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Tennessee Academic Civic Engagement Program (TACEP) Fall 2006 - Summer 2009 CNCS/Learn and Serve America . Roane State Community College August 20, 2007. Session Agenda. 2:00-2:10 p.m. Introduction to TACEP 2:10-2:30 p.m. Completion of Needs Assessment 2:30-3:00 p.m.
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Tennessee Academic Civic Engagement Program (TACEP) Fall 2006 - Summer 2009CNCS/Learn and Serve America Roane State Community College August 20, 2007
Session Agenda • 2:00-2:10 p.m. • Introduction to TACEP • 2:10-2:30 p.m. • Completion of Needs Assessment • 2:30-3:00 p.m. • Why Service-Learning? • 3:00–3:20 p.m. • VU Mentoring Model • 3:20-3:40 p.m. • TNCC AmeriCorps*VISTA Project • 3:40–4:00 p.m. • Q & A
TACEP Goals Academic Service-Learning Tennessee Academic Civic Engagement Project • High School Mentoring Outreach • Community College Service-Learning Curriculum Integration Outreach • Tennessee Campus Compact
TACEP Model More Tennesseans attain degrees and become civically engaged. Mentors assist youth with high school completion and college access. 1 5 2 More college students mentor youth in local communities. Mentees graduate high school and enter post-secondary institutions. TN Campus Compact institutionalizes service-learning statewide. 4 3
High School Component • Vanderbilt Mentoring Model • College undergraduates in service-learning courses or service organizations mentor high school juniors and seniors • Academic Tutoring, ACT/SAT Prep, Post-Secondary Prep, Study Skills, Career Guidance, Personal Goal-Setting • In-school and After-school programs • Targets at-risk youth in high-poverty, low-performing high schools
Community College Component • Vanderbilt faculty will provide one-day training to TN community colleges • Customized training will be a “how to” for integrating service-learning projects into existing courses • Follow-up technical assistance available via teleconference or classroom support seminars • Service-learning courses allow community college students to mentor area high school students through the Vanderbilt Mentoring Model
TACEP Community College Outreach • Year I: 76 faculty at JSCC, SWTCC, CSCC, NESCC, and DSCC received full-day training. • Faculty at JSCC, CSCC, and RSCC will receive introduction to training during fall in-service. • Year II: Regional Training (to be scheduled). • Year III: Training of Trainers (is being considered).
Faculty Trainers • Dr. Sharon Shields • Professor – VU Department of Human and Organizational Development at Peabody College • Courses focus on service-learning partnerships that foster civic engagement and active citizenship • Worked on national service-learning curricula and written articles related to service-learning instruction • Dr. Carolyn Hughes • Professor - VU Department of Special Education • Developed the VU Mentoring Model, in which VU students mentor youth from high-poverty high schools in Nashville • Published studies designed to promote self-directed learning skills of high-school students
Tennessee Campus Compact(TNCC) • Tennessee Campus Compact is a sustainability component of the TACEP grant • Grants from Campus Compact, Vol TN, AmeriCorps VISTA, and Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce facilitate statewide dialogue and support infrastructure capacity building • TNCC will increase statewide collaboration and leverage funding for implementation of best practices in academic service-learning
TNCC Presidential Engagement • Annual service-learning conference for college presidents (Feb. 13, 2007; Mar 13-15, 2008) • TNCC Presidents’ Council • TNCC Executive Board • TNCC Advisory Council
TNCC AmeriCorps*VISTA Project • Annual CNCS federal resource to embed civic engagement in TN postsecondary institutions • Build on-campus civic engagement, service-learning, community service infrastructure capacity: • Help new institutions get started • Help experienced institutions grow • Help “high risk” K-12 schools & communities • Help TNCC build organizational infrastructure • Help TACEP grant objectives • Create awareness and foster action in all sectors of TN society: political/governmental; institutional/faculty; student/families; corporate business; community service and faith-based organizations; and public at-large
CSCC FACULTY NEEDS ASSESSMENT • Please complete and submit
WHY SERVICE-LEARNING? • The challenge is how will we assure that entering and exiting students graduate as “individuals of character more sensitive to the needs of community, more competent to contribute to society, and more civil in habits of thought, speech, and action.” • (Wingspread Group Report on Higher Education, 1993)
Community Colleges’ Role in Promoting Citizenship • 1,200 colleges and 12 million students • Half of all minority students in higher education • Community service in 71% of college mission statements • Prepare students for effective involvement in a diverse democratic society • (American Association of Community Colleges (AACC, July 18, 2007)
AACC’s Definition of Service-Learning • Combines community service and classroom instruction, with a focus on critical, reflective thinking as well as personal and civic responsibility • Involves students in activities that meet local needs while developing academic skills and commitment to community • 60% of all community colleges offer service-learning as part of academic course work • (AACC, July 18, 2007)
Service-Learning Benefits • AACC studies in 1999-2000 and 2004-2006 report that students’ service-learning experiences affected the following “a lot” or “some” • Improved GPA: 58% • Desire to stay in college and complete degree: 58% • Development of occupational skills: 79% • Ability to work and learn independently: 83% • Positive attitude toward community involvement/citizenship: 90% • Increased commitment to continue serving: 59% • (Cathy Doyle, Anne Arundel Community College and Gail Robinson, American Association of Community Colleges, National Conference on Volunteering and Service, Philadelphia, PA, July 18, 2007)
Widely Recognized Academic Service-Learning Definition • A course-based, credit-bearing education experience in which students: • Participate in an organized service activity that meets identified community needs • Reflect on the service activity in such a way as to gain further understanding of course content, a broader appreciation of the discipline, and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility • Bringle & Hatcher, 1995
U.S. Department of Education on Academic Service-Learning "Through service-learning, students have unique opportunities to learn the value of teamwork and build critical thinking skills while completing service projects in areas such as education, public safety and the environment. Studies have shown that students who participate in such programs demonstrate increased civic and social responsibility and improved academic achievement." • Margaret Spellings, the U.S. Secretary of Education, June 2005 Press Release
Service-Learning Models • Discipline-based • Project/problem-based • Capstone Course • Service internship • Community-based action research • Placement-based
Service-Learning Helps Students Understand • How communities function • The kinds of problems they face • The strength and richness of diversity • The importance of individual commitments of time and energy to enhancing community life
Services that Service-Learners May Provide • Tutors • Mentors • Program development • Technology assistance • Advocacy • Training • Needs Assessments • Discipline-specific assistance
A Community Service Example If students remove trash from a streambed: they are providing a service to the community as volunteers
A Service-Learning Example • When students, who are taking an environmental education course, remove trash from a streambed, • analyze what they found, • share the results and offer suggestions for the neighborhood to reduce pollution, • and then reflect on their experience and the impact of their service THAT is service-learning!
Service-learning is Not.. • An episodic volunteer program • An add-on to an existing school or college curriculum • Completing minimum service hours in order to graduate • Service assigned as a form of punishment • Only for high school or college students • One-sided: benefiting only students or only the community
Characteristics of Authentic Service-Learning • Positive, meaningful and real to the participants. • Cooperative rather than competitive experiences. • Promote teamwork and citizenship. • Address complex problems in complex settings rather than simplified problems in isolation. • Engage problem-solving in the specific context of service activities and community challenges, rather than generalized or abstract concepts from a textbook.
Characteristics of Authentic Service-Learning • Students are able to identify the most important issues within a real-world situation through critical thinking. • Promotes deeper learning; there are no "right answers" in the back of the book. • Generates emotional consequences, which challenge values and ideas. • Supports social, emotional and cognitive learning and development.
Service-Learning.. • Goes beyond traditional community service by connecting the service experience to specific academic goals, which are facilitated by reflection, discussion, and integration with course material.
Elements of High-Quality Service-Learning 1. Integrated Learning- clear outcomes 2. High Quality Service- actual community need 3. Collaboration- all partners benefit and contribute 4. Student Voice- students actively plan & participate 5. Civic Responsibility- contribute/impact community 6. Reflection- connect service & academic learning 7. Evaluation- measure learning & service goals
Benefits to Students • Leadership Skills • Enhancement of life’s realities • Opportunities to experience diversity • Career exploration • Job opportunities • Interpersonal skills • Scholarships • Self-esteem building • Problem Solving skills/Critical Thinking
Benefits to Faculty • Discipline content enrichment – connect real world to classroom instruction • Provide students opportunities to develop critical thinking skills, empathy, and a sense of civic responsibility • Student retention • Increased enrollment • Professional development
Benefits to College Administration • Mission • Goodwill • PR (recruitment) • Leadership in academic community • Curriculum enhancement • FTE/Retention
Benefits to Community Agencies • Manpower at little or no cost • Increased service to clientele • Public relations image • Potential employees • Community goodwill/increased exposure of policy issues • Increased productivity and effectiveness
Benefits to Community Clients • Experiences in self-planning and evaluation • Empowerment • Intra-cultural experience • Learning opportunities • Access resources (e.g., college resources)
Implementing Service-Learning • Modify, develop and improve course syllabi and service-learning components over time • The Tennessee Academic Civic Engagement Program will provide training and technical assistance in 2007, 2008, 2009 • The Tennessee Campus Compact will continue further support
Common Faculty Concerns • Academic rigor • Competence in application of the strategy • Students’ ability to contribute meaningful service • Time constrains • Liability • Drs. Sharon Shields and Carolyn Hughes of VU will address these concerns during training.
Service-Learning Advocates & Funding Sources • Campus Compact, founded in 1985 • Corporation for National and Community Service, founded in 1993 • National Commission on Service-Learning, founded in 1998 • Volunteer TN • Tennessee Department of Education
VU Mentoring • Three at-risk High Schools • 204 mentees served • 201 mentorsGraduation RatesMaplewood- 230Pearl Cohn- 131Stratford- 136
Mentoring Logistics • Mentors help mentees in areas of : Completing HS, Post Secondary Prep, Career Goals, Job Preparation, and Personal Goal Setting. • Mentors paired up one to one with mentees. • Mentoring programs occur in school and after school. • Mentors usually complete 22 hours a semester.
Sample Mentoring Schedule • Snack Time, Social Sharing- 15 min’s • Lesson for the Week (i.e. Scholarships)- 30-45 min’s • Spend time working on what discussed in group, personal goals, ACT/SAT prep, college searches, Gateway prep, and homework- 1 hr
Mentor Training • Mentoring Manual • Training: diversity/cultural awareness, responsibilities as a mentor, community background, school background, curriculum overview • Scheduling of car pooling • Mentor interest forms
Mentoring Evaluations • Pre-Test given beginning of every semester. Second week of every semester. • Post-Test given end of every semester. Last week of every semester. • IRB exemption prohibits VU from mentee evaluations. • Student’s grades, Gateway scores, and ACT/SAT scores are given in school averages from MNPS.
Reflections • Mentors do weekly reflections with mentees. • Mentors do monthly focus group reflections. • Mentees do monthly focus group reflections. • Mentors and mentees do end of semester reflections.
Mentor Experiences • Help with retention in college • Provide leadership opportunities • A chance to see how other people live and issues they have to deal with • How to network and utilize resources • Experience things outside of comfort zone
Mentee Experiences • “My mentor was a very great individual who really cared about our education.” • “They (mentors) can help some kids believe in themselves-can push us to want to go to college and take the ACT.” • “She’s someone I can talk to that won’t judge me.” • “I have benefited from my mentor because she gave me the push to believe in going to college.” • “I wish all our students had access to a mentor …this program allows students to see that there is a way.”
Mentor Media Clip • Media Clip
TNCC AmeriCorps VISTA Project • $18,000-$20,000 FREE Federal Resource • One full year of service • Work 40 hours/week , but available 24/7. • Benefits provided by Federal Government. • Ask that you try to help provide some kind of assistance, i.e. meal plan. • Cannot work other jobs or attend school while in program.
VISTA Activity Options • Help with service-learning integration • Program infrastructure • Community & College collaborations • Needs Assessments • Program Evaluations • College research on number of students who participate in community service, service-learning, and civic engagement
VISTA Administration • Concept Paper • MOA (TSU/TNCC & CNCS) • MOU (TSU/TNCC & Institution) • VISTA Project Plan • Recruit VISTA • VISTA Work Plan • Training Schedule • PSO Training • Quarterly Reports
VISTA Application Process • PSO Training Form • Member Application Form • 2 Reference Forms • Summary of Key Responsibilities • VISTA Evaluation of Applicant • Benefit Form • Work Form-Document of Citizenship • Work Plan • Member Assignment Description