Given discussions at the campus level regarding equity and access to high-impact practices and the call to define the first-year experience, IU Indianapolis has developed multiple learning community models as a means to scale up and to engage all IU Indianapolis freshmen in learning communities. All learning communities at IU Indianapolis have the same five common attributes:
- Integration of the curricular and co-curricular is intentional and designed to encourage integrative thinking in students.
- Out-of-class activities enhance academic content, integrative thinking, and community building.
- Active learning strategies are used in each course.
- Experiences are intentionally designed to foster community building and sense of belonging.
- Faculty and staff collaboration fosters community building, integrative approach, out-of-class experiences, and/or student development.