Vincent Tinto Ph.D. and Learning
Communities
“Retention is a community thing” Tinto, Ph.D.
Presented By: Fredrick Butler
Instructor: J. Baier. Ph.D.
Course: EDHE 6520
Term: Summer I, 2001
Vincent Tinto

Earned his Ph.D. in Sociology of Education from
the University of Chicago in 1971
 Noted as a Distinguished Professor in the School
of Education at Syracuse University
 Current research focuses on the impact of
Learning Communities on 1st year higher
education student’s academic achievement and
retention rates
Insights
Dr. Tinto suggests that there are several determinants
of student learning that must be met to foster student
success.
 Student abilities and skills
 High expectations of student performance
 Support ( academically and socially) and,
 Student involvement (e.g. time on task)
Proposed Solution: Learning
Communities

Learning Communities are supportive
environments that foster active involvement and
high levels of performance by allowing students to
connect with faculty and other students in efforts
of forming supportive peer interaction.
 This is best accomplished when faculty build
common academic connections among courses or
disciplines.
Examples of Learning Communities

Linked Course: communities in which students are
enrolled in courses that have overlapping content.

Interest Groups: communities in which students
are assigned to a discussion group in addition to
common courses.
Examples of Learning Communities

Cluster-Learning: communities in which clusters
of students take all of the same courses, one of
which is a seminar course that helps make
connections explicit

Coordinated Study: communities that offer longer
courses that are co-taught by two or more
instructors.
Additional Components to Theory

Frequent assessments of learning
 Frequent feedback about learning
 Frequent feedback about teaching, and
 Emphasis on group activities and assignments that
encourage out of class interactions
Closing Thoughts: Quotes from Dr.
Tinto
“An institution’s mission is what makes the
education valuable”.
“Students’ expectations must match reality, they
must make connections with their teachers and
their peers”.
“Begin at the beginning and make sure everything
you do early (New Student Orientation, Welcome
Week, University 100) meets students needs and
helps them become more connected to the
university.”
Bibliography




Butler, Darrell. Learning Communities
http://web/bsu.edu/tla/resources/news/199798/Apr1998A1.htm
Tinto, Vincent. Vincent Tinto
http://www.nmsu.edu/~NMHEACT/Tinto.html
Craig, Tom. Retention expert says focus on mission and
values. http://sam.acu.edu/events/news/000118retention.html
National Center on Postsecondary Teaching, Learning, and
Assessment.
http://www.ed.psu.edu/cshe/htdocs/research/NCTLA/nctla.h
tm