Creating a Course with a Community Learning Component

Due to Trinity’s urban location, some courses may be enhanced by incorporating a community learning component as a complement to the in-classroom experience.

The Center for Hartford Engagement and Research at Trinity College provides the following definition of community learning: “What is community learning? At Trinity, we define it as a type of experiential learning—an academic course in which the faculty member works in partnership with a person or group from the local community to involve students in an experience they could not get in the classroom alone. The learning goes both ways, as the students and community residents share knowledge.” To access a great resource from the Center for Hartford Engagement and Research for faculty members who would like to develop a community learning course at Trinity, please click here.

For a detailed explanation of community learning and why it can be a useful for engaging students in the classroom and beyond, you may want to review this resource from the Coalition for Community Schools.

To learn more about community learning and how other colleges and universities conceptualize community learning, please see the following websites from Johns Hopkins University and Carnegie Mellon University. When designing a community learning course, this comprehensive handbook from University of California – Berkeley may also be a useful resource.