The Office of the Provost's plan to create Learning Communities at NJIT was put into motion in Fall 2010. Community Connections, Learning Communities at NJIT, brings together students, professors, peer mentors, and advisors in an interactive way.

Faculty and Advisors are an integral part of the learning community and student learning experience. The relationship between faculty /advisors and their students is one of mutual respect that if fostered successfully can be extremely rewarding for both participants. Community Connections hopes to create these relationships into lasting bonds during the first year of study at NJIT.

Below are some useful tools for faculty and advisors.

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Conversations

Two experts in the development and implementation of new Learning Communities, Dr. Katherine Mayberry and Dr. Nancy Shapiro, presented workshops to facilitate NJIT's planning process.  The implementation of Learning Communities at NJIT exemplifies the potential for institutional transformation that results from the collaboration of academic and student affairs.

• Dr. Katherine Mayberry - Learning Communities and the Culture of Retention, November 11, 2010.
• Dr. Steven Mickelson - A Successful Model for Learning Communities at a Research University, March 30, 2011.
• Dr. Nancy Shapiro - Implementing Academic Learning Communities at NJIT, November 30, 2010.
• 2010 Reading Day - Bringing Learning Communities to NJIT, December 9, 2010

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Resources

There are a number of online resources dedicated towards Learning Communities. The following highlight some of the pages and links that are particularly useful.

• Nancy Shapiro's book: Creating Learning Communities: A Practical Guide to Winning Support, Organizing for Change, and Implementing Programs
• Washington Center for Improving the Quality of Undergraduate Education - Main Website
• Learning Communities National Resource Center - Frequently Asked Questions