by Matthew Fouts

Created on: October 28, 2008

The advantage of attending community college is that community colleges tend to be "learning-centered." A learning-centered college is an institution that views the education of its students as its top priority. It would be difficult, in my opinion, to overestimate the profound nature of the above statement. This slight shift in focus from that of a traditional university, centered on research, has created a fundamental change in the way we approach the idea of teaching college students and the mission of higher education.

Since at least the Middle Ages, the university system has been seen mostly as a place of research as well as a place for great minds and great ideas. In terms of an English department (where I normally reside) this essentially means that great literary thinkers have a place to hold a highly intellectual version of a "book club". The teaching of students is often viewed as an interruption to the real work of the place: conducting research, presenting research, and obtaining research grants. Students are to be tolerated and perhaps nurtured, if they show promise.

At a learning-centered institution, the student is seen as the highest priority of the school. To that end, faculty members at this type of college are typically not required to publish or present their research (although they may do so if they like). They are expected, instead, to focus their efforts on the needs of their students. Put simply, teachers should teach. This translates not only to teaching a larger number of classes per semester but, more importantly, a teacher at a learning-centered institution should make him or herself regularly available to students that may need extra help.

Having spent time as a student at both types of colleges, I am particularly interested in working at a learning-centered institution because I feel that such a school will likely be "in sync" with my own personal beliefs and teaching style. I have always kept, as my first priority, the needs and interests of my students, whether that means staying after class to talk about the difference between restrictive and non-restrictive clauses or forming a a student film club.

This is not to say that research is unimportant. I acknowledge the need for research, and I have presented my own research at conferences. However, I know from experience that I will feel more comfortable working at an institution where the education of our students is viewed as the most important thing we do.

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