The Necessity of Service-Learning Engagement: Dreams, Possibilities, and Realities of Community Engagement as Curriculum

• In Event: Under the Microscope: Exploring How We Measure and Report Research of Service-Learning and Experiential Education

Abstract

This study has three main purposes: Understand the types of community engagement we do at our university; Develop an asset map of our university’s community engagement by tracking research/scholarship across colleges; Identify points of collaboration for future opportunities that help us serve our community(s) and build relationships needed for sustainability.

For this study, we sent a short survey to faculty who were identified by their students as having taught community-engaged courses. Several faculty respondents volunteered to complete a follow-up focus group. Additionally, one of the faculty participated in a depth interview. The results of this study helped us to answer what types of community engagement faculty are involved in, and how they perceive that involvement.

Authors

• Kate Zilla, National Louis University

• Todd Alan Price, National-Louis University

• Tiffeny Jimenez, National Louis University

• Virginia M. Jagla, National-Louis University