Civic engagement & student learning: Forging local community partnerships with realistic...

By Dr. Mitzi E. Lewis for the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges 2015 Annual MeeAng

Civic engagement & student learning: Forging local community partnerships with realisAc expectaAons

Available online

PresentaAon: hJp://bit.ly/coplac15 OR à

Contact info: Email: [email protected] TwiJer: @mitzilewis

Today’s presentaAon: Public Places, Digital Spaces

•  Begin with context/research •  Follow with examples of “student civic engagement…in and about local community, and how this work can be integrated into the curriculum” (COPLAC, 2015)

Source: Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. (2015). “Public Places, Digital Spaces: Place-‐Based and Technology-‐Enhanced Learning at Public Liberal Arts Colleges Call for Proposals.” hJps://docs.google.com/document/d/1IguQxLBuceagbWZreCp7D3Re9DTXD_AquWVgR2AQOV4/

What does civic learning and engagement include?

•  curricular components •  service learning •  community partnerships •  internships •  community-‐based undergraduate research

Source: Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. (2015). “COPLAC Civic Learning and Engagement Project.” hJp://www.coplac.org/publicaAons/arAcles/?arAcle=2027

Why civic engagement?

“A socially cohesive and economically vibrant US democracy and a viable, just global community require informed, engaged, open-‐minded, and socially responsible people commiJed to the common good and pracAced in “doing” democracy.” (pp. 13-‐14)

Source: NaAonal Task Force on Civic Learning and DemocraAc Engagement. (2012). “A crucible moment: College learning and democracy’s future.” hJps://www.aacu.org/sites/default/files/files/crucible/Crucible_508F.pdf

a national call to action

A CRUCIBLE MOMENT W College Learning ! Democracy’s Future F f The National Task Force on Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement


To “empower students as informed and engaged ciAzens of the new century.”

a national call to action

A CRUCIBLE MOMENT W College Learning ! Democracy’s Future F f The National Task Force on Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement

Source: Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. (2015). “COPLAC civic learning and engagement project.” hJp://www.coplac.org/publicaAons/arAcles/?arAcle=2027

Source: Associates, Hart Research. (2013). It Takes More Than a Major Employer PrioriAes for College Learning and Student Success. Liberal Educa-on, 99(2), 22-‐29.. via Malachowski, M. “ConnecAng undergraduate research to other high impact pracAces.” PresentaAon for Midwestern State University, April 29, 2015.

Civic engagement can help students gain skills employers want

Employers say the most emphasis should be placed on: ²  criAcal thinking and analyAcal reasoning ²  complex problem solving and analysis ²  wriJen and oral communicaAon ²  the applicaAon of knowledge and skills in real-‐world senngs ²  the locaAon, organizaAon, and evaluaAon of informaAon

from mulAple sources ²  innovaAon and creaAvity


•  Good for students •  Good for the community

Civic engagement is good for students

“Engaged forms of learning yield more educaAonal effecAveness (transformaAonal experiences)

²  NaAonal Survey of Student Engagement ²  Student Success in College: Crea-ng Condi-ons that Ma:er

(2005, Jossey-‐Bass & AAHE) ²  Greater Expecta-ons: A New Vision for Learning as a Na-on

goes to College (2002, AAC&U) ²  College Learning for the New Global Century (2007, AAC&U) ²  Others (e.g., NSF, NRC, PKAL, HHMI, Carnegie, Kuh et al., Barr

& Tagg, Guskin, AsAn, Pascarella, etc.)”

Source: Malachowski, M. “ConnecAng Undergraduate Research to other high impact pracAces.” PresentaAon for Midwestern State University, April 29, 2015.

Civic engagement is good for students

“Frequent results of the effecAve interplay of service and learning are that parAcipants:

²  Develop a habit of criAcal reflecAon on their experiences, enabling them to learn more throughout life,

²  Are more curious and moAvated to learn,… ²  Strengthen their ethic of social and civic response,… ²  Understand problems in a more complex way and can

imagine alternaAve soluAons,… ²  Learn how to work more collaboraAvely with other people

on real problems, ²  Realize that their lives make a difference.” (pp. 2-‐3)

Source: HonneJ, E. P., & Poulsen, S. J. (1989). “Principals of good pracAce for combining service and learning.” Guides. Paper 27. hJp://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/slceguides/27

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Kuh, G. D. (2008). High-‐impact educa-onal prac-ces: What they are, who has access to them, and why they ma:er. AssociaAon of American Colleges and UniversiAes.

Source: Kuh, G. D. (2008). High-‐impact educa-onal prac-ces: What they are, who has access to them, and why they ma:er. AssociaAon of American Colleges and UniversiAes.

Service learning

Source: Kuh, G. D. (2008). High-‐impact educa-onal prac-ces: What they are, who has access to them, and why they ma:er. AssociaAon of American Colleges and UniversiAes.

Service learning is good for the community

“Reconnect[s] universiAes with communiAes” “Has a posiAve impact on students’ intenAons to parAcipate in community service”

Source: McCarthy, A. M., & Tucker, M. L. (2002). Encouraging community service through service learning. Journal of Management Educa-on, 26(6), 629-‐647.


“Bring[s] fresh, outsider perspecAves and new ideas to the organizaAon.” “Fill[s] volunteer slots needed to keep programs running” “Increase[s] the number of people organizaAons can serve and enhance the quality of services” “Free[s] up organizaAonal resources to be used in any number of producAve ways.” “ParAcularly important for small non-‐profit organizaAons with small budgets or unsteady funding streams” (p. 125 & 126)

Source: Blouin, D. D., & Perry, E. M. (2009). Whom does service learning really serve? Community-‐based organizaAons' perspecAves on service learning. Teaching Sociology, 37(2), 120-‐135.


“Some students conAnue their service to the organizaAon beyond the course requirements as regular volunteers, interns or staff.” “In some cases, students assist in recruitment by encouraging other students to volunteer.” “Service learners may also become organizaAonal advocates who educate others about the mission of the organizaAon, enhance public awareness about related social issues and generally increase publicity about the organizaAon.” (p. 126)



“[Can help] bridge the ‘town-‐gown divide.” “Can provide organizaAons access to university resources (e.g., technical experAse, connecAons to faculty with shared research/occupaAonal interests) and open the door to other types of beneficial collaboraAons.” (p. 126)


Community reported obstacles to successful service learning


•  Student conduct and commitment •  Course—community organizaAon fit •  CommunicaAon

Strongest faculty-‐reported deterrents from using service learning

Source: Abes, E., Jackson, G., & Jones, S. (2002). Factors that moAvate and deter faculty use of service-‐learning. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 9(1), 5-‐17.

•  “anAcipate having logisAcal problems coordinaAng the community service aspect of the course”

•  “do not know how to use service-‐learning effecAvely” •  “is not relevant to the courses I teach” •  “have not been given or do not anAcipate being

given release Ame to develop a service-‐learning course” (p. 12)

•  Planning •  ImplementaAon •  Final reflecAon and celebraAon

ConsideraAons for successful service learning

•  Start early

Planning

“Weeks of programming can save you hours of planning.”

—Anonymous

Planning

“If I had six hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend the first four hours sharpening the axe.”

—Unknown

Planning

•  Start early •  Start slow/small •  See if your university offers release Ame, funding support, or

other logisAcal support •  Find other faculty (in your field and in other fields) who have

used service learning and ask them what worked well and what they would do differently; if you have a hard Ame finding them, check out the COPLAC service learning webpage: hJp://www.coplac.org/resources/service-‐learning.php

•  IdenAfy appropriate course (where learning outcomes could be supported)

•  Choose an organizaAon/project that aligns with/supports your learning outcomes; office(s) on campus that work with the community may be able to help with this

Planning

•  Involve community organizaAon/partner in planning •  Together, idenAfy needs, realisAc goals, benefits for campus/students and for community organizaAon

•  Underpromise and overdeliver with community partners; discuss with them up front that there will be learning opportuniAes

•  Expect mistakes learning opportuniAes; use them as teachable moments

•  Follow-‐up in-‐person discussions with wriJen communicaAon to reinforce shared understanding and correct any misunderstandings

Planning

•  Explain to students why service/community-‐based learning is useful to them (why it is a valuable instrucAonal tool)

•  Communicate goals and expectaAons clearly to students up front and reinforce throughout the semester

•  Encourage ownership by involving students in senng these to the extent possible

•  Connect students with organizaAon and its people

ImplementaAon

•  ConAnue to follow-‐up in-‐person discussions with wriJen communicaAon to reinforce shared understanding and correct any misunderstandings

•  Incorporate project submission in parts as the semester progresses (instead of one big submission at the end)

•  Provide both students and the community organizaAon structured opportuniAes for criAcal reflecAon/feedback (during and a|er)

ImplementaAon

•  Solicit final feedback from students and community organizaAon

•  Use what you learn to inform future work •  Celebrate with students and community organizaAon!

•  Document success and share with stakeholders: current students, potenAal future students, community organizaAons, administraAon

Final reflecAon and celebraAon

•  CommunicaAon channels/processes – within the class – between the class and the community organizaAon

•  PresentaAon formats •  File formats appropriate for intended use •  Website pla~orms/content management systems •  Management of technology a|er class/project is over

•  One size does not fit all

Technology-‐specific consideraAons

Two general types of service learning


•  Program oriented •  Project oriented

Brochure Redesign

No original :-‐(

Interfaith Ministries, Inc. was established

in January, 1982, to assist families and individuals

whose lives have been adversely affected by a

mOBODJBM�DSJsis.

Interfaith Ministries is part of the

community outreach of over 70 congregations in

the Wichita Falls area.

The Prescription Project provides long-

term assistance with monthly prescription bills to

chronically ill individuals.

Interfaith Ministries is a member of the

Wichita Falls Area Disaster Recovery Committee,

which provides a coordinated local response

to major natural or man-made disasters. The

Committee’s purpose is to assist individuals

unable to recover through their own resources.

Wicked Weather Weekend is a bi-annual

community event that focuses on preparation for

and recovery after severe weather in Texoma. This

fundraiser is family oriented and free to the public.

About Interfaith

Ministries

What we do

Rent and rent depositsUtility bills and deposits

Interfaith Ministries, Inc. helps residents of Wichita

County and Holliday, Texas with emergency needs

including:

Food, cleaning supplies, and toiletries

Short-term and long-term prescription assistanceEyeglassesMedical referrals

Gasoline for scheduled job interviews or medical appointmentsBus tickets Drivers’ licenses, birth DFSUJmDBUFT �*%�DBSET

Referrals to other helping agencies are given to assist clients in meeting their needs

Eligibility: You must be a Wichita County or

Holliday resident.

Paperwork: Bring your social security card,

a valid Texas ID (TX DPS issued) and any bills,

prescriptions or other paperwork relating to your

need to: 1101 11th St. (corner of 11th and Austin).

No appointment needed: You will be seen

PO�B�mSTU�DPNF �mSTU�TFSWFE�CBTJT��1MFBTF�DPNF�as early as possible.

Hours of operation:

When You Need

Help

What to expect: A volunteer will talk with you

about your immediate need, taking a look at your

situation to decide how Interfaith can best help.

While Interfaith may not be able to help you with

everything needed, we will work with you to

decide which needs are most important and try to

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Interfaith’s goal is to provide information and

encouragement to help you take steps toward

meeting your own needs. We care about you and

want to help with the crisis you are facing.

Monday 9 a.m.–2:45 p.m.

Tuesday 9 a.m.–10:45 a.m.

1 p.m.–2:45 p.m.

Wednesday 9 a.m.–10:45 a.m.

Thursday 9 a.m.–10:45 a.m.

1 p.m.–2:45 p.m.

Friday 9 a.m.–10:45 a.m.

*OUFSQSFUJOH�BOE�translating service

Outside of new brochure

Inside of new brochure

AddiAonal informaAon

•  Campus Compact: “a naAonal coaliAon of nearly 1,100 colleges and universiAes commiJed to…deepening their ability to improve community life and to educate students for civic and social responsibility.” hJp://compact.org/

•  Faculty Toolkit for Service Learning in Higher EducaAon: hJp://www.eas~ieldcollege.edu/Assets/ServiceLearning/faculty-‐toolkit-‐for-‐service-‐learning.pdf

•  List of service-‐learning and public scholarship journals: hJps://www.binghamton.edu/cce/faculty/sl-‐publicaAons.html

QuesAons? SuggesAons?

PresentaAon: hJp://bit.ly/coplac15 OR à

Contact info: Email: [email protected] TwiJer: @mitzilewis

Civic engagement & student learning: Forging local community partnerships with realistic...

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