A very interesting question was posted to IHEC Blog's Facebook page yesterday that I think readers will find of interest and might want to add their thoughts. Lori Jacobs asked followers to share their thoughts on the following question: "What does the term 'learning community' mean in different cultures?"
I think it's a great question and one I had not thought about nor had an answer. My exposure to learning communities is limited to the living learning communities some housing systems have implemented. My wife has worked in undergraduate student housing for nearly 20 years and we lived in the residence halls/dorms for our first nine years of marriage and this is where I was able to observe these types of learning communities in action (as an outside observer). I'm still trying to gather my thoughts on Lori's question.
What are your thoughts?
Please visit IHEC Blog's Facebook page here to leave a comment!
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I work for Semester at Sea, where we've got a pretty unique take on the issue of learning communities and international education. Students, faculty and lifelong learners join together for global voyages that stop in 10-12 international ports. While at sea, they are in a state of constant interaction in class, the dining areas, on the decks of the ship, etc. They become a community very quickly and even our students from smaller liberal arts college say the level of interaction far exceeds what they're used to at their home university. And the addition of adults through our lifelong learner program adds to the experience.
ReplyDelete@Dave ~ many thanks for your comment! I imagine that a Semester a Sea voyage produces a very tight knit learning community. I always wanted to go on one!
ReplyDeleteWow, what a great way to meet others with similar interests and immerse oneself in international education! In terms of learning communities, Dave brought up a great point when he spoke of students from smaller colleges not having exposure to these types of interaction. Students of higher education arenas that offer online classrooms may have an advantage here because they are exposed to peers and instructors from a variety of backgrounds, creating a diverse learning community rich in opportunities for growth and expansion of one's horizons.
ReplyDelete@Alex ~ Thanks for your comment. Interesting point about online classrooms offering and creating a diverse learning community. For quite some time I wasn't supportive of online classrooms but more and more (over the last 2 years or so) I have changed my opinion and, in fact, find them to be better environments for me to learn over the traditional classroom.
ReplyDeleteDave,
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard of an experience like you described before! How interesting and neat! I went on a cruise for vacation last year for 7 days. My husband and I met many people from many cultures on the ship and quickly formed somewhat of a community. We learned a lot from the people that we met and even keep in touch with them still. In fact we have gone to visit one couple since then. Thank you for sharing your experience.
Lori Jacobs
Alex,
ReplyDeleteYou have made some very interesting and sound points. I agree with you about online classrooms being diverse and smaller colleges not having much exposure to diversity. How do you feel about larger colleges and universities? Do you think it is better to learn from each other face-to-face or do you think that online offers just as much if not more?
Thanks,
Lori Jacobs
@Lori ~ Thanks for the comments and posing the question over on IHEC Blog's Facebook page!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments, Lori! While I do believe the potential for a wider range of diversity is present at larger colleges and universities, I think the diversity available through their online environments is that much greater. I would think larger colleges and universities would attract a multitude of students from around the world looking to increase their knowledge in certain areas or generally expand their horizons through education. It seems brick-and-mortar classrooms tend to be fairly homogenous in terms of their student population, and I've actually discovered less diversity in the physical classrooms with which I've been involved in the larger academic institutions than in the local community college where I presently teach!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great opportunity to learn about other cultures and, if you're a teacher, introduce that information into your classroom. I know that students can benefit greatly from the life experiences of teachers. I wonder if the students feel compelled to explore other opportunities after hearing the experiences of the teachers.
ReplyDeleteMark V.