Why Service Learning?Connecting Your Curriculum to

Real World Experiences

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Why Service-Learning Multiple-Level Engagement

Advocacy Students present findings to School Board

Forum Organize public forum on school lunch

Issue Brief School lunch programs, farm-to-school, obesity

Research Evaluate student attitudes toward nutrition

Training Workshops for new Board & Staff

Summer Manage summer program & plan for Fall

Team Help expand to other Schools in District

Regular Coach students in School Garden Club

1x Plant School Garden for Orientation Service

Community-Based Research

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Community-Based Research: What is it?

A collaborative, participatory research process that embraces:

• Research- Community agencies have information needs- Campus partners have research tools and resources

• Education- Community members have valuable local knowledge & experience- Campus partners have theoretical and technical knowledge

• Action- Build organizational and community capacity- Effect policy change

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Community-Based Research:Source of Questions

Plan• Needs & Asset

Assessment• Issue Analysis

Decide• Model Programs• Policy Options

• Resources

Implementdirect serviceor advocacy

Evaluate• Program Evaluation

• On-Going Data Collection

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Community-Based Research: Principles of Practice

• Research need(s) defined by community

• Research is action-oriented

• All stages of process involve all partners equitably (faculty, students, and community)

• Strengths and knowledge of all partners appreciated and utilized

• Findings disseminated in accessible way

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Community-Based Research: Why do it?

• 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

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Community-Based Research:Example — Elijiah’s Promise

• Beginning: traditional soup kitchen placement• Later:

- survey of client identified need for bag lunches- community asset mapping project to identify local food distributors- researched model programs- implemented new bag lunch program

• Current: - examine nutritional value of menu- overhauled menu to include more fresh fruits & vegetables

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Community-Based Research: What does it take?

• Time

• Long-term vision

• Communication

• Flexibility

• Willingness to develop research process with community input

Civic Engagement Certificate

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Civic Engagement Certificate Knowledge

•Public Policy

•Poverty

•International perspective and issues

•Issue-based knowledge

•Place-based knowledge

•Diversity

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Civic Engagement CertificateKnowledge — Academic Connections

•Intensive

•Multi-Year

•Developmental

•Course Connections

•Minor, Certificate, Concentration

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Civic Engagement CertificateKnowledge — Academic Connections