Community Partnerships Bring Coursework to Life Community-Based Learning courses, now supported in part by the strategic plan and a new office, are “win-win” opportunities for students and the community.
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Students are immersing themselves in the real world of environmental psychology, community health and consumer behavior, among dozens of other topics. They are in neighborhoods and downtown, interacting with residents and agency leaders and getting in the weeds, sometimes literally, to serve and reflect critically as part of their courses. This academic experience, which involves students working with individuals, groups or organizations in ways structured to meet community-defined needs is Community-Based Learning (CBL).
Community-Based Learning and is a faculty member in the So-
“Our University has an obligation to engage with the community that it sits in, that it benefits from,” said Meghan Ashlin Rich, Ph.D., who serves as faculty coordinator for the Office of
why this kind of experiential learning is important to their stu-
THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
ciology, Criminal Justice, & Criminology Department. “In my own CBL courses, I want students to engage; I want them to be able to understand not just that their service is needed but why it is needed.” Dr. Rich said balance between what students need and what the community needs is crucial to a successful CBL course. Faculty members who teach CBL courses have different views on dents’ education, but they all agree that it has a real possibility of having a transformative effect on the student experience.
