The Learning College

O'Banion suggests that the community college needs a new model of education, a model that incorporates the best practices and philosophies of its past with the expanding base of new knowledge about learning and technology. He calls this, "the learning college." The learning college places learning first and provides educational experiences for learners anyway, anyplace, and anytime. The model is based on the assumption that educational experiences are designed for the convenience of learners rather then for the convenience of institutions and their staff. The learning college is based on six key principles:

1. The learning college creates substantive change in individual learners.

2. The learning college engages learners as full partners in the learning process, with learners assuming primary responsibility for their own choices.

3. The learning college creates and offers as many options for learning possible.

4. The learning college assists learners to form and participate in collaborative learning activities.

5. The learning college defines the roles of the learning facilitators by the needs of the learners.

6. The learning college and its learning facilitators succeed only when improved and expanded learning can be documented for its learners.