CONNECTING STUDENTS WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS FOR INFORMAL, SHORT-TERM EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES: A PORTAL PROPOSAL FOR CSUSB

Author

Dia PooleFollow

Date of Award

5-2023

Document Type

Project

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Communication Studies

Department

Communication Studies

First Reader/Committee Chair

Corrigan, Thomas

Abstract

Each term, scores of students enrolled in practicum courses at universities must connect informally with community-based and nonprofit organizations (CBOs/NPOs) for short-term research, volunteerism, or practicum coursework assignments. In most cases, these student-community connections are known only to the students, the organizations they serve with, and the faculty who see the results of coproduced assignments. Few examples can be found in scholarly literature—beyond cursory nods to their existence—of structures designed and implemented primarily for connecting students with CBOs/NPOs and tracking participation in these informal experiential learning opportunities. Further, few examples exist of mechanisms that allow local organizations to convey their willingness to participate with students in informal experiences or to access university resources to solve problems. As a result of these gaps, contributions made by CBOs/NPOs to student learning go unrecognized by the universities, and universities miss opportunities to cultivate these informal relationships into partnerships for expanded learning opportunities through to career placement. This project proposes development of a portal to address this niche in town-gown relationships, where the university connects with its surrounding community to advance student learning outcomes and foster goodwill. The portal framework is presented in a white paper (Appendix A) which also explores the department’s student enrollment and demographics; barriers to student participation in curricular community-engaged courses (CCEL); faculty, staff, and administrator perspectives on improving CCEL processes and practices; and opportunities for improved utilization of existing campus project, assignment, and research resources in CCEL courses. Although this graduate project proposes a portal in the Department of Communication Studies, the need extends beyond this single academic discipline. Students and faculty in other departments with similar experiential learning requirements could benefit from a similar mechanism.

Recommended Citation

Poole, Dia, "CONNECTING STUDENTS WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS FOR INFORMAL, SHORT-TERM EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES: A PORTAL PROPOSAL FOR CSUSB" (2023). Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations. 1735.
https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd/1735