Learning Communities
In 2002, Wofford received a National Science Foundation grant of $199,952 to develop learning communities that link laboratory science courses for non-science majors and freshman humanities seminars. This enabled the faculty to work toward building a successful program of learning communities that lead the way toward improving student engagement in the classroom.
“In these learning communities, students have so much to contribute and create, and they seem to learn more than in a traditional setting,” says Dr. Ellen Goldey, Associate Professor of Biology and the United Methodist Foundation “Educator of the Year” for 2002.
Wofford College was invited to host the event by the National Learning Communities Project (NLCP), an organization aimed at strengthening innovative approaches to college teaching and learning. The all-day event in November 2003 featured workshops and discussions about the rewards and challenges of adopting a curricular learning communities (CLC) model, says Goldey. “We shared a close look at our freshman program, funded by the National Science Foundation, which fully integrates an introductory course in the sciences for non-majors with a section of Humanities 101, a required writing seminar for all first year students.”
Currently, freshman learning communities are the joining of two disparate courses, typically a humanities class and a science class. Students who wish to participate in a learning community must be enrolled in both of the hosting courses.
The Fall 2009 Learning Communities/Linked Courses include:
"Theatre Physics” [first-year students]
Linking Humanities 101G (Dr. Mark Ferguson), and Physics 104A (Prof. Steve Zides).
"Extraordinary Groups and Unusual People" [first-year students]
Linking Humanities 101C (Dr. Natalie Grinnell), and Sociology 210A (Dr. Gerald Thurmond).
The Spring 2010 Learning Communities/Linked Courses include:
"Math, Literature, and the Unknowable" [first-year students]
Linking Mathematics 120 (Dr. Matthew Cathey), and English 102 (Dr. Amy Sweitzer).
"World on the Edge" [first-year students]
Linking Physics 104 (Prof. Steven Zides), and Philosophy 120 (Dr. Christine Dinkins).
"The Universe, Life, and Humanity: Questions for Religion and Science" [first-year students]
Linking Biology 104 (Dr. Robert Moss), and Religion 204 (Dr. Byron McCane).
Previous Learning Communities have included:
"Religion, Philosophy and Identity" [second-year students]
Linking Religion 280C (Dr. Katherine Jones), and Philosophy 120C (Dr. Christine Dinkins).
"Math, Murder, and Mystery" [first-year students]
Linking Mathematics 120 (Dr. Charlotte Knotts-Zides), and English 102 (Dr. Natalie Grinnell).
"Theatre Physics” [first-year students]
Linking Humanities 101Q (Dr. Mark Ferguson), and Physics 104A (Prof. Steve Zides).
“Oil and Water” [first-year students]
Linking Humanities 101BB (Prof. John Lane), and Biology 104A (Dr. Ellen Goldey).
"Science, Pseudoscience, and Belief" [first-year students]
Linking Religion 201 (Dr. Byron McCane), and Psychology 104A (Dr. Alliston Reid).
"World on the Edge" [first-year students]
Linking Physics 104 (Prof. Steven Zides), and Philosophy 120 (Dr. Christine Dinkins).
"Loving the Bomb" [first-year students]
Linking English 102 (Dr. James Neighbors), and Philosophy 120 (Dr. Christine Dinkins).
"Realities Dark Dream" [first-year students]
Linking Humanities 101 (Dr. Sally Hitchmough), and Psych. 104 (Dr. Cecile Nowatka).
"Cosmology and Ultimate Questions" [first-year students]
Linking Humanities 101 (Dr. James Keller), and Physics 104 (Prof. Steve Zides).
More information on Wofford's NSF Learning Communities Grant