Community-Based Learning:

Intro to S-L and CBR

Brenda Marsteller KowalewskiCommunity Involvement Center, Co-Director

Professor, Sociology

CBL Faculty Fellows Program

Fall 2010

Topics

Community-Based Learning What it is, why we do it, and best practices

CBL at WSU Overview and Examples

Community Involvement Center as a resource to you

COMMUNITY-BASED LEARNING

What it is and why we do it.

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, 2006)

Learning

FOCUS

PRIMARY INTENDED BENEFICIARY

Service

Recipient Provider

Volunteerism

Community Service

Service-Learning

Field Education

Internships

Reflection: A Key Component

The intentional consideration of an experience in light of particular learning objectives (Hatcher & Bringle, 1997).

ConnectedContinuousChallengingContextualized

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

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).

Principles of CBR

CBR vs. Traditional Research

See handout.

Table: Traditional Research vs. CBR

• 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

CBR does what?

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%

• CommunityAccess to faculty expertiseOrganizational capacity buildingPolicy 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

Who Benefits from CBR?

Best Practices

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Best Practices

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Best Practices

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Online Resources

Community Involvement Center www.weber.edu/CommunityInvolvement

(Faculty menu)

National Service-Learning Clearinghouse www.servicelearning.org

Campus Compact www.campuscompact.org

Utah Campus Compact www.utahcampuscompact.org

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• 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.

CBR Specific Resources

CBL AT WSUOverview and Examples

Community-Based Learningat WSU

Courses & Faculty 44 courses designated as CBL 55+ faculty members engaging students

Students 2,512 Students enrolled in 2009-10

Hours 35,493 hours served in 2009-10

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 OlympicsWinter Games each year

Sociology Course - Research Methods Community-Based Research assignment 20 year longitudinal program evaluation to help identify program

strengths and weaknesses

GETTING STARTEDIncorporating CBL into one of your courses

CBL and Your Course

Which course is the best candidate for incorporating a community-based learning component?

Course Development Worksheet (S-L and CBR) List course objectives. Brain storm potential projects and partners that could

help you teach at least one course objective. Logistics

Assignments and Evaluating them.26

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 YOUWWW.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:

Hall Community Outreach Grant opportunities

CBL Designation on Courses

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 Teacher Education Sociology & Psychology VIP Program

Terms of Service 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

141 Active Members during 2008-09 AY Completed 47,090 hours collectively Earning over $100,000 in Education Vouchers

http://www.weber.edu/CommunityInvolvement/Americorps.html

Social Work Nursing Other disciplines across campus

Location:327, Shepherd Union Building

Contact Us:801-626-7737CIC@weber.edu

Web address:http://www.weber.edu/CommunityInvolvement

QUESTIONS?