Learning communities at the University provide a unique learning environment for students, and one class integrating hip hop and athletes has proven particularly popular among students.
Kinesiology assistant professor Louis Harrison is teaching a course with history professor Leonard Moore focusing on African-American popular culture and African Americans in sports.
Students in the course discuss topics such as “gangsta rap,” Muhammed Ali and the National Basketball Association.
“There’s so much overlap in the content we cover,” Harrison said.
Lynn Evans, director for the Center for Faculty Development, said learning communities give students a chance to learn more about different areas of a subject.
“They see the content from a variety of different perspectives,” Evans said. “There’s a lot of interaction between students and faculty.”
According to the Academic Affairs Web site, learning communities have been started at the University to increase student responsibility for learning, lead to groups that extend beyond the classroom, create active learning environments and improve student retention rates.
Learning community classes are taught back-to-back in the same classroom, with students receiving six hours of course credit.
In teaching the course, Harrison focuses on African-American sports, while Moore concentrates his efforts on the development of hip hop.
“We look at the history of hip hop, looking at the culture, the politics and the music and how it intersects with American culture,” Moore said.
Harrison said while some students have reservations about taking a six-hour interdisciplinary class, the student response to the course has been positive.
English senior Rich Cooper said the class has been a great experience this semester.
“We’re studying things that are contemporary to us and that we have a firsthand account of,” Cooper said. “Students are encouraged to speak freely about the subject.”
Harrison agreed the class is enjoyable for all.
“It’s a fun class,” he said. “It’s a great way to learn and a great way to teach.”