This article by Janet Eyler explores how experiential education, which takes students into the community, helps students both to bridge classroom study and life in the world and to transform inert knowledge into knowledge-in-use. It rests on theories of experiential learning, a process whereby the learner interacts with the world and integrates new learning into old constructs
"Experiential education can lead to more powerful academic learning and help students achieve intellectual goals commonly associated with liberal education"
This document by Tessa Hicks Peterson explores how it is time to consider diverse routes of engagement beyond our traditional practices of direct service-providing, grassroots community organizing, or participatory action research. These might include moving towards assignments that get to the core structural issues that have resulted in conditions necessitating service; finding ways to engage in digital advocacy such as writing letters to an elected official lobbying for policy change or considering how to make meaningful digitally-based group projects to meet community partner needs. In an effort to contribute to the emerging options for distant engagement, Peterson offers adapted activities from her book that advance the praxis of critical, contemplative community engagement through effective activities for use in the classroom or as written assignments.
Article abstract: Creating a virtual classroom in which diverse students feel welcome to discuss and experience topics related to social justice, action, and change is a study in the value of connectedness and collaboration. Through a combination of technologies, pedagogies, and on-site experiences, virtual cultures develop that encourage the formation of demanding yet stimulating learning environments in which communications and interactions are intellectually transformative. This article explores student perceptions of their participation in an online service-learning course while working in local service organizations. Qualitative methodology was used to identify the philosophical intersection at which multiple pedagogies meet: social justice, service-learning, civic engagement, and leadership as instructed in a web-based environment. This study illustrates the capacity for intentionally constructed online educational experiences focused on social justice, civic engagement, and leadership to affect learning and to provide educators with pedagogical best practices to facilitate requisite change in teaching practice. By Kathy L. Guthrie and Holly McCracken
Teaching and Learning Social Justice through Online Service-Learning Courses
"Are College Graduates Ready for the 21st Century? Community-Engaged Research Can Help," by Elena T. Carbone and Susan Ware
Article Abstract: Research is clear: Employers want college graduates who can communicate clearly, think analytically, and interact respectfully. Targeted educational experiences have measurably improved these capacities. To better prepare undergraduates, the University of Massachusetts Amherst developed the Community-Engaged Research Program, a pilot program featuring a cornerstone course. The course seeks to realize the goal of making research- based learning a standard in U.S. undergraduate education. Data from process evaluations, student assessments, and end-of-semester surveys show meaningful gains in students’ ability to think through the research process, communicate research findings, and respectfully address others’ needs. Recommendations for building a sustainable undergraduate research model are provided. With further institutional support, such courses could improve college graduate preparedness for the workforce.
Are College Graduates Ready for the 21st Century? Community-Engaged Research Can Help - PDF
Article Abstract: Project-Based Learning (PBL) is an innovative approach to learning that teaches a multitude of strategies critical for success in the twenty-first century. Students drive their own learning through inquiry, as well as work collaboratively to research and create projects that reflect their knowledge. From gleaning new, viable technology skills, to becoming proficient communica tors and advanced problem solvers, students benefit from this approach to instruction. By Stephanie Bell.
Project-Based Learning for the 21st Century: Skills for the Future - PDF
"A New Vision for the Professoriate" by Adrianna Kezar from Change, The Magazine of Higher Learning
Campus Election Engagement Project (CEEP) has created this crowdsourced spreadsheet contains lessons plans mostly focused on civics and voter education. There are four different categories: Lesson Plans, Multimedia, Games/Quizzes, and Reports/Analysis.
Higher Education Civic Engagement Resource Collection for Online Learning Spreadsheet
- A Framework for Engaging Ignatian Reflection at John Carroll University
- This framework for engaging reflection in the Ignatian tradition consists of the following elements: Prepare, Analyze, and Articulate. As a framework, it is intended to act as common structural model onto which other elements or descriptors may be adapted as needed.
- Bradleys Criteria for Assessing Reflection explores three levels for assessing student reflection
- Creating Your Reflection Map by Janet Eyler
"Reflection exercises conducted before, during, and after service-learning projects can dramatically improve student learning."
Resources:
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Missing Maps: Putting the World's Vulnerable People on the Map. Missing Maps is an open, collaborative project in which you can help to map areas where humanitarian organizations are trying to meet the needs of vulnerable people.
To learn more about Missing Maps and to get involved, visit their website
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United Nations Virtual Volunteering: Online volunteering allows organizations and volunteers to team up to address sustainable development challenges – anywhere in the world, from any device.
To learn more about UNV Online Volunteering service and to get involved, visit their website
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LibriVox volunteers record chapters of books in the public domain, and then they release the audio files back onto the net for free.
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Service-Learning: Teaching with Historic Places: From the National Park Service, students and their communities both benefit from the combination of classroom instruction, experiential learning, civic engagement, and reflection that service learning provides.
Learn about Service-Learning with Places from the National Park Service -
Time Slips brings meaning and purpose into the lives of elders through creative engagement. Over 300 prompts and activities are available for virtual engagement with senior citizens.
To learn more and to get involved, visit Time Slips' website
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Story Circles from the US Department of Arts and Culture provides tools for community dialogue. They provide a general guideline for how story circles may be used in any setting.
To learn more about Story Circles and to find their outline, visit their website
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Become a Smithsonian Digital Volunteer and help make historical documents and biodiversity data more accessible. The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum complex, composed of 18 museums, 9 research centers, the National Zoo, the Smithsonian Institution Libraries, and a number of other offices and activities.
To learn more and to get involved, visit the Smithsonian's website
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Participedia: A crowdsourcing platform for researchers, activists, practitioners, and anyone interested in public participation and democratic innovations.