Transcript Experiential Learning - University of South Florida

College of Arts and Sciences
Community Engagement:
Focus on Service Learning
Janna Jones, Assistant Professor of
Communication & USF Service Learning
Faculty Fellow
Robin Jones, Coordinator,
CAS Community Initiative
Sandra Schneider, Associate Dean,
Center for Research and Scholarship
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Arts & Sciences
Social
Sciences
Natural
Sciences
Humanities
Professional
Programs
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CAS Community Engagement
• Social Sciences: Criminal justice training,
archaeological trips, GIS, health, urban
• Natural Sciences: Summer math camp,
Coalition, REUs, corporations, arsenic/lead
• Humanities: Humanities Institute, Great
books, historical/religious trips abroad
• Professional Programs: journalists, kinship
care, community development, hearing
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Why Does Community
Engagement Matter?
• Community is a fundamental constituency
• University is essential to the community
• Social network provides the context for
knowledge generation and application
• Communities need knowledge/expertise
• Learning is real when it happens for-real
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Experiential Learning
Educational Goal
• Gaining knowledge/
understanding of
the world
• preparing for a career
• preparing for
Experiential Process
• field work/applied
research/internship
• practicum/internship
• service-learning
citizenship
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Components of Service Learning
• Project addresses a social, community, or
public issue
• Planned in collaboration with a community
partner
• Tied to a course:
1) project is well integrated into the syllabus
2) student reflection is required
3) systematic analysis/evaluation is emphasized
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Benefits
• Engaged Learning and Teaching
• Enthusiasm of Students, Faculty, and
Community
• Collaborative Partnerships
• Community Awareness and Immersion
• University Students/Faculty become
trusted, necessary community resources
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Requirements for Success
• Issues for Faculty and Support Team
1. Communication and Training
2. Development of Community Partnerships
3. Methods to Overcome Logistical Problems
• Sustained Network of Community
Relationships
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Enhancement Strategies
• Faculty Workshops
• Faculty Fellow
• Mini-Grants
• Coffees for faculty and community
partners
• Website address:
www.cas.usf.edu/servicelearning/index.html
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Looking Toward the Future
• Service Learning infrastructure at USF:
Mechanisms to reach the community
• Symbolic and material support for Service
Learning/Community Engagement
• Translation of knowledge to application
• Staff assistance
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Community: Thinking Bigger
• Broader perspective on university-
community interactions and relationships
• Appreciation for the role of the university
in knowledge generation and application
• Focus on the benefit of our unique
metropolitan surroundings and our
research strengths
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