ABSTRACT
This chapter examines more specifically current applications of student learning communities (SLCs), professional learning community (PLCs), and learning organizations in postsecondary education. It offers resources for design and development of each type of learning communities (LC) by providing background; presenting data from the 100-Institution Survey; identifying exemplars—excellent models of practices, programs, and/or institutions; and reporting suggestions for development from the LC literature. Content-specific topics require use of common logical and verbal examples in discussions and tasks. Trust-building activities also assist in creating a learning environment that produces learners who are risk takers, inquirers, and problem solvers. Effective PLCs that focus on student learning and success and the development of supportive LCs also exist across and between colleges and universities. The collaborative communities in Math Forum appear to have been one of the initial virtual PLCs.
