Community-Based Learning

What is Community-Based Learning (CBL)?

How many times have you spent hours on a paper or project, only for it to be seen and graded by the instructor, and then filed away or thrown out?

With community-based learning, you do real projects that make a difference in the community. For example: instead of creating a brochure for an invented company, you produce a brochure for a local nonprofit organization that is used long after your grade is recorded. During this process, you:

• Learn how to work with a client
• Learn more about the community in which you live
• Contribute a valuable service to the community
• Add to your resume or portfolio
• Make contacts that will be valuable to your career

List of CBL Courses

 

Benefits of CBL

• Provides an opportunity to apply classroom learning to real life settings
• • Enhances your understanding of subject matter
  • Reinforces lectures and readings
  • Connects students to each other
  • Helps with problem solving
• Promotes personal growth
• • Enhances your self esteem
  • Breaks down ethnocentrism
  • Develops leadership skills
  • Broadens your world view
  • Promotes further community involvement
• Enhances career development
• • Helps solidify ideas of future career plans
  • Builds resumes
  • Develops networks
  • Connects students with future job opportunities

Opportunities to be involved with Civic Engagement

Community-Based Learning Courses
Take a course that is designated as providing CBL credit

Community Engagement Certificate
Take multiple courses designated as providing CBL credit that can count towards a Certificate in Community Engagement

Certificate Information

Community-Based Learning, or academic service-learning, is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities.

The Alan E. Guskin Center for Community and Business Engagement can help you:

• Find a community partner whose needs match the learning objectives of your course
• Arrange for a community partner to come to class or meet with faculty and/or students
• Conduct training/orientation for students
• Provide templates of contracts, time sheets, etc.
• Identify resources on best practices of of CBL
• Connect you with other faculty on campus who are experienced in CBL

If you are interested in learning more about community-based learning or integrating it into your courses, contact the Community Engagement office at cblinfo@uwp.edu.

Faculty Resources

• CBL Course Designation Form
• CBL Course Designation Process Flowchart
• CBL Course Designation Instructions
• CBL Assessment Rubric
• CBL Assessment Survey Sample
• Institutional Review Board (IRB) Guidelines for CBL
• Guskin Center Reflection Guide

The CBL Course Designation Form form should be completed by the individual seeking the Community Based Learning (CBL) designation for the course. Once completed, submit this form to cblinfo@uwp.edu with the course syllabus, supporting documentation (such as CBL related assignment), and required signatures. Please see the flowchart and instructions above for additional details on submitting your course for official CBL designation.

COVID resources

• Checklist to Ensure Safety of In-Person Engagement
• Campus Compact's recommendations for Community Partnerships during COVID

Sample syllabi

• UW-Parkside courses
• Campus Compact database

Forms

• Partner agreement form template
• Timesheet
• Behavior contract
• Field trip form

Online resources

• UW-Parkside Library CBL Resources
• Campus Compact
• Wisconsin Campus Compact
• SENCR – Science Education for New Civic Engagements and Responsibilities
• Michigan Journal of Service Learning
• International Association on Service-Learning and Community Engagement
• Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement
• Community Engaged Teaching and Learning Conferences and Journals

Local community information

• United Way of Wisconsin’s ALICE reports (ALICE = Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed)
• Kenosha County Community Resources Agency Directory
• Racine County Community Resources Agency Directory
• 2018 Racine Community Indicators Report

 

Guidelines for Student Reflection

Reflection is a key component of community-based learning that guides students to examine critical issues related to their civic engagement. Reflection asks the following questions:

• What?
• • What did I do and observe?
  • What issue am I addressing?
• So what?
• • What impact is my experience having on me?
  • What did I do that was effective and why?
  • What was not effective and how might I improve on this?
  • What have I learned about myself?
• Now what?
• • What commitment am I making to my community as a result of this project?
  • What other projects might I seek out that offer civic engagement?

Community-based learning projects match faculty and students to the needs of the nonprofit, government, and business community.

WHY PARTNER WITH UW-PARKSIDE

• Fill a need in your organization
• Connect with experts at the university
• Expose students to your mission
• Recruit future long-term volunteers

 
Sample projects include research, marketing plans, strategic plans, graphic design, web page design, database design, security audits, GIS mapping, communication plans, personnel training, conflict resolution, applied health sciences, and more.

Organizations interested in working with a Community-Based Learning project should contact. Amy Garrigan garrigan@uwp.edu or (262) 595-2312 at the Alan E. Guskin Center for Community and Business Engagement.