Welcome!Please take a moment to introduce yourselves to your neighbors, then consider the following:

• What is civic engagement?• Why should civic engagement be part of the college curriculum?

Promoting Civic Engagement in Lower Level General Education

Aryn Bartley, Brenta Blevins, Michele Ren, Haley Russell5th Annual Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy5th Annual Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy -

2013

What is Civic Engagement?What is Civic Engagement?

Why should civic Why should civic engagement be part of the engagement be part of the

college curriculum?college curriculum?

Truman Commission on Higher Truman Commission on Higher Education (1947)Education (1947)

Emphasis on education for:•A fuller realization of democracy•International understanding and cooperation.•The application of creative imagination and trained intelligence to the solution of social problems and to the administration of public affairs.

The National Task Force on Civic Learning and The National Task Force on Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement (2012) Democratic Engagement (2012)

 

“[D]eep engagement with the values of liberty, equality, individual worth,

open mindedness, and the willingness to collaborate with people of differing views and backgrounds toward common solutions for the public good”

Talloires Network (2005)Talloires Network (2005)

“The university should use the processes of education and research to respond to, serve

and strengthen its communities for local and global citizenship.”

Munck, McQuillan and Ozarowski (2012)Munck, McQuillan and Ozarowski (2012)

The university as a “socially embedded institution” with a “[firm

commitment] to social transformation and the pursuit of knowledge for the

benefit of the community” (26).

Lyons (2012)Lyons (2012)

“A mutually beneficial knowledge-based collaboration between the higher-education

institution, its staff and students, [and] the wider community, through community-campus

partnerships.” Can Include: •Service Learning/Community-Based Learning•Community-engaged Research•Volunteering•Community/Economic regeneration•Capacity-Building and Access

Com

mon

Com

mon

Them

es/

Term

s

Them

es/

Term

s • Education for “democracy,” “common good,” social benefit• Emphasis on

cooperation/collaboration/ partnering• University as located

within community - global, local, “glocal”

RationaleRationale

• Encourage active civic Encourage active civic participation/engagement and participation/engagement and reinvigorate democratic practices like reinvigorate democratic practices like voting, civil public discourse, etc. voting, civil public discourse, etc. (National Task Force on Civic Learning (National Task Force on Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement )and Democratic Engagement )

• Strengthen relationship between Strengthen relationship between university and community (Munck et. al., university and community (Munck et. al., Lyons)Lyons)

• ““improved graduation rates and improved graduation rates and narrowed achievement gaps between narrowed achievement gaps between racial–ethnic groupsracial–ethnic groups”” (Kinzie, 2012, 13). (Kinzie, 2012, 13).

Rationale Rationale

• ““Real” Rhetorical SituationsReal” Rhetorical Situations

• Rather than writing to complete an assignment, “writing as social action” – Rather than writing to complete an assignment, “writing as social action” – (Heilker, 1997, 71-72)(Heilker, 1997, 71-72)

• no need "to no need "to imagineimagine an entire rhetorical world, to conjure up an appropriate an entire rhetorical world, to conjure up an appropriate audience, subject matter, and audience, subject matter, and ethosethos out of thin air“ (Heilker, 1997, 71) out of thin air“ (Heilker, 1997, 71)

• Motive/ExigenceMotive/Exigence

• "students are conscious of the responsibility they have to readers, civic "students are conscious of the responsibility they have to readers, civic communities, and even themselves to produce accurate, reflective, and communities, and even themselves to produce accurate, reflective, and moral writing” (Sidler, 2005, 49-50). moral writing” (Sidler, 2005, 49-50).

Group WikisGroup WikisRadford University - CORE 101 - Fall 2012 - Aryn BartleyRadford University - CORE 101 - Fall 2012 - Aryn Bartley

• Construct a wiki page aboutConstruct a wiki page about““an important, an important, interesting and/or helpful aspect of RU, interesting and/or helpful aspect of RU, Radford, or the New River Valley.Radford, or the New River Valley.””

• Three sections (60 students) participated.Three sections (60 students) participated.

““Civic Civic EngagementEngagement””ComponentComponent

• Writing for a specific audience of their peers Writing for a specific audience of their peers (student body as (student body as ““communitycommunity””))

• Writing to help their peers access local Writing to help their peers access local resourcesresources

• Engaging with local/university community Engaging with local/university community (places and people)(places and people)

• Collaborative project with peersCollaborative project with peers

Sample topics (on and off Sample topics (on and off campus)campus)

•Clubs and ActivitiesClubs and Activities

•Sororities/fraternitiesSororities/fraternities

•Food/hangout spotsFood/hangout spots

•Local small businessesLocal small businesses

•Outdoor Recreational LocalesOutdoor Recreational Locales

Sample Wiki: Sample Wiki: ““RU Leisure RU Leisure ActivitiesActivities””

Reflections: ProsReflections: Pros• Asked students to consider the positive impact Asked students to consider the positive impact

of their writing/research on others within their of their writing/research on others within their community (student body)community (student body)

• Students learned about community resourcesStudents learned about community resources

• Engaged students with each other, RU, and Engaged students with each other, RU, and Radford Radford

Reflections: ConsReflections: Cons

• Varying levels of student engagement often Varying levels of student engagement often depended on their interest in the topicdepended on their interest in the topic

• Community as commodity?Community as commodity?

Finding and Interviewing Finding and Interviewing ““ExpertsExperts””

Radford University - CORE 101 - Fall 2012 - Michele RenRadford University - CORE 101 - Fall 2012 - Michele Ren

• A formal, taped, interview with an A formal, taped, interview with an ““expertexpert”” on on the topic the student is addressing in their final the topic the student is addressing in their final essayessay• Asks students to become familiar with not Asks students to become familiar with not

only the issue, but with a community member only the issue, but with a community member who has experience, knowledge, expertise in who has experience, knowledge, expertise in the areathe area• Gives practice in working with others who are Gives practice in working with others who are

concerned about the issue, and, often, allows concerned about the issue, and, often, allows students to encounter different viewpoints.students to encounter different viewpoints.

Argument EssayArgument EssayRadford University - CORE 101 - Fall 2010, Fall 2011 – Brenta BlevinsRadford University - CORE 101 - Fall 2010, Fall 2011 – Brenta Blevins

UNCG - English 101 – Fall 2012 - Brenta BlevinsUNCG - English 101 – Fall 2012 - Brenta Blevins

• Write an argument essay about an issue on or Write an argument essay about an issue on or affecting our campusaffecting our campus• Students choose and research topic, audience, Students choose and research topic, audience,

and potential publication on campusand potential publication on campus• TopicsTopics• Reducing athlete concussions, more dining Reducing athlete concussions, more dining

hall choices, the importance of University hall choices, the importance of University 100, on campus smoking, the perennial 100, on campus smoking, the perennial parking issue, campus technology, the role of parking issue, campus technology, the role of alcohol on campus, dealing with substance alcohol on campus, dealing with substance abuse deathsabuse deaths

Argument Essay: Civic EngagementArgument Essay: Civic EngagementRadford University - CORE 101 - Fall 2010, Fall 2011 – Brenta BlevinsRadford University - CORE 101 - Fall 2010, Fall 2011 – Brenta Blevins

UNCG - English 101 – Fall 2012 - Brenta BlevinsUNCG - English 101 – Fall 2012 - Brenta Blevins

• Identifying an issue that can and should be Identifying an issue that can and should be written aboutwritten about

• Researching the issue, describing it, and Researching the issue, describing it, and writing persuasively about that issue for the writing persuasively about that issue for the community (college campus)community (college campus)

Argument EssayArgument EssayRadford University - CORE 101 - Fall 2010, Fall 2011 – Brenta BlevinsRadford University - CORE 101 - Fall 2010, Fall 2011 – Brenta Blevins

UNCG - English 101 – Fall 2012 - Brenta BlevinsUNCG - English 101 – Fall 2012 - Brenta Blevins

• At Radford, scaffolded on a formal At Radford, scaffolded on a formal interview assignment with an “expert”interview assignment with an “expert”• Helps students research who has Helps students research who has

expertise and how to ask the expert expertise and how to ask the expert questions to build an argument questions to build an argument

• At UNCG, scaffolded on a rhetorical At UNCG, scaffolded on a rhetorical analysis of argument building analysis of argument building • Helps students understand context, Helps students understand context,

audience in terms of needs and languageaudience in terms of needs and language

Argument Essay: ReflectionArgument Essay: ReflectionRadford University - CORE 101 - Fall 2010, Fall 2011 – Brenta BlevinsRadford University - CORE 101 - Fall 2010, Fall 2011 – Brenta Blevins

UNCG - English 101 – Fall 2012 - Brenta BlevinsUNCG - English 101 – Fall 2012 - Brenta Blevins

Pros:Pros:

• Provides students with a choice about the issue they wanted Provides students with a choice about the issue they wanted to engageto engage

• Specific assignment focus limits paper mill/plagiarism issuesSpecific assignment focus limits paper mill/plagiarism issues

Cons:Cons:

• Not every topic is publication readyNot every topic is publication ready

Informative Poster Informative Poster PresentationPresentation

Radford University Radford University –– CORE 102 CORE 102 –– Spring 2013 - Haley Russell Spring 2013 - Haley Russell

Research PortfolioResearch Portfolio

• Annotated Bibliography (5 Articles)Annotated Bibliography (5 Articles)

• Weekly Posts to a Research BlogWeekly Posts to a Research Blog

• Poster DesignPoster Design

• Oral Poster PresentationOral Poster Presentation

• Multiple Peer Review WorkshopsMultiple Peer Review Workshops

• Final Argumentative EssayFinal Argumentative Essay

Informative Poster Informative Poster PresentationPresentation

Radford University Radford University –– CORE 102 CORE 102 –– Spring 2013 - Haley Russell Spring 2013 - Haley Russell

Modeling Civic Engagement in the Classroom:Modeling Civic Engagement in the Classroom:

• models an academic community models an academic community

• emphasizes the process of peer reviewemphasizes the process of peer review

• requires that students question college culture requires that students question college culture

• requires reflection on personal engagement in their requires reflection on personal engagement in their communitycommunity

• looks at the cultural and moral issues of college life looks at the cultural and moral issues of college life

Questions about our Questions about our assignments? assignments?

Take a few minutes discussTake a few minutes discusswith those around you and/or to make with those around you and/or to make

notes on:notes on:

How might you incorporate a civic How might you incorporate a civic engagement component in your future engagement component in your future

general education courses?general education courses?

Thank You!Thank You!

Handouts on specific assignments are Handouts on specific assignments are available on the CHEP website.available on the CHEP website.

References, p. 1References, p. 1Department of Education, The National Task Force on Civic Learning

and Democratic Engagement (2012). A crucible moment: College learning and democracy’s future. (ED-OPE-10-C-078).Retrieved from Association of American Colleges and Universities

website: http://www.aacu.org/civic_learning/crucible/documents/crucible_508F.pdf

Kinzie, J. (2012). High-impact practices: Promoting participation for all students. Diversity & Democracy, 15(3), 13-14. Retrieved from

http://www.diversityweb.org/DiversityDemocracy/vol15no3/about_issue.cfm

Lyons, A. (2012.)  Civic engagement practices in higher education in Ireland. In McIlrath, L, A. Lyons & R. Munck, Eds. Higher education and civic engagement: Comparative perspectives. New York:  Palgrave MacMillan.

References, p. 2References, p. 2Munck, R., McQuillan, H., & Ozarowsk, J. Civic engagement in

a cold climate: A glocal perspective. In McIlrath, L, A. Lyons & R.  Munck, Eds. Higher education and civic engagement: Comparative perspectives.  New York:  Palgrave MacMillan.

Talloires Network. (2005).  Talloires declaration on the civic roles and  social responsibilities of higher education. Retrieved from

http://talloiresnetwork.tufts.edu/what-is-the-talloires-network/   talloires-declaration/

Truman Commission on Higher Education. (1947).  Retrieved from

http://courses.education.illinois.edu/eol474/sp98/truman.html