You may be interested in the recently published, and somewhat groundbreaking report from the American Association of Colleges and Universities: The Effects of Community-Based and Civic Engagement in Higher Education.
The authors performed a meta-analysis of peer-reviewed empirical studies of the learning outcomes achieved through community-based learning. As the Executive Summary details, they found:
- increased personal and social responsibility
- development of positive mindsets and dispositions
- improved graduation and retention rates
- learning gains
- improved intellectual and practical skills
- increased career-related skills
While the study documents profound learning gains, it also points to a need for further multi-institutional research.
Some good analyses to keep in mind as we discuss the VTSU plans for Career and Civic Readiness in the curriculum and student experience!
