As we move towards a knowledge economy, new skill sets will be demanded of the workforce. Studies have identified some of these skills as the ability to work in teams with people of different cultures, to think critically and to use a variety of technologies. In order to equip students with these skills, universities should consider a more active learning approach, requiring more collaborative, participative student involvement in their own learning. Universities also play a critical role in creating knowledge. Since new fields of knowledge often evolve from cross-disciplinary interaction, a vital and diverse learning community is critical both to fostering learning and to developing of new ideas. However, there is little research about what factors influence and sustain university learning communities or how to effectively design them.; This thesis adopts a case study research method using five case studies and proposes a framework to guide the design or enhancement of university learning communities. After detailing each dimension of the framework: organization (which includes pedagogy and course program structure), physical space and information technology, it explains how individually and collectively these dimensions shape university learning communities. It then proposes three strategies for creating or enhancing university learning communities through active learning, cross discipline interaction and fostering communities of interest and demonstrates how they can be applied in different university environments.
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