An Examination of a Graduate Learning Community in a College of Agriculture

• Published in: NACTA journal 2016-12, Vol.60 (4), p.398-404
• Main Authors: Odom, Summer F., Burbank, Michael, Reed, David W.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Academic disciplines; Active learning; Agricultural Colleges; Agricultural education; Agricultural Skills; Blue collar workers; College campuses; Communication Skills; Communities of Practice; Community; Community Relations; Councils; Course Content; Curricula; Doctoral Programs; Educational Experience; Extracurricular activities; Failure; Family Involvement; Graduate students; Graduate studies; Graduate Study; Intellectual Disciplines; Interest groups; Interpersonal Relationship; Learning Experience; Meetings; Methods; Outcomes of Education; Personality; Research Methodology; Research Skills; School Holding Power; School principals; Skills; Social integration; Social interaction; STEM education; Student Attrition; Student retention; Studies; Verbal communication
• ISSN: 0149-4910

Graduate learning communities have the potential to assist graduate students in integrating both academically and socially into their graduate programs through curricular and extracurricular activities. At Texas A&M University, a graduate learning community was created in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences to help diverse graduate students integrate into their graduate program. This study sought to describe experiences of this first-year graduate learning community in a college of agriculture focused on retention of graduate students, successful integration into graduate school and leadership and research skills. Interviews were conducted with eight graduate students who completed one year of a graduate learning community to gain an understanding of what students gained from their experience. Graduate students described the learning community through two themes: most meaningful experiences and least meaningful experiences. Regarding suggestions for enhancement for future students, themes of structure/content and social interaction were found. Students reported social interactions were one of the most meaningful components of the learning community, but more social interaction was a recommendation for future learning communities.