UU150 Lesson 1 (Unit 1)

Reason why community engagement is important

Enables collective change (changing attitudes, building social capital, etc.); Builds agreement around issues, and Creates movement in communities to address local issues.

Discipline-Bases Service Learning

In these courses, students are expected to have a presence in the community throughout the semester and reflect on their experiences on a regular basis using course content as a basis for their analysis and understanding.

Purpose service learning

In these courses, students go out into the community and serve an agency or organization.

Problem-Based service learning

In these courses, students relate to the community in the same way a "consultant" relates to a "client". Students work in teams with community members to understand a problem or need. This model presumes that students have some prior knowledge of the issue and how to address it. For example, architecture students may design a park for the community, and business students may develop a community website.

Service Internships

These courses are more intense than typical service-learning experiences. Students may be engaged with the agency for 10-20 hours per week. Rather than having to produce a body of work that is of value to the community, in this type of course, students do ongoing and regular reflective tasks. In addition, these types of internships focus on reciprocity: the idea that the community and the student benefit equally from the experience.

Capstone Courses

These courses are offered to students in a given discipline and are offered in their last year. Students are expected to draw on knowledge obtained throughout their education and to apply it to a community experience. This kind of course experience helps transition students from theory to practice, and to make professional contacts.

Undergraduate Community-Based Action Research

These courses are similar to independent study options. Students work closely with faculty members to learn research methodology, while serving as advocates for communities.

Reason for purpose service learning

To prepare students for active and responsible community participation. To learn skills, knowledge and competencies related to serving in the community

Engagement

"Engagement" is used as a generic, inclusive term to describe the broad range of interactions between people. It can include a variety of approaches, such as one-way communication or information delivery, consultation, involvement and collaboration in decision-making, and empowered action in informal groups or formal partnerships. (Source: Department of Environment and Primary Industries, 2013)

Community Engagement

Community Engagement can be defined as "people working collaboratively, through inspired action and learning, to create and realize bold visions for their common future". There are other definitions, such as

Community service learning at Laurier

Community Service-Learning (CSL) integrates meaningful community service with classroom instruction and critical reflection to enrich the learning experience and strengthen communities for the common good

Community

is a broad term used to define groups of people; whether they are stakeholders, interest groups, citizen groups etc. • A community may be a geographic location (community of place), a community of similar interest (community of practice), or a community of affiliation or identity (such as industry or sporting club).

Community service

is the engagement of students in activities that primarily focus on the service being provided, as well as the benefits the service activities have on the recipients. The students receive some benefits by learning more about how their service makes a difference in the lives of the service recipients.

Volunteerism

is the engagement of students in activities where the primary emphasis is on the service being provided, and the primary intended beneficiary is clearly the service recipient.

Service learning

programs are distinguished from other approaches to experiential education by their intention to equally benefit the provider and the recipient of the service, as well as to ensure equal focus on both the service being provided and the learning that is occurring

Internship

programs engage students in service activities primarily for the purpose of providing students with hands-on experiences that enhance their learning or understanding of issues relevant to a particular field of study.

Field Education

programs provide students with co-curricular service opportunities that are related, but not fully integrated, with their academic studies. Students perform the service as a part of a program that is designed primarily to enhance students' understanding of a field of study while also providing substantial emphasis on the service being provided.

Purpose of experience of community

• To engage in relevant and meaningful experiences within the community. • To enhance your academic learning. • For reflection and assessment.