Presented byMolly Ayers

September 18, 2013

Office of Community Engagement

OCE’s Mission

The Office of Community Engagement at Eastern Washington University connects the university to the wider community through meaningful, reciprocal partnerships in order to enrich student learning, address

critical community need and foster a culture of civic responsibility and community engagement.

This work is accomplished by:

Providing students with opportunities to engage in meaningful service both in and out of the classroom.

Supporting faculty practice in service-learning, community-based research, and community-engaged scholarship and creative activities.

Developing mutually beneficial partnerships to strengthen our local, regional and global communities.

 

Faculty SupportThe OCE supports faculty through:

Course development consultation and support Community partnership development Logistical support Faculty workshops and ongoing training Mini Grants & Engaged Scholars Program SL project evaluation Presentation and publication opportunities in the

field of community-based scholarship and research

Service-Learning

Service-learning is a credit-bearing educational experience in which students participate in an organized service activity

that meets identified community needs, and reflect on the service activity in such a way as to gain further understanding of course

content, a broader appreciation of the discipline, and an enhanced sense of civic

responsibility.Bringle & Hatcher, 1996, p. 222

Service-Learning at EWU

Seeks to develop projects intentionally and in collaboration with community partners to meet a critical agency or community need.

Provides students service-learning activities which are purposeful and support the academic outcomes of the course.

  Requires ongoing, structured reflection throughout the course to

deepen the connections between classroom learning and the service performed.

Fosters an environment in which students, faculty and community partners are “co-learners and co-teachers in creating better communities.”

Philosophical Roots of Experiential Learning and Service-Learning, Starting Point http://serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/service/experiential.html

Departments Integrating SL into

Courses During the 2013-2014 academic year, EWU offered 67 service-learning courses in such disciplines as:

Biology Exercise Science Physical Education

Children’s Studies Health Education Public Administration

Communication Studies

History Public Relations

Communication Disorders

Integrated Studies Physical Therapy

Creative Writing Management Social Work

Dental Hygiene Occupational Therapy

Disability Studies

English Philosophy Urban and Regional Planning

EWU’s Mission & Student Success

EWU’s mission commits us to expands opportunities for personal transformation through excellence in learning. EWU strives to develop professionally, socially and culturally engaged leaders who think critically and make meaningful contributions to both their career fields and their communities.

Service-learning is identified as a high impact practice, based on National Survey of Student Engagement findings that it promotes deep/integrative learning and personal development (Gonyea et al., 2008). Engagement during the first year yields especially powerful benefits for historically underserved students (Kuh et al., 2007).

Community Engagement Mini

GrantsThe Community Engagement Mini-Grant program promotes faculty practice in service-learning, community-based research and community-engaged scholarship. The program offers three $500 mini-grants to encourage community engagement in the form of:

Service-Learning Course Development/Enhancement

Community-Based Research Community Engaged Scholarship

o Conference Travelo Service-Learning Research

Community-Based Learning Workshops

Fall 2014Service-Learning 101 October 22, 2014 (2-3 pm)JFK L03

Service-Learning 101 October 29, 2014 (2-3 pm)EWU -SpokaneLocation: TBD

Community-Based ResearchDecember 3, 2014 (2-3 pm)JFK L03

Spring 2015  Community-Based ResearchJanuary 21, 2014 (3-4 pm)EWU-SpokaneLocation: TBD

Critical Reflection March 11, 2014 (3-4 pm)JFK L03  Service-Learning Faculty InstituteMay 19-20Location: Gonzaga University, Jepson Hall

Additional Resources

Questions & Contact Information

Molly AyersOffice of Community Engagementmayers1@ewu.edu Showalter 117509-359-2792