This book offers guidance for the development of learning communities at the college level. The book analyzes examples of learning communities at a wide variety of institutions, including research universities, commuter campuses, residential campuses, and four- and two-year institutions. Chapter 1 offers definitions and characteristics of learning communities and reviews research studies and policy reports supporting such environments. Chapter 2 discusses the historical influences, contemporary settings, and models of learning communities. Chapter 3 is the first of three chapters describing the types of transformative change necessary for learning communities to take root and flourish. It focuses on learning communities and the change process. The following chapter addresses learning communities and curriculum, while chapter 5 focuses on faculty roles and reward structures. Administrative partnerships necessary for effective learning communities are explained in chapter 6; this is followed by a discussion of the logistics of establishing learning communities in chapter 7. Chapters 8 and 9 address evaluation and assessment of learning communities. Chapter 10 offers some advice and reflections based on the authors' experiences as directors of learning communities at the University of Maryland and Temple University (Pennsylvania). (Contains approximately 110 references.) (DB)