Contact Us
ANU Learning Community Project Coordinator
Dr Dierdre Pearce
Acting Head, Bruce Hall
Building 40, Daley Road,
The Australian National University
T: 02 6125 6008
E:
Information for Staff
The ANU Learning Community Project is funded by the Vice-Chancellor for two years from November 2007. The project includes a working group of academic, general and residential staff who form partnerships across academic and residential colleges and divisions of the university. The working group shares best practice, meets to learn more about teaching and learning in the collaborative environment of a learning community, funding opportunities and methods for evaluating teaching and learning in learning communities. As part of the project, a fund is available to assist partnerships, consisting of staff of at least one academic college and one residential college, to develop a learning community theme. Applications for matching funds for the remainder of 2008 have closed but there will be an opportunity to apply for funds for 2009 later this year.
Although learning communities are designed to increase student engagement, retention, experience of university and professional skills, staff can also experience similar benefits by being involved in a learning community theme. A number of learning communities include activities that are open to ANU staff and/or the wider community. For more information, write to the email address of the theme you are interested in or contact the learning community coordinator at the address below.
If you can see synergies between your teaching and an existing theme and would like to develop learning community activities, please write to the theme’s email address or contact please contact the coordinator of the project, Dierdre Pearce, Phone 6125 6008 Email:
How to Join
Each learning community theme has a page on this site; some have no membership restrictions, some include a number of activities available to students enrolled in a particular subject and membership of some is related to your enrolment in a particular subject or group of subjects. Many learning communities are open to staff as well as students. All learning communities are open to residential and non-residential students of ANU. To join a learning community, simply email the contact email address and ask to be added to the mailing list.
What is a Learning Community?
A learning community is a group of people who share a common interest and who collaborate to create an environment in which everyone can learn. Learning communities are different than a purely social group of people – the focus is on learning and helping others learn and the activities are often linked to academic programmes at the university or to work you can submit for assessment.
The activities are interdisciplinary, purposeful and designed to give you an opportunity to learn more about an area which interests you and which may not ‘fit’ into your chosen degree programme. Being active in a learning community can also help you develop vital professional skills alongside your developing understanding of your academic programme.
At ANU, learning community themes include Aid & Development, African, Asia-Pacific, Contemporary Europe, History, Languages & Culture, Music, Rhetoric, Sustainability and Teaching.
Home
Welcome
Welcome to the ANU Learning Communities! On this site you’ll find information about the learning community themes and contact details to join a community or to find out more about the themes.
Why join a learning community? You’ll meet other people with similar interests, put the things you’re learning in your degree into practice and develop valuable skills which enhance your ability to compete for scholarships, internships and employment.
Each community has a huge range of ways to get involved so no matter whether you love organising events, want to develop professional writing skills, enjoy a good debate or want to make a difference to the world and its people, there’s something for you to do and to learn.
Each learning community has an information page and contact email address – drop us an email to join up or ask for more information.
(Photo: Stuart Hay, ANU Photography)
Themes
On this page you’ll find links to learning community theme pages. Follow the links to find out more about a theme and to join a membership list.
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