Courses & Programs

Raul Gutierrez

Associate Professor, Chair, Language/Latinx, Honors Program

Social Sciences, Arts & Humanities

Donahue 333

413.552.2817 (Tel)

Learning Communities

Work with other students as you explore a topic through a multi-disciplinary lens

Fall  2024 lc classes



What is a Learning Community?

A Learning Community is usually a combination of two courses organized around a common theme. The connection between the subject matter in each course is emphasized so that information and skills learned in one of the courses can be applied to the other courses in the learning community. The same students enroll in all the courses in a learning community and the instructors team teach. Students learn collaboratively and assignments are integrated. At the end of the semester, each student gets a grade and credit for each of the courses that are part of the learning community.

Who should enroll in a Learning Community?

New, continuing, returning, or transfer student who are interested in being connected, supported, challenged, and excited during their time at HCC. 

Why should you join a Learning Community?
  • Improve your chances for academic success
  • Earn higher grades
  • Complete two or more requirements for your degree at one time
  • Connect your learning across courses in collaborative and active ways
  • Enjoy smaller class sizes
  • Improve your critical thinking skills by sharing and connecting topics, ideas, and assignments between classes
  • Develop a supportive network of peers, faculty, and staff
  • Enjoy closer, more supportive working relationships with professors in and outside class
  • Develop more confidence in your own abilities
  • Practice team-building and communication skills that are transferable to your daily life
  • Make new friends by spending more time with students from different cultures and majors
  • Make studying easier with ready-made study groups
  • Coordinate your homework to save time and stay on schedule with assignments
  • Get better connected with helpful resources on our campus like the Writing Center, Math Center, Pathways, and tutoring
  • Prepare for transfer and the possibility of scholarships
  • Have fun participating in a wide variety of group, campus, and community activities
what are the outcomes of participating in a learning community?
  1. Develop academic skills that will enhance core competencies, including: critical thinking, quantitative reasoning, information literacy, effective communication, and knowledge of diversity
  2. Integrate your learning – across courses (and disciplines), over time, and/or between the classroom, campus, and community
  3. Construct knowledge using the methods, tools, and conventions from two or more disciplines, perspectives, information sources, media, and technologies
  4. Understand and appreciate human diversity, with a focus on the analysis of issues including but not limited to race, gender(ed) constructions, ethnicity, sexual orientations, age, social class, disabilities, and religious sectarianism.
  5. Learn actively and collaboratively both in and out of class

radio interview: why are lcs awesome?

Raul Gutierrez

Associate Professor, Chair, Language/Latinx, Honors Program

Social Sciences, Arts & Humanities

Donahue 333

413.552.2817 (Tel)