Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) Programme for Students Learning With Communities (SLWC) Report Sept 2008 - Sept 2011

Funded by…

Programme Staff

Dr Catherine Bates, Project Co-ordinator (Sept 2008-Sept 2011) Elena Gamble, Project Officer (Sept 2008 Aug 2011) Sinead McCann, Project Officer (Aug 2010-Sept 2011) Community Links, 23 Mountjoy Sq, D.1

What’s in this report?

• • • • • • •

Programme introduction: from slide 5 Policy context: from slide 11 Benefits of CBL/CBR: from slide 20 Examples of projects: from slide 25 Programme support structures: from slide 29 Testimonials: from slide 74 Statistics: from slide 86

What is the Programme for Students Learning With Communities?

Click here for a 3-minute video introduction:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8saFZ15QE9E& feature=player_embedded

Students Learning With Communities

promotes and supports community-based learning (service learning) and community-based research initiatives across DIT These initiatives involve staff/students

collaborating

with disadvantaged

community partners

(local groups, not-for-profit organisations, etc) to develop

real-life

course-based projects or research

for mutual benefit.

Vision and Mission Statements…

In 2009 SLWC developed the following vision and mission statements to guide the work of the Programme Vision:

To be a vibrant, professional hub connecting DIT students and staff to local, national and international communities, by linking learning with real life application, for mutual benefit.

• • • • •

Mission:

To encourage, support and develop the practice of community-based learning and community-based research within programmes across DIT.

To produce socially conscious graduates with applied and transferable professional skills.

To build sustainable relationships with community and voluntary organisations.

To create appropriate links with industry in support of community-based learning and community-based research. To collaborate with national and international educational institutions to advance best practice in the area.

SLWC Advisory Group

Set up May 2009, composed of DIT staff, other HEI staff, community members and student representatives, to: • • • • Advise on SLWC plans – including new initiatives, funding opportunities, strategic direction within DIT and in relation to community partnerships etc Advise on policy papers Advise on promoting SLWC in DIT and in communities, as relevant Provide guidance on any issues that may arise Advisory Group met once in 2008-9, three times in 2009-10 and four times in 2010-11.

Policy context (2008-2011) for Students Learning With Communities…

The policy contexts

•

The National Context Education Authority - Higher

•

The Institutional Context - Dublin Institute of Technology and the Community Links Programme

The National Context

• • • January 2011 - HEA published National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 Defines Higher Education’s mission - teaching, research, engagement with the wider community ‘At its simplest, engagement means taking on civic responsibilities and cooperating with the needs of the community that sustains higher education – including business, the wider education system, and the community and voluntary sector’ p.74

The National Context

•

‘Higher education institutions should have

open engagement with their community and wider society

and this should infuse every aspect of their mission.

Outward-facing systems and structures

should be embedded into institutional activity, so that there are

inward and outward flows of knowledge, staff, students and ideas between each institution and its external community

’

p.12

The National Context

• •

Higher Education Institutions should: ‘Recognise civic engagement of their students through programme accreditation, where appropriate’

p.21

‘Put in place structures and procedures that welcome and encourage the

involvement of the wider community in a range of activities, including programme design and revision ’ p.21

The National Context

•

‘One solution to the challenge of finding suitable work placement for students is service learning. This has the advantage of also providing students with the opportunity to engage in civic endeavours.

Service-learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection, to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility and strengthen communities

’

p.59

The DIT Context

DIT’s mission statement (www.dit.ie/about/about-dit/mission/) ...

• • • • ‘Dublin Institute of Technology provides an innovative, responsive and caring learning environment for a diverse range and level of programmes to students of all ages and backgrounds. In doing so, DIT: combines the academic quality of a traditional university with career focussed learning, discovery and the application of knowledge; emphasises excellence in learning, teaching, scholarship, research and support for entrepreneurship; contributes to technological, economic, social and cultural progress;

is engaged with and within our community ’.

The DIT Context

• DIT Widening Participation Strategy...

Under objective 4: to root DIT in the relevant communities in order to develop current and additional bridges to higher education for students and communities ‘DIT will also increase student volunteering and learning with organisations and communities which will create opportunities for communities to engage with DIT staff and students with a view to incorporating their concerns into DIT’s broader teaching and research agenda’ p.10

The DIT Context

• • DIT’s Community Links Programme… Students Learning With Communities is located in the DIT Community Links Programme The overall objective of the Community Links Programme is to help alleviate educational disadvantage, widen participation in higher education and enhance civic engagement , particularly in inner city Dublin, although some of the programmes operate at national and international levels.

The benefits of community based learning & community based research…

How do students benefit?

• • • Learning comes alive for students as they work with real clients applying their specialist subject skills and receiving course credits for their work They develop essential transferrable skills which they can include on their CV This is a new opportunity for them to learn from and with communities increasing their critical thinking and developing their social awareness

How do staff benefit?

• • •

CBL and CBR makes teaching more interesting, meaningful and engaging It can deepen staff-student connections and understanding of student learning styles It can help develop a greater sense of connection to communities to other staff and the institution, and

How do communities benefit?

• • • •

The project will deliver a

usable end-product

for the community (e.g. research report, designs) Students act as

role models

in the community for higher education The community has an opportunity to

educate future professionals

about community needs, and

influence curriculum

Collaborative learning with students during the project can be

energising

How does the HEI benefit?

• • • • • • CBL and CBR increase student retention rates enhance attractiveness of programmes development of transferable graduates skills, making graduates more employable increase responsiveness: input, ideas and expertise from NGOs, communities, society fulfil the third mission - engagement (National Strategy for HE to 2030) source of EU research funding

Examples of community-based learning projects and community based research…

• • •

Community-based learning

Professional Practice Module

involves 2

nd BSc in Human Nutrition and Dietetics

year students developing communication and competency skills before work placement module.

students worked in pairs with senior citizens resident in Dublin City Council complexes, to take diet history, do a nutritional assessment and give them feedback on their diet Students and senior citizens benefited and students achieved higher marks in subsequent work placement module than previously

•

Community-based research

Law in Society module on BA in Law, Bachelor of Law / Postgraduate Diploma in Law gives students opportunity to practise legal research skills in a real-life context. Improves students’ abilities to present research findings to a client and to develop understanding of ethical and professional duties involved. Encourages students to consider law in broader societal context and to develop awareness of the relationship of law to society and social problems. • In collaboration with Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) students have carried out the following research:

(next slide)

Community-based research

• • • • 2009-10: Research into the extent to which alternatives to custody are used by judges sentencing children 2010-11: Research into the use of legislation against the sale and supply of drugs. In particular, IPRT wished to examine the type of sentences imposed for this offence and the circumstances of each sentence, working towards its goal of campaigning about the use of imprisonment in this area. 2011-12: Working with both IPRT and also the Public Interest Law Alliance (PILA), students will prepare a report and presentation on the barriers to litigation by prisoners. www.communitylinks.ie/slwc/projects for more

Support structures developed by the Programme for Students Learning With Communities 2008-2011…

Support structures

1. Policy development 2. Module development 3. Other resources developed 4. Networking opportunities 5. Training Opportunities 6. Funding opportunities 7. Collaborations 8. Promotion of SLWC & projects 9. Recognition for SLWC and celebration of SLWC projects

•

1. Policy Development

DIT and Community Links Strategic Action Plan 2011-2014

In 2009 DIT adopted the goal of developing the programme for Students Learning With Communities into its strategic plan, where it remains a clear objective for the institute. SLWC has finalised its own strategy as part of the forthcoming Community Links Strategic Plan 2011-2014

•

DIT Widening Participation Policy

The DIT Widening Participation Strategy launched in 2010 has 6 main objectives, one of which is 'Embedding DIT in the relevant communities in order to develop current and additional bridges to higher education for students and communities '. SLWC coordinates this objective, which works with over 100 disadvantaged community groups, and is crucial in building links between DIT students and communities

• •

Child Protection Policy for Students Learning, Working or Volunteering with Children

SLWC and Campus Life have been responsible for initiating and developing the policy for students learning, working or volunteering with children across DIT. The policy is due to be rolled out in September 2011.

Other policy areas where SLWC has had an input

- DIT Garda Vetting Processes - The Student Experience Sub Committee of Academic Council - College of Sciences and Health strategic planning process across the thematic area ‘Engagement’

2. Module Development

• SLWC staff have assisted lecturers across disciplines to adapt flexible module descriptors to include CBL and CBR opportunities for students.

• SLWC staff have also assisted staff with creating and validating new modules which incorporate CBL and CBR.

CBR Module Development

• • • • • SLWC developed a 5/10 ECTS postgraduate module in ‘Foundation in Community-Based Research’, piloted on the MA in PR and MA in Applied Media Studies in 2010 11. co-delivered by SLWC staff and Media Studies lecturer gives students a grounding in the philosophy and methodology of CBR and enables them to carry out a small CBR project with a community partner. students become familiar with CBR methodology, should they wish to use this approach in their minor/major thesis. module is currently being evaluated and revised, will then be available for wider dissemination.

Alternatives to industrial work placement

• • SLWC has been promoting the use of CBL/CBR as a viable alternative to industrial work placement, with innovative projects in the School of Maths and the School of Computing in 2011. This is also encouraged in the National Strategy to Higher Education to 2030 (see National Policy context above).

SLWC staff have published a peer reviewed paper on this topic - see publications below

• • •

3. Other Resources developed

SLWC staff developed comprehensive information sheets for students, staff and community partners interested in community-based learning and research. also developed pre-project questionnaires and evaluate how the project went, whether it met post project evaluation forms for staff, students and community partners. The pre-project forms address expectations of the project and the post-project forms expectations and what could be done better .

After piloting several classes with students on reflection, SLWC produced a pack with which staff can deliver a one hour reflection class .

• • SLWC has a vibrant website, updated regularly with news, events, reading lists, links, guidelines, toolkits, testimonials etc for staff, students and community partners . The website describes DIT projects and showcases students’ work to offer inspiration and ideas. www.communitylinks.ie/slwc

• • In May 2009 SLWC staff began collecting research questions from community partners and developed a substantial database of questions on the webpage for students to browse, to find a CBR topic for their final undergraduate or postgraduate research. SLWC staff carried out research in best practice in CBR and CBL, to feed this new knowledge into all aspects of SLWC – see publications and

conference presentations below.

4. Networking Opportunities

SLWC has developed various contexts for CBL and CBR participants to come together and make connections, to develop and enhance projects. • •

SLWC Practice Group:

Started in November 2009 opportunity for those interested and engaged in CBL and CBR (staff, students and community partners) to come together informally to discuss, reflect on and appraise the work, and share ideas and initiatives.

• • •

Practice group :

– meets at lunchtime on alternating DIT campuses – close to 50 participants in semester two of 2011 – facilitated by SLWC on a theme or process of interest to the group March 2011: DIT and TCD held successful

joint Practice Group

on CBR with staff, students, and community partners from both institutes. Further opportunities offered during the year for community partners, staff and students to come together to focus on themes that give rise to

multidisciplinary projects

– see

collaborations below. These take the form of lunchtime meetings, networking and showcase events.

SLWC Summer Schools:

Built on popularity of Practice Group • • •

2009-10 - first Summer School

1.5 days, 25 DIT staff, students and community partners attended.

promoted CBL and CBR, provided discussion, training and networking opportunities Staff from Science Shop at Queen’s University Belfast facilitated a session on CBR

• • • •

2010-11 - second Summer School

extended to 3 days and opened to staff from other HEIs. 34 participants - staff (from 6 HEIs in Ireland and abroad), students and community partners suite of workshops and networking opportunities, from introductory sessions to more in-depth explorations of CBL and CBR. Frank Naughton of Partners - Training for Transformation facilitated a session on Creative Facilitation.

International Networks:

SLWC was instrumental in ensuring that DIT sign up to the following international networks :

- The Talloires Network

- international association of institutions committed to strengthening the civic roles and social responsibilities of higher education www.tufts.edu/talloiresnetwork/ - Campus Compact - international coalition of college and university presidents committed to the civic purposes of higher education www.compact.org

- Living Knowledge

– European Network of Science Shops providing independent, participatory research support in response to concerns experienced by civil society www.scienceshops.org

- The University Social Responsibility Alliance

- global network promoting the pivotal role of universities regarding the teaching and establishment of social responsibilities www.usralliance.org

5. Training Opportunities

Since 2008 SLWC has offered training in various aspects of CBL and CBR: – Staff and community partner training in starting CBL or CBR projects – Student training in reflection – Staff training in facilitating and assessing student reflection (with teaching pack to deliver in class) – Staff/community/student training in creative facilitation – Staff training in articulating a vision for social change and linking that to their discipline

• SLWC hosted and co-hosted

training/seminar events with international experts

on CBL and CBR including: –

SLWC with Campus Engage, Nov 2008

: Professor Bill Oakes, of Purdue University, facilitated two days of workshops on ‘Students Learning with Communities – in engineering and across disciplines’. –

SLWC with Campus Engage, Nov 2009

: Professor Bob Bringle of IUPUI (Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis) visited DIT to give two days of workshops and presentations on SLWC topics.

–

SLWC June 2010

: Emma McKenna and Eileen Martin from Science Shop Queen’s University Belfast delivered a ‘how-to’ workshop on CBR as part of SLWC Summer School 2010.

• •

6. Funding Opportunities

SLWC has successfully secured EU funding under the Framework 7 Science in Society research stream, as part of a consortium of 26 EU partners. The funds arising from PERARES (Public Engagement with Research and Research Engagement with Society) support the development of DIT community-based research initiatives.

SLWC was also involved in two unsuccessful funding bids for further EU Framework 7 Science in Society calls, the first coordinated by Technical University Berlin and the second by SLWC.

• • • Since 2008 SLWC has also supported the start up or development of 17 DIT CBL or CBR projects through seed funding grants to staff and community partners.

SLWC forwards relevant funding opportunities to those interested in starting or developing SLWC projects.

Staff from SLWC received funding from DIT Teaching, Learning and Technology Centre in 2009-10 & 2010-11 to present on the Programme’s work at national and international conferences

St Michael’s House St Vincent’s Hospital Fairview Larkin Community College Localise Soilse An Síol NWICN Vincentian Refugee Centre Rialto Youth Club The Aisling Project Ballymun Eve Goirtin Training Centre City Quay National School Lourdes Community Centre CDVEC Dublin Community Growers

Carmichael Centre

Friends of the Elderly Enable Ireland The LIFELINE Garda Road Safety Unit National optometry Centre Rialto Day Care Centre MAIN Parentline Wells for Zoe Cultivate Positive Behaviour Ireland Ballybough Community Centre Leanbh Simon Aontas Rothar Social Entrenpreneurs Irish Environmental Network Ladies Gaelic Football Association Dyspraxia Association of Ireland St Brigid’s Nursery James Street CBS Foroige OCD Ireland Macro Community Resource Centre Dublin Sports and Recreation Council Irish Society for Quality and Safety in Healthcare Irish Penal Reform Trust Pavee Point Merchants Quay Ireland Bradog Fatima Regeneration Board Chanel College National Drug Treatment Centre

7. Collaborations

St Mary’s Hospital St. Anne's Resource Centre Mater Dei National School Fighting Words Ballymun Regeneration Ltd CanTeen Ireland Tallaght Hospital Adventure Sports Project Re-Discovery Centre Santa Maria CBS St Michaels Youth Club Whitefriar Street Community Centre Irish Martial Arts Commission Unicef Digital Hub Care Local Community Education Network The John Bosco Youth Centre South West Regional Drugs Task Force Home-Start Ireland Dublin City Community Forum Rutland Street National School Kilmainham Gaol Dundalk County Council Saint Audeons’s National School Grangegorman Residents Care Alliance Ireland Special Education Project Henrietta Street Beaumont Hospital Carmichael Centre Ethiopia Ard Scoil Ris Dublin City Council St Joseph’s CBS St Columba’s Special School for Travellers Grangegorman Development Agency

• • • •

Collaborations with Communities:

57 different modules across 44 different courses in DIT involved students learning with communities in 2010/1. SLWC is involved with over 100 community partners spread across the city and country, as well as international partners. SLWC has helped strengthen existing relationships between staff and community partners, and developed new ones . Plans are underway to move DIT to one location in Grangegorman , in Dublin’s inner city. SLWC has also focused on strengthening and building links with this community through collaborative CBL and CBR projects.

• • •

A growing collaboration with the Carmichael Centre:

The Carmichael Centre for Voluntary Organisations is the largest shared services centre for the community sector in Ireland , supporting 47 resident charities located within the Centre in Dublin 7, and hundreds of associate members throughout Ireland Similar missions : The Carmichael Centre and SLWC both train, inform, support and capacity-build with their stakeholders, whether community and voluntary organisations or staff and students. SLWC is developing relationships and pilot projects with the Carmichael Centre itself, as well as collaborating to link DIT staff and students with member organisations for collaborative projects.

•

A growing collaboration with the Carmichael Centre:

Recent/future projects: – MSc in Food Safety Management students worked with Carmichael Centre kitchen staff to audit and improve food safety procedures – MSc in Professional Design Practice students worked with Carmichael Centre CEO to design print layout for Annual Report – MSc in Community and Local Development student researched relationship between Irish community sector and social enterprise. – BA in Tourism Marketing students will work with Parentline to analyse the brand awareness of the organisation

Multi-disciplinary project collaborations:

Since 2008 SLWC focused on developing three thematic areas with three community partners, allowing different disciplines to develop CBL or CBR projects to feed into these themes. The themes and partners are:

College Awareness of Road Safety (CARS) project

: raising awareness of road safety among young men aged 17-24, with Garda Road Safety Unit

Participating disciplines:

1. Optometry 2. Physics 3. Environmental Health 6. Product Design 7. Marketing 8. Retail Services Management 4. Automotive Tech. and Mgt.

5. Electrical Engineering 9. Transport Operations and Tech.

10. Tourism Management 6. Forensic and Environmental Analysis 11. Tourism Marketing 7. Professional Design Practice 12. Event Management

College Awareness of Road Safety (CARS) project examples: Students in several disciplines made Youtube videos on road safety targeting their peers

Click here to watch Ken and Barbie video by First Year Marketing students Click here to watch texting while driving video by Third Year Tourism Marketing students Click here to watch drink driving video by First Year Marketing students

Lifeline Project:

a community-led initiative exploring new models of inner city living and transitional land use in Dublin, with founder of LIFELINE Kaethe Burt O’Dea

Participating disciplines:

1. Architecture 2. Chemistry 3. Nutraceuticals 4. Spatial Planning 5. Sustainable Development 6. Visual Communications

Wells for Zoë:

an Irish Humanitarian organisation that provides clean, safe drinking water, farming and education to villages in the Mzuzu area in the northern region of Malawi in Africa, with John and Mary Coyne, Wells for Zoë founders

Participating disciplines:

1. Computer Science 3. Nutrition 2. Business 4. Social Care

• • • •

Collaboration with Learning, Teaching, and Technology Centre DIT:

SLWC invited every year to deliver two workshops on CBL and CBR to staff taking Postgrad Diploma in Learning and Teaching – so every new academic staff member in DIT is introduced to CBL and CBR early on. SLWC invited to deliver workshops on CBL and CBR to staff taking the Postgrad Certificate in Learning and Teaching in IT Athlone and IT Carlow (2010) SLWC invited to participate in ‘ Perspectives on Education’ roundtable series, on ‘Who cares about the curriculum?’ (2010) and ‘Would you credit it?’ (2011) SLWC and Martina Crehan from LTTC co-presented ‘Using a reflective model (Gibb’s) to assess reflective and assessment methods in service learning’ workshop at International Conference for Service-Learning in Teacher Education in June 2009.

•

Industry Collaborations:

Various SLWC projects have

links with industry

e.g. Product Design students work with Enable Ireland, BT and Microsoft.

• SLWC recently joined

DIT’s Corporate Partnership Network

‘which will help industry/professions achieve their organisational objectives in collaboration with DIT’, exploring possibilities for 3-way collaborative projects between SLWC, industry and community partners.

• • • • • • •

Higher Education Institution Collaborations:

Presentations on CBL and CBR to staff in Athlone IT, Carlow IT, NCAD and ITT (also to students and community partners in ITT). 2011 joint Practice Group with TCD on CBR for staff, students and community partners from DIT and TCD Staff from TCD, DCU, ITB, University of Bethlehem and Portland State University attended 2011 Summer School.

Staff from HEIs across Ireland attended our January seminar (see next slide) run jointly with the HEA.

Regular contact with Science Shop in Queen’s University Belfast , formal mentors to SLWC as part of EU PERARES project relationships with several EU HEIs through the PERARES project and independently with Roskilde University, Denmark; Technical University of Berlin; University of Victoria, Canada Colleagues from DCU, QUB and ITB are on our Advisory Group

HEA Collaborations:

•January 2011: DIT Community Links & SLWC hosted a joint seminar with the HEA on

Students working with Communities – a significant curriculum initiative in Irish Higher Education

. 86 people attended from across the community and higher education sectors nationally. •May 2011: DIT Community Links & SLWC involved in planning, presenting and chairing a Hunt Report Implementation

Seminar on Civic Engagement

together with DCU, NUIG and the HEA, to which presidents of all HEIs were invited.

• •

8. Promotion of SLWC & SLWC projects

In Dec 2008 Community Links launched a new

website.

SLWC regularly updates news, events, resources etc on its webpages www.communitylinks.ie/slwc SLWC also has an online presence on – Ammado , an online network connecting nonprofits, socially responsible companies and engaged individuals – Facebook , a social networking service – – Youtube , Activelink, for profits a global video sharing website an online network for Irish non

• • • Since March 2009 SLWC has produced a bi -annual

newsletter

with recent updates and news for the Programme June 2011 SLWC produced

information postcards and flyers

for different stakeholders – staff, students and community partners. Since 2008 SLWC has given numerous

presentations

promoting its work to staff, students, community partners, college executive members, board members, other HEIs etc, nationally and internationally.

• • Feb 2008: SLWC coordinated

a 3-week exhibition

of students’ work in the Macro Resource Centre, D7, ‘Aspects of Grangegorman – its heritage and culture’, by DIT Hospitality Management and Tourism students. The exhibition was opened by City Manager John Tierney.

November 2010: as part of Innovation Dublin 2010, Design Dublin 2010 and also Science Week 2010 , SLWC hosted a

major exhibition

across the main DIT campuses, promoting and showcasing students’ work on 2008-10 projects. It received nationwide exposure in Designweek and Innovation Dublin brochures and websites, as well as coverage on radio [click ] and in press.

In 2010 SLWC and community partners Kaethe Burt O’Dea and Seamus Hanrahan from ‘the LIFELINE’ introduced the LIFELINE project to the larger community through a

half-day public seminar

at the Lighthouse Cinema and an

exhibition

in Space 54, in Smithfield, Dublin 7. The goal was to stimulate future community engagement and share the research done by DIT students in 2009–10 in collaboration with LIFELINE. The event attracted around 100 participants, from local community, local government, DIT staff and students.

SLWC also supported public launches of CBL projects organised by lecturers or community partners: - 2009, St Michael’s House, Ballymun – Launch of ‘Live and Let Die’ project with DIT architectural technology student - 2009, Home-Start Ireland Launch of ‘Tea and Friends’ publication in Draiocht Arts Centre, with DIT students in Early Childhood Education, Professional Design Practice and Journalism - 2011, St Michael’s Youth Project Inchicore – youth photography exhibition with DIT photography student - 2011, Kilmainham and Inchicore communities, Dublin 8 – exhibition of heritage and cultural trails by Tourism Marketing, Tourism Management, Event Management students

• • Since 2008 SLWC Programme and projects have had

national press coverage

in the Irish Times, the Irish Daily Star, the Irish Daily Star Northern Ireland , the Metro Herald, the Irish Business Post, and Irish Independent, Newstalk 106-108 FM and RTE Nationwide Also since 2008 SLWC Programme and projects have had

local press coverage

in the Campus Engage Post, Explore Magazine (Aontas), DIT News, TOAST Magazine (DITSU) and DIT FM

• • •

The following conference papers were presented by SLWC staff 2008-2011:

NAIRTL 5th Annual Conference and Galway Symposium on Higher Education in June 2011 Engaging Minds: Active learning, participation and collaboration in Higher Education: ‘Students Learning With Communities’ CU Expo 2011 – Community-University Partnerships, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada, May 2011: (1) ‘Building equality of participation in research partnerships’. (2) 'Lessons from a Pilot Module in Community-Based Research', as part of ‘Community university partnerships in scientific education’ session. OECD IMHE International Conference

Higher Education in a World

Changed Utterly: Doing More with Less, Paris, September 2010: ‘Students Learning With Communities in Dublin Institute of Technology – an Institutional Case Study on the potential rewards from the use of community-based learning as an alternative to industry-based work placement’.

• • • • All-Ireland Society for Higher Education International Conference : Designing & Delivering Curricula for the Future, Dublin, August 2010: ‘Community-based learning and curriculum design – a crash course for academic staff’. Fourth International Living Knowledge Conference : Engaged

Communities, Engaged Universities: Developing policy and practice

in participatory research, Belfast, August 2009: ‘Mind-mapping the challenges – key considerations after the first year of setting up a programme for community-based research and learning’.

ICSLTE Second International Conference for Service-Learning in Teacher Education , Galway, June 2009: ‘Using a reflective model (Gibb’s) to assess reflective and assessment methods in service learning’ (co-presented with Martina Crehan from Learning, Teaching and Technology Centre DIT). Campus Engage International Conference : Higher Education and Civic Engagement Partnerships: Create, Challenge, Change. Galway, June 2009: ‘Students Learning With Communities – learning from community-based learning at DIT’.

SLWC staff published the following articles:

• Peer-reviewed journal articles: - Gamble, E. and Bates, C. (2011) ‘Dublin Institute of Technology’s Programme for Students Learning With Communities – a critical account of practice’. Education + Training, 53 (2/3). - Bates, C. and Gamble, E. (2011) ‘Alternatives to industrial work placement at Dublin Institute of Technology’, Higher Education Management and Policy Journal, 23 (2). • Non-peer reviewed publications: - Gamble, E. (2011) ‘A Recipe for Change’ in EXPLORE The quarterly magazine from AONTAS, the National Adult Learning Organisation, Issue 18. - Gamble, E. (2011) 'A Day in the Life’, Campus Engage

Post

•

9. Recognition and celebration of SLWC and projects

The Community Links programme, of which SLWC is part, won third prize in the 2011 Talloires Network MacJannet Prize for Global Citizenship . The MacJannet Prize recognizes exceptional student civic engagement initiatives in Talloires Network member universities around the world, and contributes financially to their ongoing public service efforts. This award was accepted in Madrid on behalf of all the staff, students and community members participating in Community Links programmes.

• The partnership between the Programme for Students Learning With Communities and the Garda Road Safety Unit won the national Road Safety Authority Leading Lights Award for third level education for the innovative College Awareness of Road Safety (CARS) multidisciplinary CBL project. SLWC and the Garda Road Safety Unit accepted this award in Dublin Castle on Oct 2010, on behalf of all the staff and students participating in CARS.

• • The Programme for Students Learning With Communities was shortlisted for the Taoiseach's Public Service Excellence Awards 2010 In Nov 2010, SLWC launched the inaugural DIT President’s Community Fellowships . Five community partners received these Fellowships, awarded by DIT president Brian Norton, for their outstanding contribution to DIT through the SLWC Programme. As well as the award, the partners receive access to DIT sports facilities, membership of the library, and invitations to LTTC seminars and events.

• Every May since 2009 SLWC hosts an Annual Awards Ceremony. The Annual Awards recognise excellence in staff, student and community partners involved in Students Learning With Communities projects during the academic year. In 2011 over 150 people attended the event in Aungier Street DIT.

Separate award ceremonies were held in 2009 and 2010 for 2 multi-disciplinary projects: – CARS 2008-09 & 2009-10: awards presented during CARS Showcase event, for projects carried out by students on the theme of road safety. Since 2009-10 the awards are judged at a presentation evening where students from participating disciplines present their work to the Garda Road Safety Unit, SLWC staff, President of DIT Students’ Union, and each other. – LIFELINE 2010: awards presented at the Introduction to LIFELINE event, for research carried out by students with the LIFELINE project.

Testimonials.....

Click on text for links to testimonials

Deirdre Quinn, Lecturer in the School of Hospitality Management and Tourism speaks about her experience of Students Learning With Communities at the Summer School 2011 Joe Murdiff, Director of MAIN – Men Alone in No-Man’s Land, speaks about his experience of Students Learning With Communities at the Summer School 2011 Pearl O Rourke, DIT PhD Student speaking at the Summer School 2011 about her collaborative research with Enable Ireland Sara Boyd, Lecturer in the School of Food Sciences and Environmental Health speaks about her experience of Students Learning With Communities at the Summer School 2011 Vox Pop (5 mins approx) – click photo on left to hear sound Sgt Jim McAllister, Garda Road Safety Unit (community partner) and participating staff and students on multi disciplinary College Awareness of Road Safety (CARS) project

• • •

What Students Say…

“Working with a community partner as part of my learning experience was excellent – more focused now on how to deal with business e.g. arrange meetings, cover letters, confirmation letters etc. I learnt that if you put in the work and know what you are talking about, making it as interesting as possible you will get the appreciation of the audience.” “It gave me a great opportunity to practice skills which would be necessary in my professional career… to improve my team working skills and also to get to know my fellow class mates as this was our first year together.” "I got to see issues and conditions that I may confront in practice."

What Students Say…

• • • •

“Gave myself more confidence in public speaking and good experience working with a team." "I learnt to be more adaptable in different situations and that I can talk to all different people from various walks of life." "No matter how well organised you are it might not always work out....you have to think on your feet and go with the flow." "I learnt that if you put in the work and know what you're talking about, making it as interesting as possible, you will get the appreciation of the audience.“

• • • • • • •

What Students Say…

“It was very beneficial communicating with professional people and organising things”.

"It was a fun, nerve-racking experience." "I learned that friends don’t always make the best team mates." "It taught me to present information in a more hands-on way." "I learned how to deal with potential work colleagues or bosses." "Our class worked very well as a team and as individuals as and when required." "The assessment also allowed me to develop my communication and social skills."

What Students Say…

• • • • •

"I personally learn by action and participating. Therefore I found this assignment of great benefit as I could relate theory to practice and fully understand it." "This method has helped me to retain the information much better." "I think that the community learning project is a great component to have in any course. It gives the students a chance to work as part of a team independently away from lecturers." "I gained experience in talking in front of people." "I got to see...firsthand what otherwise I could have only been able to look up in books"

What Staff Say…

• • • •

"It is clear that in the future, as we attempt to produce graduates with excellent skills for industry and a strong community oriented ethos, service learning will be one of our most valuable tools” “This has been a particularly effective learning experience for the students involved. I have rarely encountered so much enthusiasm, creativity and real interest in applying marketing to a real life need” “This experience provides a direct, real life application of the skills they are learning about in class.” “The live situation is the best way to practically demonstrate concepts and to achieve learning outcomes.”

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What Staff Say…

"The SLWC project was more challenging than group projects we have carried out in the past. The experience to date has been positive from both the student and staff point of view. It did allow us to meet the learning outcomes of the course while doing something that helped both the students and a community group”. “The project allowed the students to apply their skills and also satisfy the module learning outcomes. The project encouraged motivation, lateral thinking, effective team work and a recognition of the need to acquire effective written and oral communication skills. The project fostered a very positive relationship, integration, and understanding between the students in DIT and staff in Scoil Mochua”.

What Communities Say…

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"We feel that our children always benefit from contact with positive role models. In this case the DIT students, through their enthusiasm and commitment showed the children that they too can go further in education. They so enjoyed the day out in the college and I feel that some of them left thinking that they themselves would love, some day to go to college……The DIT students learned how to prepare, to teach and to explain to children the knowledge they had. They took on the opportunity to work with children from a very disadvantaged area and get to know them as real people.“

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What Communities Say…

"Throughout the process the Bolton Street students engaged with us as partners using a problem solving approach. They were highly energetic and motivated. They communicated regularly and effectively throughout the design process and took on board all our suggestions. They seemed to gain great learning from the practical nature of the project. We would have no hesitation in recommending to other youth groups that they participate in similar projects. Groups that operate in the voluntary sector where resources and expertise is in short supply can only gain from their involvement…

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What Communities Say…

... We feel that there is huge potential for other community based projects to benefit and use this programme to improve their facilities and the service they offer. Our involvement has enabled us to provide a far better and safer service to our young people."

Click here to hear from community partner Mary Coyne, Wells for Zoe (4 minute audio)

John and Mary Coyne from Wells for Zoe receiving their DIT President’s Community Fellowship from President Brian Norton, November 2011

Statistics - 2008-11

Student and programme numbers 2008/2009 2009/2010 2010/2011

Keys

Arts and Tourism Science and Health Engineering and Built Environment Business Learning, Teaching, Technology Centre Overall number of students Overall number of programmes

2008/2009

290 260 6 300 Arts &Tourism 130 3 Business 7 10 Science & Health

2009/2010

290 11 Arts &Tourism 10 2 Business 310 310 10 12 Science & Health

400 14 12 13 340 130 4 Business 320

1 1

Science & Health

Thanks!

To our funders, and to all participating staff, students and community partners.