Social Justice Youth Development: Using Collaboration for Strengthened Curriculum Development

• In Event: Moscone Center West Roundtable Session 7
  In Roundtable Session: Innovations for Social Change and Empowerment: Curriculum From K–12 to Teacher Education

Abstract

This paper describes the challenges and opportunities of a strategic collaborative approach between representatives from community-based organizations, university academics, community volunteers and a doctoral student to plan, design, and execute a social justice youth development curricula. An integrated conceptual model of social constructivist and critical experiential learning theory frameworks informed both the design of the curricula and the process to coalesce the team. Data are drawn from the perspectives of the collaborating partners who bring a multidisciplinary perspective based on their lived experiences navigating injustices, and experience in building the capacity of youth and practitioners to address inequities. These findings highlight the need for creating spaces for scholars and practitioners to collaborate in curriculum design, implementation and evaluation.

Authors

• Edwin M. Green, Morgan State University

• Nia Imani Fields, University of Maryland - College Park

• Fe Moncloa, University of California - Agriculture and Natural Resources

• Katherine E. McKee