Following are summaries of the ideas for possible learning communities generated at the workshops conducted on 4 January 2006 with Arts and Sciences faculty and on 16 February 2006 with faculty from the Business Technology, Industrial Technologies, and Health Sciences divisions.

The inspiration and procedures for these workshops came from the National Learning Communities Project, Washington Center for Improving the Quality of Undergraduate Education, Evergreen State College, Olympia, Washington.  For more information visit http://www.evergreen.edu/washcenter/project.asp?pid=73. 
– Jim Burns 2/22/06

Arts and Sciences
Learning Communities Brainstorming Workshop
4 January 2006

Team 1

Participants: Van Rose, Chris Allgyer, Carol Burkart, Kyle Scanlan
Theme: “Seeking Security in an Insecure World”
Courses: ENG 111, MTH 4 or MTH 163, BIO 101, and HIS 102
Topics/Activities: Increasing Population, Environmental Degradation and Change, Economic Impact of the Increase in Population over 65 (retirement age, social security, etc.), Movement toward Religious Fundamentalism and Political Conservatism
Other Themes: American Dreams (Econ and History), Impact of Technology, Cultural Taboos, Historical Epidemics, Diseases, and Disasters.

Team 2

Participants: Pat Brown, Yvonne Jessee, Jozsef Hunek, Carolyn Sumpter
Theme: “Wellness Connection”
Courses: Health, Chemistry, Math, English
Topics/Activities: mathematical formulas (algebraic order of operations, applying formulas to fitness, heart rate in aerobic assessments), chemistry (physiological response of body to exercise), English, writing reports about concepts learned in math and chemistry labs.
Other Themes:  Healthy Mind, Healthy Body

Team 3

Participants: Rita Quillen, Bill Harris, Ken Tucker, Alice Harrington
Theme 1: “Perspectives on the Creation Story”
Courses: Art History, Physics, World Lit., Cultural Geography
Theme 2: “Eye of the Pop Culture Storm”
Courses: Art History, Photography, American Lit., Sociology

Team 4

Participants: Rhoda Bliese, Will Galliher, Jim Strength, Mike Strouth
Theme: “Live Long and Prosper”
Courses: ENG 3, MTH 2, SDV 100
Topics/Activities: Math Topics: Managing Money (checkbooks, loans, interest, credit cards, budgets); Writing Topics: Process Papers e.g. “How to Apply for a Loan,” Dangers of Credit Cards, Research Careers; Orientation: Keys to College Success, Career Choices = College Majors  
Other Themes:  Evolution and its History (Biology, History, and English), Mathematics and Population Genetics (Biology and Math), America at War (History and English), Disease through the Ages (History, Microbiology, English)

Team 5

Participants: Tami Penley, Gary Jessee, Reg St. Clair, Joel Bailey
Theme: ”Poverty in Appalachia: From a Bitter Past to a Better Tomorrow”
Courses: Math, Humanities, Psychology, Speech
Topics/Activities: Stereotypes, Depression, Job Availability, Population Analysis, view films (Matewan), write reaction papers, speeches on related topics, data collection and analysis, Appalachian literature review, musical selections, design a tourism booklet, design a flowchart of migrations, design a flowchart of population growth and decline, language/dialect, oral tradition
Other Themes:  Development of Skills, Appalachian Perspectives,

Business Technology, Health Sciences and Industrial Technologies Divisions
Learning Communities Brainstorming Workshop
16 February 2006

Note:  Linda Childress, Bonnie Elosser, Pat Brown, and Van Rose also assisted at the workshop but are not named as table participants because they floated from table to table helping groups generate ideas for incorporating SDV 100 or a gatekeeper course into the planned LCs.

Table 1

Participants: Jim Bates, Gary Bumgarner, Louis Collier, Fran Doyle
Theme: “Exercising Judgment in the Real World: Making Ethical Decisions”
Courses: ENG 111, BUS 205, ACC 211/111
Topics/Activities: globalization/technology, sifting information for quality and veracity, the meaning of work, determining reasonable answers, exercising judgment, ballpark solutions to computational problems, legality of personal behavior, ethics in the day-to-day world

Table 2

Participants: Dana Crismond, Fred Coeburn, Nick Edwards, Teri Lane, Robert Wright
Theme: “Learning about your Selected Career”
Courses: 1st semester IST or ITN course, ENG 3 or ENG 111
Topics/Activities: using Blogs to discuss issues related to career choices, writing using technology
Other Ideas: an LC linking ENG 115 with program capstone courses

Table 3

Participants: Ann Davis, Jane Jones
Theme: “Distance Ed” (Note: The stick drawing of the character “Distance Ed” on this group’s summary poster was not possible to adequately reproduce here.  Kudos to the artists, Ann and Jane, but don’t quit your day jobs for a career in art. J JB)
Courses: SDV 100, ASDT 107, ENG 3 (Web courses)
Topics/Activities: What is Blackboard? Am I ready for Web courses? Grammar/editing skills, following directions, writing reports, summaries, research, course specific writing assignments, peer editing, grading, and reviews

Table 4

Participants: Robert England, Cindy Ringley, Beth Snodgrass
Theme: “Law and Order—SDV”
Courses: SDV 100, ADJ 100, LGL 110
Topics/Activities:  General rules, regs, policies, college activities, group meetings, career development and internship opportunities, service projects, leadership development, club development

Table 5

Participants: Jake Gilly, Rosa-Lee Moore, Chuks Ogbannaya, Shuler Ringley
Theme: “GIS: how it Affects Drafting and Environmental Science”
Courses: ENG 111, GIS 200, MTH 105, SDV 100
Topics/Activities: Math: geometry (areas, volumes, etc.), problems with fractions, decimals, percentages, conversions, scales, statistics. Writing: lab reports, disaster relief, case studies, field research and topics related to careers, proposals and presentations 

Table 6

Participants: Wendell Fowler, Roger Greene, Roy Powers
Theme: “Background Competence”—1st semester LC
Courses: ETR 113, MTH 105, IND 108
Topics/Activities: Fundamentals of computer technology, using MS Office programs, programmable logic controllers, DC/AC fundamentals, technical math
Other Theme: “Developing Skills in Teamwork and Problem Solving”—2nd semester LC
Courses: IND 137, ENG 115, Sociology/Human Relations (SOC 200 or PSY 120)
Topics/Activities: environmental issues, political issues, technical writing

Table 7

Participants: Paul Gilley, Richard Phillips
Theme: “Reading and Writing Your Way to Work”
Courses: SDV 100, ENG 100, selected course from WEL, AIR, and ELE
Topics/Activities: job applications, writing resumes, career center visits and activities, technical process paper on a career in field, use technical manuals to demonstrate the importance of good writing principles, student work logs of activities
Other Themes:

Table 8

Participants: Norma Calhoun, Kim Dorton
Theme: “Writing and Research: the Disease Process and Pathology
Courses: ENG 111, SDV 100 or ITE 115, PNE 151, PNE 152, PNE 155
Topics/Activities: writing with APA documentation format, writing and study topics: nursing specialty, disease process, pathology of diseases, visits to professional Web sites (such as Board of Nursing, CDC, PDR), drug toxicity guides, nursing research, job search/services
Other Theme: “Practicing and Measuring with Medicine Administration and Dietary Requirements”
Courses: MTH 2 or MTH 3, PNE 173/174, HLT 130
Topics/Activities: fractions, decimals, ratio, proportion, dosage conversions, calorie counts, dietary requirements, restrictions, weight loss/gain