You Are a Community

Last week, we blogged about interesting ways that technology can help colleges match instruction to the needs of individual students. But we also acknowledged that tech-time needs to be balanced with face-time. Lauren Stowe Jones from Zane State College wrote, “For our students, that personal connection and the face-to-face time is vital. I do believe that technological literacy is an essential skill, but our students tend to learn it best when in a supportive face-to-face environment.”

This week, we’d like to focus on the personal connection that is critical to student persistence and motivation. We’ll be blogging all week about learning communities. For a little art-imitates-life moment, check out this clip from the pilot episode of Community, an NBC sitcom in which seven students (both traditional and non-traditional) form a study group at the fictional Greendale Community College:




Since the pilot aired in 2009, the students in the study group have grown together as a true community. On their own, each member of the group struggles to overcome difficult pasts and build self-worth, but together they form a surprisingly stable group. They have supported each other through the academic and personal challenges of exams, bullying, divorce, racism, financial woes, pregnancy, and zombies. It may be a comedy, but Community deftly tackles some pretty serious topics. By the end of every episode, the group demonstrates the principle that we’re going to focus on this week: students have a better chance at success when they are supported and engaged in a community of their peers.

Alyson Zandt is a Program Associate at MDC and a loyal follower of Community.