters:

  • Students enroll in 3-4 courses linked together by a common theme
  • A cohort of students enroll in all classes
  • Faculty coordinate syllabi and assignments
  • Often include an integrative seminar 
Examples or Course or Learning Clusters:
  • "Earth Trek: An Examination of the Relationship of Nature and Humanity," Environmental Biology, English Composition and Art (Spokane CC)

Coordinated Studies Learning Communities

  • Three or more courses that often form a full load (12-15 credits)
  • Fully team-taught as an integrated program; all faculty present in all classes
  • Cohorts of students enroll
  • A team-taught 3 class model would enroll 60-75 students and be comparable to 9 conventional classes; three for each instructor
  • Faculty participate as learners as well as teachers
  • Most difficult to establish but most rewarding for faculty and students
Examples of Coordinated Studies at Lane and Elsewhere:
  • "Go For Baroque": Humanities, History, Literature, Writing and Music Classes
  • "Of Mice and Matter: A Successful Journey through the Scientific Maze": General Biology, Introduction to Chemistry and Learning Strategies (Bellevue Community College)
  • "Women in History, Literature and Film": Women's Literature, English Composition and Women's Studies (North Seattle Community College)
  • "Leonardo to Voltaire: A Renaissance of Ideas and Images": Western Civilization, Art, English Composition and Library Studies Classes (Spokane Falls Community College)

Team-Taught course pairs

Similar to coordinated studies but only involves 2 team-taught classes

Examples of Team-taught course pairs:
  • "Lighting the Green Fuse"
  • English Composition and Field Botany (Skagit Valley College)
  • "Journey to Ground Zero: Humans and the Desert"
  • Art and English Classes (Solano Community College)
  • "China Business and International Trade"
  • Business Management and Eastern Asian Studies Classes (Western Washington University)