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Community Engagement and the University Student. What Works and What Needs to Be Changed Margaret M. Ferrara, PhD University of Nevada, Reno. What is a Community Experience?. Set up with a “willing” community agency Organized with specific tasks and roles
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Community Engagement and the University Student What Works and What Needs to Be Changed Margaret M. Ferrara, PhD University of Nevada, Reno
What is a Community Experience? • Set up with a “willing” community agency • Organized with specific tasks and roles • Contains important features like contact person, location, contact information, etc. • Structured to work with students in a volunteer setting
Importance of Community Engagement • Part of the College Mission Statement • Professionalism • Diversity • Love of Learning • Knowledge of Students
And In Teacher Education • Broaden one’s perspective of the community • Look at students’ and their families in informal and formal settings • Make an early difference in how preservice teachers and potential preservice teachers look at students in unique learning settings
In other words • Reduce stereotypes • Reduce isolated frame of reference of how things are suppose to be • Increase global awareness at the local level • Help students find ways to make a significant difference
How Is This Done? • Emails sent to agency to determine level of interest • Follow-up to verify arrangement and gain contact information • Set up arrangement with students in the class • Attempt to match needs of each students with community agency features
During the course • Course instructor verifies that the arrangement has been made • Student verifies that arrangement has been made • Mid-term check on “how it is going” • Mid-term reflection on the experience
End of the Course • World Café Activity • Cross-verification with community agency • Hour sheet verification with student/agency • Reflection writing on the experience
Some of the FindingsMost Often Cited • Learning classroom management skills • Value of civic engagement • A Valuable Experience • Tutoring and Helping with Homework, Reading • Lesson planning skills • Importance of connecting with students • Being a teacher not a friend • Worked with lower socio-economic students
Some of the FindingsLeast Cited • Engaging activity more effective than lecturing • Set high attainable goals with students • Learned about self • Importance of goals, graduation, success • More preparation makes you more effective • Parent involvement and communications
And in terms of categories • Most Cited were: • Teaching Skills • Social Support • Self-Awareness • Least Cited Were: • Affective Skills • Civic Skills • Cultural Awareness:
