Transcript Community-Based Learning

Community-Based
Learning:
Intro to S-L and CBR
Brenda Marsteller Kowalewski
Community Involvement Center, Director
Professor, Sociology
CBL Faculty Fellows Program
Fall 2011
Topics

Community-Based Learning


CBL at WSU
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What it is, why we do it, and best practices
Overview and Examples
Community Involvement Center as a
resource to you
What it is and why we do it.
COMMUNITY-BASED
LEARNING
Community-Based Learning

Curricular based service
 Service-Learning
 Community-Based Research

Service-Learning and Community-Based
Research provide experiential learning of
classroom concepts within the local
community, reinforcing application of
classroom knowledge.
Service-Learning is…

“…a teaching and learning approach that
integrates community service with academic
study to enrich learning, teach civic
responsibility, and strengthen communities.”
-National Commission on Service
Service-Learning: A Balanced Approach to
Experiential Education (Furco, 1996)
FOCUS
Service
Learning
PRIMARY INTENDED BENEFICIARY
Recipient
Provider
Service-Learning
Community Service
Volunteerism
Field Education
Internships
Reflection: A Key Component
The intentional consideration of an experience
in light of particular learning objectives (Hatcher
& Bringle, 1997).
Connected
 Continuous
 Challenging
 Contextualized

Community-Based Research

“CBR is a partnership of students, faculty and
community members who collaboratively
engage in research with the purpose of
solving a pressing community problem or
effecting social change.”
-Strand, et al, 2003
Principles of CBR

CBR is a collaborative enterprise between
researchers and community members.

CBR involves the democratization of
knowledge

CBR has as its goal social action and social
change for the purpose of achieving social
justice (Strand et al., 2003: p. 8).
CBR vs. Traditional Research
See handout.
Table: Traditional Research vs. CBR
CBR does what?
• Addresses complex social
problems ill-suited to “outside
expert” research alone
• Impact community capacity
• Build long-term relationship with
community partners
• Effective method of teaching and
learning for all participants
Why Community-Based
Learning?

Students Benefit

Faculty Benefit

Community Partners Benefit
S-L Students Benefit

Personally

Raises student awareness

Student’s academic learning increases

Students have a positive relationship with the
university.
Faculty Benefit from S-L
From: “Transcending Disciplines, Reinforcing Curricula: Why Faculty Teach With Service Learning.” American Association of Community
Colleges, 2005.
Community Benefits from S-L
Percent of Partners who
Increased the following:
 Services
72%
 Volunteers
52%
 Clients Served
49%
 Resources
49%
 Project Completion 45%
 Collaboration
45%
 Staff Recruitment
24%
Who Benefits from CBR?
• Community
Access to faculty expertise
Organizational capacity building
Policy change
• Students
 Develop new skills
 Improve existing skills
 Connect classroom learning with real-world
application
• Faculty
 Enhanced teaching credentials
 New venues for publishing and presenting
 Positively impact students and community
Best Practices
Academic credit is for learning,
NOT for service
Do NOT compromise academic
rigor
Establish learning objectives
Establish criteria for the selection
of service-placements
17
Best Practices
Provide educationally-sound
learning strategies
Prepare students for learning from
the community
Minimize the distinction between
learning in the community and
learning in the classroom
18
Best Practices
Rethink faculty instructional role
Be prepared for variation in, and
some loss of control with student
learning outcomes
Maximize the community
responsibility orientation of the
course
19
Online Resources

Community Involvement Center
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National Service-Learning Clearinghouse
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www.servicelearning.org
Campus Compact
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www.weber.edu/CommunityInvolvement
(Faculty menu)
www.campuscompact.org
Utah Campus Compact

www.utahcampuscompact.org
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CBR Specific Resources
• National Community-Based Research
Networking Initiative
www.cbrnet.org
• CBR Course and Project Database
www.bonner.org/campus/cbr/profiles.taf
• Campus-Community Partnerships
for Health
www.ccph.info
• Community-Based Research &
Higher Education: Principles & Practices
Strand, Marullo, Cutforth, et. al.
Overview and Examples
CBL AT WSU
Community-Based Learning
at WSU

Courses & Faculty
 54 courses designated as CBL
 66 faculty members engaging students

Students
 4,175 Students enrolled in 2010-11

Hours
 48,621 hours served in 2010-11
Examples of Community-Based
Learning

Spanish Course - Medical Terminology

Service-learning assignment

Translate for health professionals

Athletic Training – S-L Field Experience
 Service-learning assignment
 Provide medical assistance in Ogden Rescue
Mission’s free clinic and at Special Olympics
Winter Games each year

Sociology Course - Research Methods
 Community-Based Research assignment
 20 year longitudinal program evaluation to help identify program
strengths and weaknesses
Incorporating CBL into one of your courses
GETTING STARTED
CBL and Your Course

Which course is the best candidate for
incorporating a community-based learning
component?

Course Development Worksheet (S-L and CBR)



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List course objectives.
Brain storm potential projects and partners that could
help you teach at least one course objective.
Logistics
Assignments and Evaluating them.
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CBL Designation

Apply to have the CBL prefix listed on your
course

Gives students a “heads-up” about the
community-based learning component in your
course

http://www.weber.edu/CommunityInvolvement/CBL_Designation.html
A RESOURCE FOR YOU
WWW.WEBER.EDU/COMMUNITYINVOLVEMENT
Community Involvement Center

Main Goal:

Get students, faculty and staff engaged in service
with community organizations
CIC provides faculty:

Workshops, trainings, discussions and
retreats (support at campus, state and regional levels)

Assistance finding and developing community
partnerships appropriate for particular
courses with specific learning objectives.

A searchable community partner database.
CIC provides faculty:

Assistance tracking students’ service hours.

Library and online resources regarding the
pedagogy.
Lots of resources on our website:
www.weber.edu/CommunityInvolvement

CIC provides faculty:
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Hall Community Outreach Grant opportunities

CBL Designation on Courses
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AmeriCorps program to support students
Hall Endowment Grants

Supports faculty, staff, and student service projects.

Fund about 15 projects/year

$30K – $35K granted
annually
http://www.weber.edu/CommunityInvolvement/HallDescription.html
CBL Designation

Apply to have the CBL prefix listed on your
course

Gives students a “heads-up” about the
community-based learning component in your
course

http://www.weber.edu/CommunityInvolvement/CBL_Designation.html
AmeriCorps Education Awards

Domestic Peace Corps

Students
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Social Work
Nursing
Other disciplines across campus
Terms of Service

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Teacher Education
Sociology & Psychology
VIP Program
300 hours or 10 hours/week = $1,000.00
450 hours or 15 hours/week = $1,250.00
900 hours or 30 hours/week = $2,362.50
263 Active Members during 2010-11 AY
http://www.weber.edu/CommunityInvolvement/Americorps.html
Location:
327, Shepherd Union Building
Contact Us:
801-626-7737
[email protected]
Web address:
http://www.weber.edu/CommunityInvolvement
QUESTIONS?