From Classroom to Community
John Larsen
Issue date: 4/29/09 Section: News
Since 2007, the Faculty Development Committee has awarded several "mini-grants" to faculty members willing to participate in and teach community-based learning and research courses.
According to Dr. Gretchen Wehrle, chair of the psychology/sociology department and associate director of faculty engagement for the Dorothy Stang Center, these courses involve students participating in the local community as an "extra text to the course."
To prepare for teaching these courses, faculty members undergo a professional development course, wherein the chosen faculty learn how to effectively teach a community-based learning course. This program consists of workshops with the Faculty Development Committee members, outside professionals, and panels of faculty from other universities who have incorporated community-based learning into their programs.
The Dorothy Stang Faculty Scholarship Program began in 2007 with a grant from the California Campus Compact. That year, with the aid of the CCC, the program was able to afford funding seven courses. In years proceeding, including this upcoming school year, the program has only had the funding for four community-based learning courses.
According to Wehrle, the ideal goal of the program is that "every school would have at least one community-based course."
Each faculty member chosen by the FDC is awarded a stipend of $800, which they are given free rein to spend as they wish in developing their courses. The money is supplied by the Dorothy Stang Center and the FDC. The only requirement is that the faculty members must commit to taking part in the professional development course and teach a community-based course.
"Our goal is for faculty to develop new courses," said Wehrle. Most faculty, however, modify their existing courses to allow for substantial community-based learning and research.
Throughout the process of teaching these courses, the faculty members are mentored, guided, and encouraged by the FDC.
"The first time you do this, it's a lot of work," said Wehrle. "I appreciate that faculty who apply are serious about it."
According to Wehrle, the program would like to see course titles marked with the letters "CBL," denoting them as community-based learning courses. However, this has yet to happen, and students must rely on fliers and advisor recommendation to find and take community-based learning classes.
Alternatively, interested students can contact Dr. Wehrle at gwehrle@ndnu.edu.
According to Dr. Gretchen Wehrle, chair of the psychology/sociology department and associate director of faculty engagement for the Dorothy Stang Center, these courses involve students participating in the local community as an "extra text to the course."
To prepare for teaching these courses, faculty members undergo a professional development course, wherein the chosen faculty learn how to effectively teach a community-based learning course. This program consists of workshops with the Faculty Development Committee members, outside professionals, and panels of faculty from other universities who have incorporated community-based learning into their programs.
The Dorothy Stang Faculty Scholarship Program began in 2007 with a grant from the California Campus Compact. That year, with the aid of the CCC, the program was able to afford funding seven courses. In years proceeding, including this upcoming school year, the program has only had the funding for four community-based learning courses.
According to Wehrle, the ideal goal of the program is that "every school would have at least one community-based course."
Each faculty member chosen by the FDC is awarded a stipend of $800, which they are given free rein to spend as they wish in developing their courses. The money is supplied by the Dorothy Stang Center and the FDC. The only requirement is that the faculty members must commit to taking part in the professional development course and teach a community-based course.
"Our goal is for faculty to develop new courses," said Wehrle. Most faculty, however, modify their existing courses to allow for substantial community-based learning and research.
Throughout the process of teaching these courses, the faculty members are mentored, guided, and encouraged by the FDC.
"The first time you do this, it's a lot of work," said Wehrle. "I appreciate that faculty who apply are serious about it."
According to Wehrle, the program would like to see course titles marked with the letters "CBL," denoting them as community-based learning courses. However, this has yet to happen, and students must rely on fliers and advisor recommendation to find and take community-based learning classes.
Alternatively, interested students can contact Dr. Wehrle at gwehrle@ndnu.edu.
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