ACADEMIC CIVIC ENGAGEMENT COURSES 2009-2010
Academic civic engagement is an approach to teaching and learning that encourages students to learn in the community and to apply academic knowledge and tools to address community issues. Below is a sampling of courses that will include an integrated civic engagement component. The Piper Center for Vocation and Career provides consultation, support and training for faculty teaching courses with an ACE component.
FALL 2009
American Conversations- Remaking America: 1865-1945 (AMCON 201)
Eric Fure-Slocum and Judy Kutulas
Students will explore immigration, migration and ethnicity in the early-20th-Century U.S. by examining the impact of immigration and migration in local classrooms during that time period. Working with the Northfield Historical Society, students will develop a curriculum with primary sources that could be used by teachers and students in local schools.
Eco-Logic: Consumption and its Consequences (GE 111)
Susannah Shmurak
As part of their final research projects, first-year students enrolled in an environmentally-focused writing seminar at St. Olaf will researched possible actions St. Dominic’s School might take to make their operations more environmentally-friendly and heighten their students’ awareness and understanding of environmental issues. St. Olaf student groups developed classroom activities and presented to students in six different classrooms and to school administrators on the topics of food, waste and energy.
Article: Eco-Logic class takes lessons into community
English Language Learners (EDUC 246)
Heather Campbell
A small group of students from the class will likely participate in conversation groups with Somali women in Faribault in partnership with Rice County Growing Up Healthy.
Environmental Economics (ECON 242)
Rebecca Judge
The cap-and-trade carbon emissions bill that has recently passed the House of Representatives (H.R.2454 - American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009) will be considered by the Senate this fall. All students enrolled in Econ 242 will be required to provide a critical economic analysis of the act, and to summarize this analysis in a two-page letter to their senators urging whatever action is indicated as a result of their research, basing their arguments on the research. This expression of public scholarship will required.
Environmental Policy & Regulation (ECON 232)
Rebecca Judge
Students will be required to analyze and provide comments on both a bill before Congress and a proposed rule under consideration by the EPA. These comments will be entered into the public record. This expression of public scholarship will required and individual. The web site, www.regulation.gov will serve as a resource informing students of both the proposed rules and their comment periods.
Ideals to Action: Cultivating Social Change (IS 216)
Eric Fure-Slocum
Students will explore social change academically and practically. Students will work on "social change projects" for various community organizations. Specifically, students will be required to create plans for developing, improving, implementing or marketing a program or initiative that would help to foster social change.
Project Titles and Descriptions
Inclusive Practice with Individuals and Families (SW 254)
Naurine Lennox
Each student in the class will meet with persons at the Northfield Retirement Center that they do not know and engaged in conversation, learned about nursing home/care center, and told a short personal story to engender a reciprocal story from their “partner” elder. Students will participate in a training with Story Circles International and will reflect on their experiences in class.
Marketing (MGMT 250)
Sian Muir
Student teams will develop marketing plans for one major product (or service) for various local for profit and nonprofit organizations. Students will present their recommendations to the community partners at the end of the semester. Students will also complete “Branding Northfield” assignments in collaboration with the Northfield Economic Development Authority and the Northfield Enterprise Center.
Marriage and the Family (SOAN 260)
Ryan Sheppard
Students will explore different facets of family violence in partnership with the HOPE Center and will produce educational materials that the organization can utilize with its clients.
Principles of Psychology (PSYCH 125)
Gary Muir
Introductory psychology students in small groups present some aspect of the course material to local elementary school classes. The project challenges undergraduate students to demonstrate the deep level of understanding required to be able to flexibly communicate the presentation material in an age-appropriate manner to kindergarten through fifth grade students.
INTERIM 2010
Christianity and Social Power (REL 224)
Peder Jothen
Students contributed eight to ten hours each to one of four civic engagement options: a Colombia advocacy project with Lutheran World Relief, service at the Community Action Center (CAC) food shelf, service at Thursday’s Table and a homeless immersion experience in Minneapolis. Students reflected on their experience in light of course themes as part of a final paper.
Article: From classroom to community
Water: The Global Crisis (ES 281)
Nikki Strong
Students educated the general public and the campus community on how individuals can make a difference when it comes to water waste and water pollution by setting up demonstrations and handing out informative brochures at the Just Food Co-op and Buntrack Commons on such topics as everyday water conservation awareness, the bottled water controversy, rain water collection, and constructing your own rain garden.
SPRING 2010
American Conversations- Pursuit of Happiness: 1920- Present (AMCON 202)
Eric Fure-Slocum and Megan Feeney
Students will look locally to explore the shape and impact of global change on citizenship. As part of a project, groups of students will develop radio segments as a means of disseminating their analysis and commentary to broader audiences.
Project Titles and Descriptions (Includes links to radio segments)
Arts Management (MGMT 229)
Sian Muir
Groups of students will be writing grants for various local arts organizations.
Asian American Experiences (ARMS 250)
Rika Ito
Students will conduct oral histories with Asian-Americans living in the Northfield area to learn about their stories and experiences of living in the area. Students will share what they learn through poster presentations on campus.
Project Titles and Descriptions
Community Engagement in Social Work (SW 381)
Mary Carlsen
Students will understand community-based research project as a social work practice of planned change. Students will complete community-based research projects for agencies/organizations/departments for a need or benefit that they request.
Project Titles and Descriptions
Economics of the Public Sector (ECON 371)
Economics of the Public Sector
A long-standing assignment in Econ 371 has been for students to engage in research examining the efficacy of a particular government program (e.g. public health care, food stamps, police protection, etc.). This year, students from Econ 371 will work with the Northfield Community Action Center (CAC) as it evaluates the relative merits of its many programs. Specifically, the Northfield CAC has proposed to undertake a “cost-benefit” analysis of its programs, and students from Econ 371 will have the option to work with the CAC in this as a form of public scholarship. The end-product of this activity will be a research document that provides an economic assessment of CAC programmatic components.
Ethnographic Research Methods (SOAN 373)
Chris Chiappari
Students will utilize ethnography skills and knowledge to complete community-based research projects in partnership with the Northfield Public Library, the Riverwalk Arts Quarter and Growing Up Healthy. Students will learn research, political, civic engagement skills; community-based research experience; and knowledge of Northfield and Rice Co.
Project Titles and Descriptions
Environmental Studies Senior Seminar (ES 399)
John Schade
Students will utilize environmental skills and knowledge to complete civic engagement projects that will benefit a variety of local community partners.
Project Titles and Descriptions
Evaluation of Social Work Practice and Programs (SW 274)
Devyani Chandran
Students will initiate a community assessment project relating to drug abuse prevention in partnership with the Northfield Healthy Community Initiative.
Project Titles and Descriptions
Introduction to Environmental Studies (ES 137)
Nikki Strong
Project Titles and Descriptions
Marketing (MGMT 250)
Sian Muir
See Fall 2009 description
Principles of Psychology (PSYCH 125)
Gary Muir
See Fall 2009 description