BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF LEARNING COMMUNITY:

"Space on Earth" is a learning community linking Composition I, Basic Algebra II, and Environmental Issues (A learning community consists of the same group of students taking the same courses with the same instructors). In this learning community, we will explore our relationship with the natural world, and take a constructive approach to today's environmental issues. Writing, Mathematics, and Science instruction will be interrelated throughout the semester as we address this theme.

While the curricular goals for the three courses will be the same as in other sections, our approach to skill building will be different in two important respects. First, skills work will be theme-related as much as possible. Second, writing, mathematics, and science study skills instruction will be interrelated.

Because "Space on Earth" is a learning community, a cooperative approach to learning will be practiced throughout the semester. This means that you will be participating in collaborative learning activities during and possibly outside of our scheduled class hours. It also means that we will all support each other’s efforts to learn and improve throughout the semester in whatever ways we can.

As your instructors in a learning community, our teaching methods will also be somewhat different from our teaching methods in stand-alone classes. We will be actively present in each other's classes. We will serve as models and learning facilitators as much as instructional leaders.