Applying accredited community-based learning and research into your curriculum: A step by step guide
1. Welcome to the
Participate Programme
Addressing real world issues through
teaching and learning
#participate
@campus_engage
2.
3. Introductions and Expectations
1. What do I hope to
get out of this
workshop?
Please Post
On the wall
Share with
someone you don’t
already know:
2. Introductions:
Why am I here
today?
4. What we will cover?
Rationale & introduction to community
engagement
An introduction to adapting your
curriculum to incorporating CBR/CBL
An introduction to learning outcomes
An introduction to designing assessment.
5. Policy Developments
• Section 5 of National Strategy for Higher Education 2030:
“Higher education institutions become more firmly embedded in the
social and economic contexts of the communities they live in and
serve.“
• Mission-based Performance Compact Section 5.5
Enhance Engagement with industry and community
and embedded Knowledge Exchange
• HEA Performance Framework
9. “A mutually beneficial knowledge-based collaboration between the
higher education institution with the wider community, through
community-campus partnerships including the activities of
community based learning, community engaged research,
volunteering, community/economic regeneration, capacity-building
and access/widening participation”.
Campus Engage, 2014
What do we mean by engagement?
11. Benefits to staff Benefits to students
Increased awareness of community issues related to a
discipline and opportunities to connect teaching and
research.
Application of academic knowledge and skills
to the complexity of a real-world situation
New perspectives and understanding of how learning
takes place.
Exploration of future role as a professional and
how they can contribute to the community
Facilitates multidisciplinary projects and networking
with colleagues in other subject areas.
Development of collaboration, critical-thinking,
organisation and communication skills.
Opportunities for scholarship and publication. Improved self-confidence and self-efficacy.
Opportunities for learning (from community
partners, peers and mentoring of students), sharing
knowledge and ideas, and personal growth
Opportunities for learning (from community partners,
peers, academic staff and own reflections), sharing
knowledge and ideas and personal growth.
The identification of new research streams and
highlighting the societal benefit of research.
Opportunities for engagement in authentic research
projects addressing real world problems and
developing research skills.
No need to try to find time outside of work or college studies for civic engagement and meaningful
involvement with communities.
The positive effects on student learning and retention associated with CBL and CBR
contribute to greater satisfaction among staff and students.
Involvement in a more engaging and interesting learning experience for staff and students and reinvigoration
of the curricula
Working towards a common goal means that interactions between students and staff
(and among students) are generally positive and an effective rapport develops.
Better understanding of social and civic responsibility
12. Key terms and definitions
Community Based Research / Community Based Learning
13. Community Based Learning
“Community-based learning is a course of discipline based
collaboration between students, lecturers, and civil society
partners for mutual benefits through shared learning”
Martin, E. and O’Mahony, C. (2013) “Practical Approaches to Fostering Student Engagement through Community-Based Research
and Learning”. In Dunne, E. and Owen, D. (eds.), The Student Engagement Handbook Practice in Higher Education. Bingley, UK:
Emerald Group Publishing Limited, pp. 567-587.)
14. Community Based Learning
Characteristics:
• a form of experiential learning
• focus on issues in real world context
• reflection as key component (professional & personal
development)
• experience/activity which meets a community need
• community organisations as valued partners
• application of discipline-specific knowledge/skills
• academic credit for learning
15. Continuum
Placement Community Engaged
Learning/Research
Volunteering
Student is main
beneficiary
Academic credit
Goal is student
learning
Reflection not
essential
Community and student
are mutual beneficiaries
Meets community need
Goals is authentic
partnership
Academic credit
Reflection is core
Community is main
beneficiary
Goal is involvement
with community
No academic credit
Reflection is rarely an
element
16. Community Engaged
1: Community
identifies issue
3: Preparation and briefing
4: Learning agreement
5: Activity
Integration &
application
6: Assessment
Reflection on experience
18. Title: Applied Design Medical
Subject and Year: 4th Year Product Design
Community partners: Enable Ireland
Learning Outcomes: Through the concepts of “Design for All” & “Universal
Design” students create design concepts based on improving AT devices or
developing new devices to increase the independence of people with
disabilities in society.
Community Outcomes: Embed Universal Design thinking within conceptual
framework for product designers of the future; Promote and foster user
engagement in product design; recognise key role that expert assistive technology
users can play in furthering skills and knowledge of PD students; promote greater
self-awareness among AT users of the specialist skills they possess; promote
concept of access to further education as a realistic and achievable goal.
Staff involved: Bernard Timmins, DIT
Case Study
19. DIT Product Design Medical Design Module
• Partnership initiated in 2008
• Assistive Technology content: 6 hours in total: key content:
– Universal Design
– Inclusive Society
• Site visit to Enable Ireland
• Presentation by AT staff and Expert AT Users
• Student Projects judged by Expert AT Users and staff
• Awards for best Universal Design project, best user-driven project,
etc.
• Posters displayed in Microsoft at AT Graduation annually
20.
21.
22. Benefits & Challenges of
Engagement
Benefits
• Shared learning: introducing latest
design thinking to AT
• Expert AT Users empowered to meet
product Design students as peers
• Promotion of shared understanding
of respective roles (student, AT user,
service provider)
• Bridging gap between AT user, designers
and manufacturers
• Sense of the whole being far greater
than the sum of the parts
Challenges
• Managing interactions
• Managing expectations
• Progressing design concepts
to prototype stage
• Remuneration of AT Users
23. Community Based Research
“A collaborative approach to research that equitably involves
all partners in the research process and recognizes the unique
strengths that each brings…. begins with a research topic of
importance to the community and has the aim of combining
knowledge with action and achieving social change…”
(Community Health Scholars Programme)
25. Community Engaged
1: Community
identifies issue
2: Modify/adapt/develop
curriculum
3:
Preparation
and briefing
4: Collaborative
research design/
agreement
5: Research project
Integration &
application
6: Report
Reflection on experience,
dissemination and action
26. Activity 1
• An issue for a CBL/CBR activity
• Discipline(s)
• Community Partner(s)
• Community partner (s) needs
• Student group (Year, UG/PG)
• Rationale
Take some time to identify a CBR or CBL project you could
work on with your students. Think about the following:
27. Horizon2020 Big Social Issues
• Health, demographic change and wellbeing;
• Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and
maritime and inland water research, and the Bioeconomy;
• Secure, clean and efficient energy;
• Smart, green and integrated transport;
• Climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw
materials;
• Europe in a changing world - inclusive, innovative and
reflective societies;
• Secure societies - protecting freedom and security of Europe
and its citizens.
• OR SOMETHING ELSE RELEVANT TO YOU!!!
29. 1. Adapt existing
module
Curriculum design options
Elective modules
Adopt a new way of teaching
Redesign existing assessment strategy
Include criteria to reward ‘civic’ outcomes
29
Boland, J. (2013). Curriculum development for sustainable civic engagement in Emerging Issues
in Higher Education III: From capacity building to sustainability (eds C. O’Farrell and A. Farrell).
EDIN, Athlone, pp. 210-224. http://www.edin.ie/pubs/ei3-chapters/ei3-ch15.pdf
30. 2. Add an elective
module for the course
1. Adapt existing
module
Curriculum design options
30
Boland, J (2013)
31. 2. Add an elective
module for the course
3. Develop new
mandatory
module
Curriculum design options
A choice to be made: Optional or Mandatory?
31
Boland, J (2013)
36. Learning Outcomes
Learning outcomes are statements of what a learner is
expected to know, understand and/or be able to
demonstrate after completion of a process of learning
(ECTS Users Guide, p.47)
• achievable, observable, measurable and assessable
• cognitive, psychomotor and/or affective
• academic, vocational, personal, civic
• content, product and/or process focussed.
38. For example at the end of a community-based learning or
research module the student will be able to:
• Demonstrate their understanding of the course content and
theory of the subject through development of suitable
demonstrations and hands-on activities for presentation to the
community-based organisation;
• Develop their problem-solving, consultation techniques,
teamwork, organisation, digital literacy and effective
communication skills;
• Reflect on the content and effectiveness of their community-
based learning project through their reflective journal.
39. At the end of a community-based learning or research module the community
will be able to:
• Participate as an equal partner with relevant professional and student
cohorts to promote more extensive application of Universal Design principles
to product design and development
• Develop their problem-solving and consultation techniques with a view to
more effective advocacy
• Reflect on the content and effectiveness of their community-based learning
project through their reflective journal and evolve approaches accordingly
through further engagement
• Embed collaborative approaches at the heart of its engagement with
technology users with a shared long term goal of effecting societal change.
• Ideally: engagement is a rolling experience, and not a once off project
(though clearly this may not always be the case)
40. Activity
Now reflect on your original idea – what do you think are the key
considerations for learning outcomes for students?
42. Assessment decisions
Assessment Strategy
– What techniques?
– How many?
– Weighting?
For each Technique
– What kind of criteria?
– Graded or not?
– Civic/community
criteria?
Who to involve?
- Academics
- Community partners
- Students (self/peer)
Reflection?Individual
And/or
Group
43. Contacting Campus Engage & Resources
www.campusengage.ie
Email: info@campusengage.ie
Participate Mentoring Programme:
http://www.campusengage.ie/content/campus-engage-participate-programme
Community Based Research:
http://www.campusengage.ie/staff-community-based-research
Community Based Learning:
http://www.campusengage.ie/staff-community-based-learning
General Resources:
http://www.campusengage.ie/content/campus-engage-participate-programme-
resources
44. Want to take part in a future one day
Campus Engage kickstart workshop?
Email: info@campusengage.ie
Notas do Editor
Slides 1-5: 11.45-11.55 noon (10 mins)
Jamie: Welcome to the Campus Engage Participate Programme, bringing capacity and support to all higher education staff to address real world problems by implementing community-based learning and research into the curriculum.
This Programme is developed and driven by a team with expertise in community-based learning and research practice and policy from across Irish Higher Education Institutions.
Jamie: The programme offers capacity building to educational staff to incorporate community based research and community based learning process and methods into their curricula and work plans.
The ultimate aim is to nurture generations of social innovators, with work ready skills, and encourage students to action accredited projects to address social issues and challenges. More information on the participate programme is available on the Campus Engage Website www.campusengage.ie.
Jamie:
Jamie: This is the first of this workshop you will learn about the main cornerstones of implementing Community Based Research and Community Based Learning into the curriculum;
Initially we will focus on core principles and rationale for community engagement;
Slides 5-7: 11.55-12.00 (5 mins)
Kate: Here in Ireland the social responsibility of Higher education institutions’ is enshrined in the Irish State legislation on higher education,
The Universities Act 1997 requires our universities ‘to promote the cultural and social life of society’,
The Institutes of Technology Act 2006 calls for a contribution ‘to the promotion of the economic, cultural and social development of the State’.
In Section 5 of the National Strategy for Higher Education 2030, the engagement mission of higher education is presented alongside the teaching and research missions as ‘the third of the three interconnected core roles of higher education.
More recently HEIs are now reporting on their activity in the area of Enhanced Engagement with industry and community and embedded Knowledge Exchange, as part of the Performance Compact agreement with the Higher Education Authority.
Kate: On June 16th 2014, leaders of higher education institutions across Ireland came together in Dublin Castle to sign the Campus Engage Charter for Civic and Community Engagement. The signing of the Charter indicated a willingness to enhance further the links between higher education and society.
Subsequently, the institutions have worked collaboratively to agree a set of indicative actions which articulate and elaborate the ambitions of the Charter. These are available in the resources section of the campus engage website under Participate Tools.
Kate : On the resources section of the Campus Engage website you will have access to 8 introductory “how to guides” covering
Civic and Community Engagement practice and key terms,
community-based learning,
community-based research,
Campus-community partnerships,
Ethics of Community-campus engagement,
Policy drivers for community – higher education engagement,
Volunteering,
and a student’s guide to community – engagement.
We highly recommend that you refer to these guides throughout.
You can also find a copy of the Campus Engage Charter, a sample learning contract, an implementation plan, which is a step by step process plan, and module descriptors on the website resources page.
Slides 8- 11: 12.00-12.05 (5 mins)
Siobhan So lets begin, and consider the core principles of community and civic engagement
Siobhan The Campus Engage Working Group on Community-based learning and research define engagement as…
“A mutually beneficial knowledge-based collaboration between the higher education institution with the wider community, through community-campus partnerships including the activities of community based learning, community engaged research, volunteering, community/economic regeneration, capacity-building and access/widening participation”.
Siobhan: The challenge is of course to transform this definition into action, in a process that is defined by respect for all parties involved, reciprocity, partnership, and transparency.
It is important to note that the relationship with the community based partner is key.
It takes time to build up the relationship between community partners and HEI staff, but once established there are lots of opportunities for HEIs to develop and nurture links. The community partner, is just that, a partner and equal, and their need is paramount.
Siobhan: So, apart from the important benefits for the community, why do we encourage you to transform your curriculum?
Well the benefits of community and civic engagement for students and staff in higher education are impressive and have been documented in the literature:
For students this is about the application of academic knowledge and skills to the complexity of a real world situation;
It gives them the chance to investigate their future role as a professional, and how they can contribute to better community outcomes;
It encourages critical thinking, team work, effective communication skills, and self-confidence.
For staff it offers a chance to increase awareness of community issues relating to their discipline, it can create opportunities for scholarship and publication, to share knowledge, and identify new research areas and gives a new perspective on how learning can take place.
Please refer to the How to Guide on Civic and Community engagement for further details.
Lets move on now to look at key terms and definitions, and ways to adapt your curriculum to incorporate community based learning and community engaged research
Slides 12-17: 12.05-12.10pm (5 mins)
Jamie: Next we will introduce you to some of the key terms and definitions used in the field.
Jamie: Lets focus on Community based learning for a moment.
So what is community-based learning?....read definition.
Jamie: There are however a range of definitions for community based learning available. It tends to be easier to recognise it in terms of the characteristics is has though.
The key characteristics of community based learning are that it is a form of experiential learning, that focuses on issues in a real world context. Here reflection is a main component, lending to student’s professional and personal development.
It also must meet the need of the civil, civic society organisation, or community group. The community partner is a valued partner with equal say with ample room for knowledge exchange, to inform the process and application of skills, and tacit information.
Finally CBL is academically accredited. That is students earn credits for their work towards a final degree or masters programme.
Keep in mind for now, that the experience must also be aligned and tied to student learning outcome and assessments methods, which we will discuss later
Jamie: Engaged learning or research can be considered as part of a continuum of opportunities for students. This approach helps to avoid confusion when comparisons are being made to other forms of experiential learning such as work placements or internships and volunteering
This diagram illustrates the continuum of engagement activity with external stakeholders. Here we can see that in general a placement involves the student as the main beneficiary; it is accredited, and the goal is student learning, but reflection is not always essential.
During community based learning and research, both the student and the community partner are mutual beneficiaries, the student receives academic credit, while the process meets a community need, the relationship is an equal partnership, and reflection is core to the process.
In terms of volunteering, in many cases, the CSO is the main beneficiary, it is not always accredited, and reflection is not essentially a core element.
Jamie: As you can see from this wheel diagram the introduction of community-based learning into the curriculum can be described as a process. The process wheel shown here is a general guide and applies to many implementations of CBL but there may be variations.
The process generally begins with the community partner identifying their need or issue in cooperation with lecturers. Sometimes, the community partner will approach the Higher Education institution but, on other occasions, a lecturer may make the initial contact. Honest and open communication is important to establish. It is important to manage expectations throughout the process. Often tangible benefits will not result the first time an activity is implemented and it can be more realistic to expect to see useful outputs the second time it runs.
Students may sometimes have an existing contact and be able to suggest a community organisation that could be contacted. As the student’s guide, you need to look at your role in the curriculum and what influence you have to support the CBL process, and adapt or develop your curriculum accordingly.
It is at this point that the students are briefed and provided with inputs such as the opportunity to hear from students who have been involved in similar activities previously.
The group then work together to design a plan for the activity while ensuring that consultation and knowledge exchange are applied to inform the project. When you have your plan in place, you need to agree the way forward with your community partner. It is at this point that a learning agreement should be developed and signed. Do note that the learning agreement can change as projects develop over time.
We have sample learning agreements available on our website campusengage.ie
It is at this point that the project work can begin, in partnership with the students and the organisation.
Assessment and reflection is covered later
Slides 17-21: 12.10- 12.20pm (10 mins)
Jamie Now to turn your attention to a case study, to bring the information to life.
Siobhan
Siobhan
Slides 23-25 12.20-12.25 (5 mins)
Kate: Now lets consider community based research in action.
Let us draw your attention again to the introductory guide on community-based research available on the campus engage website.
The definition Campus Engage uses is ….
….this is extracted from the community health scholars programme
The student often conducts the research as part of their academic requirement, e.g. final year project or postgraduate research, thus ensuring its embedment in the curriculum. An important difference between CBR and traditional academic research is that it is undertaken with instead of on the community.
Remember that Community-based learning (CBL), in contrast, is a course or discipline-based collaboration between students, lecturers and civil society partners for mutual benefit through shared learning (Martin and O’Mahony, 2013).
While a distinction is made between CBR and CBL, there is a great deal of cross-over as regards organisation of projects, interaction with community partners and pedagogical supports provided by academic staff. Also, a CBL activity will often develop over time to incorporate CBR projects.
The emphasis here is that the research is undertaken with and for, instead of on the community.
Kate: Community based research starts with a research topic of importance to the community and has the aim of combining knowledge with action to achieve better outcomes for those stakeholders involved.
This slides illustrates Bigg’s Typology of Participative research to help us understand the core principals.
Contractual: One social actor has sole decision-making power over most of the decisions taken in an innovation process, and can be considered the ‘owner’ of this process. Researcher uses the facilities or resources of the CSO/stakeholders to carry out his or her research.
Consultative: Most of the key decisions are kept with one stakeholder group, but emphasis is put on consultation and gathering information from others, especially for the identification of constraints and opportunities, priority-setting and/or evaluation.
Collaborative: researcher and the CSO/stakeholders collaborate - exchange of knowledge and share decision-making power during the process.
Collegiate: Partners in the process. Ownership’ and responsibility are equally distributed among the partners, and decisions are made by agreement or consensus among all actors.
Once a proposal is received from a community partner it is translated into a research project to be carried out by students and/or staff in collaboration with the community group. Projects carried out through higher education structures are seen as being scientifically impartial and thus can provide organisations with increased legitimacy in political debates or enhance their lobbying activities. CBR projects also enable the community to benefit from the application of specialised methodological approaches and technology located in their local Higher Education Institution (HEI).
Note that while the partnership, collegiate approach is the preferred one, it may sometimes be that circumstances are such that a community partner requests that a particular piece of research be done and do not anticipate a significant amount of interaction to take place. Once the work fulfils a need they have and develops the students skills and knowledge, it would usually be considered to be worth undertaking.
Jamie has a number of case studies available in the pack.
Kate: This wheel diagram illustrates the process,
During phase one the community partner identifies the research question, this maybe advertised on the HEI database of opportunities or a student may approach the CSO. Once a student has committed to the project, if necessary approval should be sought from the HEI ethic committee.
During pre planning, phase two, partners should seek to clarify the research question, evaluate the feasibility and map concrete needs with the student.
During phase three, the project plan is developed and a research agreement should be signed. Sample research agreements area available at www.campusengage.ie
It is only after this process that the research project should kickoff, and CSO participation is encouraged, alongside academic supervision, through out the project, adapting plans according to the needs of all parties.
During the final phase the report is submitted. If success the CSO can continue to advise the student on how to implement findings from the research report, of think about the next steps to advance research and disseminate.
Students, if appropriate are encouraged to consider presenting at conferences, publishing in newspapers, journals and conference papers.
Slides 28-29 - 12.25-12.35 (10 mins)
Siobhan
Siobhan: This slide highlights EU Horizon2020 grand social challenges. These might assist you while deliberating on an issue.
Slides 30-36 12.35- 13.45 (10 mins)
Jamie: Now we will look at curriculum design - an essential process to consider when implementing CBR CBL to your curriculum.
Jamie: How best to ‘fit’ a community engaged learning experience within the curriculum is one of the many practical issues which exercise aspiring and experienced embedders of civic engagement:
This first slides looks at adapting an existing module. This is what most people are recommended to try at first – to take something and tweak it, something that you feel already would be appropriate for an activity that could involve working with the community.
Jamie: Another option Is to offer students an elective module - that is an entire module as a segment dedicated to a CBR CBL activity.
Jamie: The other option is to introduce a new mandatory Module that students must complete. The development of explicitly identified community engaged modules – as either
elective or mandatory – have become more common in Irish higher education in recent years. Whether participation in community engaged learning is
optional or mandatory for students is a key decision.
Jamie: The generic standalone (elective/core) module- A range of programmes are offered. It is trickier to do, but more people can get involved. The development of a standalone generic module, available to students across the institution is another design option (4), where it can feature as a credit bearing component on a range of different programmes. Standalone generic modules are often closely associated with fostering students’ personal and professional development and promoting generic skills such as leadership, planning and communication skills associated with employability as well as citizenship.
Jamie: With a growing emphasis on multi-disciplinary learning and calls for courses that
encourage co-operative learning, CBL offers unparalleled opportunities, such as integrating community-based research and learning across two or more modules.
Here opportunities can be designed in partnership with community, to combine the
knowledge and skills of students (and staff) from more than one discipline with local
community knowledge.
While inevitably this approach is more challenging to organise, the rewards
can be substantial for all concerned.
Jamie: The final option is to infuse the practice and theory of cbr and cbl across the entire curriculum.
Slides 35- 38 - 13.45-12.55 (10 mins)
Jamie: Experiential learning is the essence of CBR CBL and is the greatest value in the student learning experience.
Lets now look at what these learning may incorporate
Jamie: Learning outcomes should be achievable, observable…..
Jamie: Some of you may already be familiar with Bloom’s taxonomy wheel and various learning outcomes …
This diagram is available on our resources page and links verbs with learning and teaching activities / assessments and graduate attributes.
It will be useful to you in deciding what are the main learning outcomes you want to achieve.
Considering the listed learning outcomes on the slide projected – take a moment to think about which are most relevant and need to be included into your module?
Jamie:
Siobhan – slides on CSO perspective
Slides 40; 12.55-13.05
Slides 41-42 – 13.05- 13.15
Jamie: we will now introduce you to designing a method for student assessment.
Jamie: There are a number of decisions you need to think about.
What type of strategy will you apply?
What techniques will you use?
How many?
How should elements be weighted
For each assessment technique its important to consider the criteria you will use, will this element be graded or not, what are the criteria for community engagement?
Name who should be involved in assessment. Can you bring in the CSO to support this process, peers?Should the work be individually assessed or as a group?
How will you get the student to reflect on the experience?
Kate: Congratulations you have completed the workshop. Special thanks to Jamie and Siobhan
We encourage you to use the campus engage website to access al the materials referenced through out
Kate If you’re interested in taking part in a future one day Campus Engage Kickstart workshop please Email: info@campusengage.ie