From Experience to Engagement: Civic Engagement Through Experiential Learning

• In Event: One of a Kind Meets the Ties That Bind Us

Abstract

The goal of a civic educator may be to not only teach civics lessons to students, but also to instill in them a call to engage in civic and political life. How can this goal be accomplished? During the Spring 2020 semester, I had the opportunity to teach a course which combined experiential and service learning to promote civic engagement on our campus. The course focused on the topic of voting rights in the United States. Students met weekly for academic lessons on past and present issues concerning this topic. We then departed on a trip across sites in Alabama and Georgia, including participation in the Selma – Montgomery March reenactment, to tie these lessons in the classroom to real-life experiences. Upon our return from the trip, students continued their classroom lessons, but also promoted civic engagement on our campus by creating their own non-partisan student voter guides. Evidence from student assignments and course evaluations suggests that these lessons were meaningful to the students. Additionally, this course helped the university to further develop its partnerships in the community and its commitment to civic engagement more broadly. While this course provides only one example of how to accomplish the specific goal of promoting civic engagement through civic education, it suggests that courses designed to incorporate both experiential and service learning can serve as possible model for others who wish to accomplish this goal.

Author

• Chelsea Kaufman, Wingate University