2008 Woodie Awards
Freshmen live and learn in communities
Jenna Berube
Issue date: 11/16/07 Section: Campus
- Page 1 of 1
11/16/07 - Every year, incoming freshmen sit in hot orientation rooms at the University of Rhode Island to pick classes for their first semester of college and choose their learning communities.
"When I first [learned about learning communities], I thought it was dumb because they pick the classes for you and stuck you with the same people every day," freshman Stephanie Blakely said.
Many students echoed the same initial concerns.
A learning community is made up of a series of courses corresponding to a certain major, with about 20 seats in each group. Incoming freshmen can choose their learning community based on which community has the most classes that appeal to them and their major.
"After being in a learning community, I really like them now," Blakely said. "You make friends and have people to study with, and everyone is going through the same things as you."
Jayne Richmond, dean of University College, said that peer support is an essential part of learning communities. "When we organize their classes and even their living arrangements as learning communities, students are more likely to get to know each other better, form study groups and try new challenges," she said.
One course that all learning communities have in common is URI 101. The goal of URI 101 is to make students familiar with the campus and its resources. All incoming freshmen are required to take the one-credit course in their fall semester of their first year.
Each URI 101 class must also complete a community service project as part of the Feinstein Enriching America Program. The project is aimed at giving back to the community while bringing students closer together.
"It was useful, and the projects like diversity week and the community service project affiliated us with the campus," freshman James Thayer said. "It makes us feel more comfortable with the campus and welcome."
More than 600 colleges and universities were surveyed for the 2007 National Survey of Student Engagement, and URI excelled in the categories of learning communities, community service, internships and practicum, and foreign language courses.
In the coming years, URI will continue to have learning communities for incoming freshmen.
University College plans on offering more living communities in residence halls for learning communities such as a nursing living and learning community in fall 2008. The university already offers learning communities for students in health sciences, Honors and the College of Environmental and Life Sciences students.
"When I first [learned about learning communities], I thought it was dumb because they pick the classes for you and stuck you with the same people every day," freshman Stephanie Blakely said.
Many students echoed the same initial concerns.
A learning community is made up of a series of courses corresponding to a certain major, with about 20 seats in each group. Incoming freshmen can choose their learning community based on which community has the most classes that appeal to them and their major.
"After being in a learning community, I really like them now," Blakely said. "You make friends and have people to study with, and everyone is going through the same things as you."
Jayne Richmond, dean of University College, said that peer support is an essential part of learning communities. "When we organize their classes and even their living arrangements as learning communities, students are more likely to get to know each other better, form study groups and try new challenges," she said.
One course that all learning communities have in common is URI 101. The goal of URI 101 is to make students familiar with the campus and its resources. All incoming freshmen are required to take the one-credit course in their fall semester of their first year.
Each URI 101 class must also complete a community service project as part of the Feinstein Enriching America Program. The project is aimed at giving back to the community while bringing students closer together.
"It was useful, and the projects like diversity week and the community service project affiliated us with the campus," freshman James Thayer said. "It makes us feel more comfortable with the campus and welcome."
More than 600 colleges and universities were surveyed for the 2007 National Survey of Student Engagement, and URI excelled in the categories of learning communities, community service, internships and practicum, and foreign language courses.
In the coming years, URI will continue to have learning communities for incoming freshmen.
University College plans on offering more living communities in residence halls for learning communities such as a nursing living and learning community in fall 2008. The university already offers learning communities for students in health sciences, Honors and the College of Environmental and Life Sciences students.