Students who take Delta College courses in learning communities perform
better in their classes than students who take the same courses separately,
according to Delta English Professor Betheen Glady-Teschendorf.
Glady-Teschendorf presented information about learning communities to the
Delta College Board of Trustees on Feb. 18.
A learning community is a way to offer courses from different disciplines.
Students sign up for two or more courses; their classmates in all are the same. The
professors work together so the courses compliment each other. Students have said
learning communities offer students more support, more encouragement and richer
learning, according to Glady-Teschendorf.
Learning communities have been offered at Delta for 23 years. About 2.5
percent of Delta students are in a learning community. Glady-Teschendorf said she
believes the reason why learning communities have not grown is because students
are not aware they exist. She said that, in a marketing study conducted at Delta,
100% of learning community students surveyed said they would recommend
learning communities to other students.
Board member R. Earl Selby asked if Delta should consider making one
learning community a requirement for all students.
“That is not a conversation I’ve heard, but it’s a conversation I would listen to
gleefully,” said Glady-Teschendorf. “I welcome anybody to initiate it.”
Delta will host the National Learning Communities Conference at the Double
Tree Hotel in Bay City in November.
Other topics discussed at the Feb. 18 board of trustees meeting included:
• Treasurer’s report – Delta has lost 15,000 credit hours per year, equivalent
to $2 million in revenue.
• Approval of emergency lighting and essential power in B and S wings.
• Approval of revisions to senate policies.
• Board member Robert Emrich called a motion to wait until after the next
regular board meeting to make a recommendation on the new Saginaw
center location. The board approved the motion 6-1.
The next regular board meeting is scheduled for March 18. Presenters from
Saginaw zones will be present. The board will not make a recommendation on the
zone until the following meeting.