In this influential book, Nia Imani Fields and Timothy J. Shaffer introduce readers to the barriers Cooperative Extension has faced in achieving its aspirational mission. While acknowledging this uncomfortable history, they do not dwell here. Rather, they lay out a promising path forward through deep engagement to address systemic inequities in communities. Using countless inspirational examples, they demonstrate a new approach to Extension programming rooted in social justice. This includes practical guidance for partnership development and program planning to address society’s most timely challenges and meet the pressing needs of communities. Extension professionals who are ready to think differently about the organization’s role and responsibility in our evolving world will find transformational potential in this much needed book.
This qualitative study shares experiences of 337 undergraduate students majoring in special education or related fields completing requirements in a designated service-learning course learning about intellectual disability (ID) and other exceptionalities at a rural university in the southeastern United States. In this course, each student had opportunities to work with 8-12 young adults with ID engaging in a variety of shared college experiences (e.g., meals, active leisure, homework, working out, campus activities). Our study focused on understanding the shared views, perspectives, attitudes, and career aspirations based on this service-learning opportunity. First, we explored the connection between the changes in perspective or attitude. Second, we investigated the students desire to further pursue a career in special education or a related field after this service-learning experience. Lastly, we examined the relationship between service-learning and overall benefits of inclusion or changes in attitude. Future research, implications for practice, and limitations are also discussed.
There is an increasing demand for universities to respond to societal needs with a broad range of societal actors. Accordingly, the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam) aims to implement community service-learning (CSL) throughout its undergraduate and master’s programmes. Taking a broad conceptualisation of CSL as an approach to public engagement that seeks an integration between classroom-based learning activities and community-based activities, we interviewed lecturers (n=23) who are at the forefront of adopting CSL at VU Amsterdam about their experiences. Through the analysis of those experiences, we report in our findings valuable lessons on how a university may make the transition from individual and isolated public engagement initiatives towards an institutional approach. To further institutionalise public engagement pedagogies, there is a need to create a shared vision on CSL, to widely implement adequate reward and recognition structures for lecturers, and to implement different forms of institutional support for coordination and management of partnerships with community partners. A centralized office can assist with capacity building and knowledge sharing about how to design and assess CSL activities that promote students’ competences (including soft skills) and benefits to the community, while considering students’ readiness levels and incorporating adequate ethical standards.
In an age where students display competency in diverse fields of activities, selecting qualified candidates from an assorted group for a service-learning exchange program demands a multidimensional approach. The framework for student selection for International Service-Learning (ISL) at Union Christian College (UCC) has been designed bearing this in mind. Its value increases when there is a proportionally higher number of applicants for a limited number of slots. Practiced for the last three years (2018-2021), the model has been designed using seven-fold criteria. The compositely designed rubric examines Q&A responses, perspectives on SL, and problem solving skills at various stages in the assessment. Each assessment level is graded from A to D, with highest A and least D. The evaluation is conducted to assess student social commitment, community engagement, leadership qualities and personal initiatives. The process of enriching writing skills and designing SL activities for diverse communities during the SL committee selection process prepares students to meet challenges in the field. Students prepared under such a method are selected for ISL.
While the body of empirical work regarding the experiences of community partners in service-learning is expanding, there is limited understanding of the role of power at both the individual and institutional levels. This article discusses a qualitative study that focused on the experiences of 20 community partners who collaborated with faculty and students on various service-learning projects. Using theories related to power, the authors sought to understand the role of relational and structural power during service-learning from the perspectives of community partners. Findings here indicate that while faculty and universities most often hold power over community partners, this is not always the case. In addition, power has both negative and positive effects in the relationships between both individuals and organizations engaged in service-learning.
