Community Service Learning Courses
Community Service Learning includes teaching, research and experiential learning that combines authentic community or public service activity with academic instruction, focusing on critical, reflective thinking as well as evidence of civic responsibility and/or personal growth. The CCBL supports community-based learning in several ways:
With Faculty
- Providing service-learning course models and assistance with syllabus design
- Assisting faculty in selecting appropriate community-based sites
- Acting as liaison between faculty, community agencies and students with respect to the community-based project
- Assisting with assessment and evaluation tools
- Connecting faculty with appropriate bibliographical references
- Connecting new service-learning faculty with veteran service-learning faculty
- Informing faculty of funding opportunities for service-learning course development
- Linking faculty to national, regional and local resources (training, conferences, speakers, etc.)
With Students
- Assisting students with locating sites that are both appropriate to the course and leverage their own interests and skills
- Orienting students to the community-based requirements of the course and community partner site
- Providing students with site descriptions and community partner contact information
- Monitoring student's progress and making necessary recommendations for adjustments to faculty and site supervisors
- Providing students with ideas and methods to help them reflect on their community experience
- Disseminating and collecting pre- and post- service learning surveys
With Community Partnership Sites
- Developing community partnerships based on community needs and course objectives
- Collaborating with community partners to develop appropriate site specific training and orientation for students
- Organizing site visits to discuss faculty course goals and learning objectives
- Maintaining communication with community partnership site staff to handle concerns and mediate resolutions
- Disseminating and collecting end-of-semester community partner evaluations
Community Service Learning and Project SHINE
Project SHINE is a service learning program linking college students with immigrants and refugees seeking to learn English and navigate the complex path to U.S. citizenship.
Project SHINE helps faculty members create links between classroom teaching and relevant field experience. It also provides an opportunity to deepen students' theoretical understanding in a broad range of disciplines, including urban studies, anthropology, English, sociology, public policy, and history. Students gain knowledge of diverse cultures and life experiences, develop skills beyond the textbook, and find a powerful way to reinforce their academic studies. Participating students attend a Minnesota Literacy Council training covering basic ESL tutoring techniques, intercultural communication, immigration, and the United States naturalization process and complete 20 hours of tutoring at one of our 20 Twin Cities community partners.
Project SHINE began at Temple University in Philadelphia in 1997. Today, SHINE is operating at 25 colleges and universities in nine urban centers across the nation. In Minnesota, Project SHINE is a joint program between Metropolitan State University and Minneapolis Community and Technical College and works closely with the Minnesota Literacy Council to train tutors and provide connections to organizations with tutoring needs. Approximately 20 courses and 150 students are involved with Project SHINE each year.
Community-Based Research Circle
The Community-Based Research Circle is an open space for faculty, staff, students, and community partners to connect and share Community-Based and Participatory Research experience. The Circle meets several times each semester. The meetings include time to network and share research, as well as continuing education topics in the Community-Based Research field. Participants can also join the Community-Based Research list-serv, which serves as a virtual space for discussion and ongoing education.
University Civic Engagement Audit
In March, 2007 Metropolitan State University conducted its second Civic Engagement Audit to examine all areas and types of community engagement Metropolitan State faculty, staff and administration participate. Responses indicate that 167 Metropolitan State University courses have community-engagement connections, and data shows that an additional 12 courses have been added exhibiting elements of the Circle of Engaged Learning. These courses are included in the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Management, the college of Professional Studies, The First College, and the School of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice.
President's Circle of Engaged Learning
To underscore the importance of the university's commitment to civic engagement and community partnerships the President's Circle of Engaged Learning was created. All courses with significant engaged learning components may be designated as part of the Circle; twenty-five faculty members became charter members in 2006. This special designation is open to all faculty members who wish to submit course syllabi and other relevant materials for acceptance into this important group of courses. A recognition reception, hosted by the president, is planned for all participating faculty members.