Resources for Faculty

If you are new to teaching a civic engagement course, your main resource will be the Academic Civic Engagement Coordinator, sponsored by Americorps VISTA, whose specific task is to assist faculty members in identifying appropriate service projects, connecting with community partners, and easing logistical burdens such as transportation.

The Academic Civic Engagement Coordinator can meet with individual faculty who are interested in adding a civic engagement component to their curriculum or present opportunities directly to your class along with providing your students with print and online resources.

Please contact Katelyn Hale, Civic Engagement Coordinator, to set up a meeting: khale@lclark.edu, 503.768.7762 Center for Career and Community Engagement Albany 206

Teaching a Civic Engagement Course

Civic engagement is different than volunteering because it takes place in the structure of an academic class. The work itself is not simply service, but a learning opportunity for students to apply their knowledge to real-world issues. Take a look at this sample assignment for a firmer grasp on how civic engagement works.

As you are planning your own assignments, keep in mind some of these components to teaching a civic engagement course:

1. Preparation and specific academic objectives:

Is the project clearly defined?

How can you communicate the goals of the project to your students?

Can it realistically be accomplished in the time frame of the semester?

Does the project compliment and enhance the topics and theories of your course?

How will the project be incorporated into your course (grading, assignments, reflection)?

2. Selecting of, and communication with community partners:

Will the project mutually benefit the community partner organization and your students?

Have you visited the organization’s site and met the key community players?

Do you know what the community partner’s needs are?

Does the community partner know your course objectives and learning goals?

Will the selected project and work students will be involved with help meet the core learning goals?

3. Reflection upon and analysis of the experience:

How will you guide structured, consistent reflection on the service project to help students think about how they felt about the experience and how the experience helps meet the learning goals of the course?

How will you account for student responsibility and hours spent at the site?

4. Synthesis of the “real world” experience and theory that frames the course:

How will students ultimately combine and apply their experience to the course content?

How will you facilitate the synthesis of theory and experience?

What kinds of assessments will be used to evaluate the overall learning involved in the project?

(Adapted from Middlebury College, Alliance for Civic Engagement)

Connect with 3CE

More Faculty Resources

Civic Engagement and Academic Rigor

Facilitating Reflection

Civic Engagement Courses

"I believe [my students] came away from the experience with an excitement about the possibilities of contacting very different kinds of people, and working together to address enduring inequalities." - Bruce Podobnik (SOAN)

"The thing that had the biggest impact on me was our Roosevelt civic engagement project and how we were able to tie [the project] to class materials." - Exploration and Discovery Student