For Immediate Release
May 6, 2002
Contact: John Hammond, Director of Public Relations, 210/733-2147, jhammond@accd.edu
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SAC is Selected for Learning Communities
Project
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| San Antonio College is one of 20 colleges and universities, and the only
college in Texas, selected to participate in a National Learning Communities
Project aimed at strengthening innovative approaches to college teaching
and learning. The project is funded by a $1.17 million grant from The Pew
Charitable Trusts and directed by the Washington Center for Undergraduate
Education at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash. The Learning Communities concept is to enroll students in clusters of classes organized by interdisciplinary themes, encouraging them to build intellectual connections among the subjects they study and at the same time to build social connections among themselves. At San Antonio College, a pilot program was begun in the Spring 2002 Semester as part of a Title V grant, and planning is underway for the Fall 2002 Semester Learning Communities classes. Seven classes of 25 freshmen students each, grouped for compatibility based on assessment and counseling, will participate in the program. Before the semester begins, instructors will meet to decide on interdisciplinary themes for the classes. The 75 participating students will be carefully monitored throughout the semester. Some of the public, private, and community colleges selected to participate in the project are, respectively: Washington State University and University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth; Vassar College and Bethune-Cookman College; and De Anza College and Cumberland County College. Each college will send a team to The Evergreen State College for a five-day residential institute and receive consulting help on learning community development, assessment, and administrative matters. A web site of resources on learning communities may be found at http://learningcommons.evergreen.edu. For more information about the San Antonio College Learning Communities program, contact Coordinator Dehlia Wallis at 733-2009. |
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1300 San Pedro Ave. • San Antonio, Texas • 78212-4299 • (210) 733-2147 |