English professor discusses learning communities with board members

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.