Socially Empowered Learning: Measuring the Effects of a New Model of Student Intellectual Engagement

• In Event: Poster Session 13
  In Poster Session: Motivation in Education SIG Poster Session 2

Abstract

This paper introduces and measures a new model of student intellectual engagement: Socially Empowered Learning. This new conceptual framework unites three streams of psychology, supported by findings from quasi-experiments with over 320 middle school students. The study compares trending pedagogies: 1) Arts Integrated Collective Creation (AICC) where students create a script for performance; 2) Educational Social Enterprise (ESE) where students create an initiative addressing social need; and 3) BOTH, a combination of AICC and ESE. Structural Equation Modeling is used to find positive effects on Empathy, Ethical Mindset, Social Empowerment, Entrepreneurial Spirit, and Intellectual Engagement. The greatest increase in several variables is observed in the combined program, indicating holistic benefits only obtainable when combining educational social enterprise and the arts.

Authors

• Brittany Harker Martin, University of Calgary

• Ann E. Calvert, University of Calgary

• Sharon Friesen, University of Calgary