Education Commons^™

The Changing Role Of Higher Education: Learning To Deal With Wicked Problems, Judith A. Ramaley

Higher Education

The role of higher education is changing in today’s world because the world itself is changing, and complex problems confront us daily. This essay will explore the role of an emerging group of individuals who can serve as a bridge between the academic community and the world at large. These administrators, faculty members, staff, students, and community members can help create new opportunities for different disciplines to work together and for all parts of a campus community and members of the broader society to form new working relationships to address the complex problems of today’s world. What role will these …

Reading The Community: Helping Students Learn The Process, Judith A. Ramaley

Higher Education

Colleges and universities in the 21st century will thrive through extensive collaborations with other higher education institutions and with communities with which they have special affinities. These relationships will create an educational environment that promotes deeper learning and student success, while generating knowledge that can be put to good use in improving the sustainability of local and global communities, and the diversity and strength of the economy. This paper will explore ways to engage students in the life of their communities while they take an active role in addressing challenges that affect local culture, health, economic stability and the environment. …

Seeking More High-Quality Undergraduate Degrees: Conditions For More Effectively Working With Policy Makers, Judith A. Ramaley

Higher Education

Our nation’s colleges and universities have always sought to prepare their graduates for life and work in their own era. The pressures we face today, both from outside the academy and within the higher education community, are complex, interlocking, and hard to manage. Some of these challenges require us to rethink what it means to be educated in today’s world and to explore ways to provide a coherent and meaningful educational experience in the face of the turbulence, uncertainty, and fragmentation that characterizes much of higher education today.

How Disruptive Is Information Technology Really?, Judith A. Ramaley

Higher Education

In an administrative career lasting over thirty years, first as a provost and then through three presidencies and a stint at the National Science Foundation, I have watched while changes in technology have reshaped the nature and character of discovery, the gathering and interpretation of increasingly complex observations whose patterns would be completely opaque if we did not have high-speed computing to sort them out, and the integration and use of knowledge in ways that would have been impossible when I went to college in the early 1960s. I went from having to learn the purpose of each of the …

Thriving In The 21st Century By Tackling Wicked Problems, Judith A. Ramaley

Higher Education

More than 20 years ago, I was a member of a leadership roundtable in Portland, Oregon, that was working on achieving the ambitious goal of 100 percent graduation rate from high school. In the course of our deliberations, we finally asked ourselves why young people were dropping out of school. After listening to a number of experts talk about retention, we thought to ask ourselves, “What would the young people themselves say?” To find out, we invited a group of young high school dropouts and high school student leaders to an afternoon conversation. The experts had talked about various strategies …

Community-Engaged Scholarship In Ffigher Education: An Expanding Experience, Judith A. Ramaley

Higher Education

Higher education in this country has always been expected to serve the public good. Sometimes, the emphasis is on preparing educated citizens or practitioners in especially critical fields and how public service can deepen and enrich learning and prepare students to lead purposeful, responsible, and creative lives. Sometimes the focus is upon institutions themselves as major intellectual and cultural resources for a community. In this paper, based on the keynote presentation at the Community Engaged Scholarship for Health Collaborative's invitational symposium, the author explores four levels of engagement: the individual, the academic community and its concepts of scholarship, the institution …

Just Forms, Brevard Community College

Curriculum

This document includes: Assessment, Community Partner Forms, Credit Hour, Employee Service Project (ESP), Faculty, Marketing, Recognition, Student, and Assessment.

Public Scholarship: Making Sense Of An Emerging Synthesis, Judith A. Ramaley

Higher Education

This concluding chapter, written by a national leader in higher education, reflects on public scholarship from a perspective beyond Penn State and argues that public scholarship promises to strengthen “that special form of public decision making that we call democracy.”

4 Practical Resources For Linking Service Learning And The Florida Sunshine State Standards, Florida Learn & Serve

Curriculum

In the 1990s, the Florida Department of Education (FLDoE) and other state education agencies established and adopted education standards to cover major curricular areas in K-12 public education. Florida's standards are linked with statewide assessments in reading, writing, mathematics, and science. The statewide assessment, termed the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test, or FCAT, is a primary tool used to evaluate student and school performance. Student promotion and graduation are based partly on FCAT scores. In addition, schools receive a grade each year, from A-F, based on their students' FCA T performance and other weighted factors.

Gang Prevention Service-Learning Project, Cesar Chavez Foundation

Curriculum

11th grade U.S. History students have determined that 6-7th grade youth are the age group susceptible to joining gangs. The Jefferson High School youth worked on an assembly program to educate middle school students at Los Angeles Academy about the realities of gang life and the alternatives that exist to avoid future gang affiliation and involvement. Skits, speakers, pamphlets, collages, surveys, and small groups discussions were used to promote gang prevention.

Recycling Service-Learning Project, Cesar Chavez Foundation

Curriculum

11th grade students identified needs related to excess campus trash and a school budget crisis. They chose to tackle both issues by expanding South Gates recycling program. Students partnered with the LA Conservation Corps recycling programto set-up a large recycling bin, arrange for pick-up and disposal, and generate proceeds for school improvement. The students were responsible for a major education campaign on campus as well as the logistics of the project including the location of the recycling bin. The education campaign included: making and distributing posters and flyers, classroom and PowerPoint presentations on recycling, intercom announcements, and information on the …

Food Quality And Food Choice Project, Cesar Chavez Foundation

Curriculum

Students at Southgate High School identified school improvement as a pressing need. Students chose to focus specifically on the dissatisfaction with food served on campus. Students developed a campus wide survey to report on improvements that can be made in food service as well as healthy food alternatives in cafeteria and vending machines. Students also learned about the value of good nutrition and the lack of quality and fresh food available in low-income communities of color.

Modeling Learning: The Role Of Leaders, Judith A. Ramaley, Barbara A. Holland

Higher Education

What follows is the Portland State University story, a reflection on change as a scholarly act within a learning community using techniques from organizational learning.

Engaged And Engaging Science: A Component Of A Good Liberal Education, Judith A. Ramaley, Rosemary R. Haggett

Higher Education

We live in a period of rapid and complex socioeconomic change. The forces driving this change are reshaping the educational landscape in ways that we are only beginning to understand. Many recent reports and books, including the 2002 report from the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), Greater Expectations: A New Vision for Learning as a Nation Goes to College, have explored the implications of these changes and have identified growing gaps between the intentions and assumptions of faculty, the actual experiences of students, and the demands of the workplace. The lack of clarity of purpose in undergraduate education …

Middle School Service-Learning Instructional Framework, Maryland State Department Of Education

Curriculum

Students have enormous energy, enthusiasm, and intelligence that they will devote to our commlll1ities when they are asked and given the opportunity. Schools are now doing the asking and they are creating opportunities, both in courses and as part of their extracurricular activities. Students have weather stripped and rehabilitated houses and tended animals at the zoo. They have planted marsh grass to save the Chesapeake Bay and tested streams for pollutants. They have created plays about drug and alcohol abuse and put on fashion shows for senior citizens. These are not simply nice things to do. They contribute to an …

Maryland's Best Practices: An Improvement Guide For School-Based Service-Learning, Maryland Student Service Alliance

Curriculum

We are pleased to present a new tool for service-learning. Students can make a tremendous difference in their schools and communities if they are given the opportunity to use their enthusiasm, energy and ideas.

Maryland is a leader in the field of service-learning. We believe it is important for our students not only to understand the concept of citizenship but also to be good citizens by providing needed service to their communities. Teachers around the state have found service-learning to be a highly effective teaching method, adding relevancy to classroom learning.

As the first state to require that all students …

Health Issues Of Migrant Workers: An Awareness Campaign Project For Middle School Students, Go Serv, Rmc Research Corporation, Cesar Chavez Foundation

Curriculum

César E. Chávez was one of the most significant and influential civil rights leaders of our time. Chávez devoted himself to social justice and improving the lives of the impoverished and oppressed. His name, like that of Martin Luther King, Jr., symbolizes character and commitment. This project, part of the “Educating the Heart” series, has been developed to honor of the life and work of César E. Chávez.

The César E. Chávez “Health Issues of Migrant Workers” project provides a multi-faceted service-learning experience that will give high school students an understanding of César E. Chávez’s core values, specifically service to …

Making Change: Promoting Character Education Through Philanthropic Service-Learning Projects, Kathia Monard-Weissman

Curriculum

The New York State Department of Education in its efforts to foster moral principles in students is sponsoring programs that integrate a component of character education in the course of instruction in grades kindergarten through twelve. Creating and sustaining a meaningful approach to character education requires partnerships between school personnel, students and the broader community. The NYS Department of Education recognizes that programs that integrate community-based activities in the school curricula can help nurture important values such as honesty, tolerance to diversity, respect towards others, fairness, caring, and trustworthiness. These values will likely enhance the students' interactions with the community …

Seizing The Moment: Creating A Changed Society And University Through Outreach, Judith A. Ramaley

Higher Education

This conference is built on two very interesting premises; first, that university outreach can change society and second, that outreach can also change the university. What is the mechanism by which this mutual influence can occur? What does the university offer the community, and what does the community offer the university? The short answer is--the opportunity to learn in the company of others in a situation where learning has consequences.

Cesar Chavez: Who Are Today's Heroes?, Rmc Research Corporation, Cesar Chavez Foundation

Curriculum

This project will help young people to understand the characteristics that make individuals “heroes.” In learning about César E. Chávez’s life and values, students will learn about history, self determination, help for the needy, and actions that promote equity and justice. They will develop a sense of what it means to contribute to society and how they may make a difference. Students will also identify ways in which they can incorporate these characteristics into their own lives and recognize heroes in their community. Participation in the Chávez inspired service-learning project will promote academic learning, civic responsibility, and personal/social development.

Cesar Chavez: Individual Action: Fluff And Fold, Orange County Cesar Chavez Day Initiative

Curriculum

Cesar E. Chavez was one of the most significant and influential civil rights leaders of our time. Chavez devoted himself to social justice and improving the lives of the impoverished and op- pressed. His name, like the name of Martin Luther King, Jr, speaks of character and commitment. This project is in honor of the life and work of Cesar E. Chavez.

The Cesar E. Chavez- "Fluff and Fold" project is a multifaceted service learning experience that will provide your grades 3-5 students with a vehicle that embodies Cesar Chavez' values, addresses homelessness issues, and facilitates gaining life skills all …

Cesar Chavez: Service Fair Of Values, Cesar Chavez Foundation

Curriculum

Cesar E. Chavez was one of the most significant and influential civil rights leaders of our time. Chavez devoted himself to social justice and improving the lives of the impoverished and oppressed. His name, like the name of Martin Luther King, Jr., speaks of character and commitment. This project is in honor of the life and work of Cesar E. Chavez.

The Cesar E. Chavez "Service Fair of Values" project is a multi-faceted experience that will provide your students with a vehicle for service learning that embodies Cesar Chavez' values. Whether used to celebrate Cesar Chavez Day (March 31, 2003) …

Cesar Chaves: Can't We All Get Along?: A Peer Mediation And Awareness Campaign Project For Middle School Students, Rmc Research Corporation, Cesar Chavez Foundation

Curriculum

The “Can’t We All Get Along? A Peer Mediation and Awareness Campaign Project for Middle School Students” provides a multi-faceted service-learning experience that will give students an understanding of César E. Chávez’s core values, specifically service to others, determination, the use of nonviolence as a tool for achieving justice, acceptance of all people, community building, problem solving knowledge, and innovation. The unit is tied directly to the California State Curriculum Standards for Middle School and provides young adolescents with the opportunity to gain conflict resolution skills while providing service to their peers. Whether used to celebrate César E. Chávez Day …

Moving Mountains: Institutional Culture And Transformational Change, Judith A. Ramaley

Higher Education

Our institutions are changing all the time but for the most part these changes do not make a big difference, either because the results are confined to an isolated segment of the organization or because the environment is not responsive. To be considered truly transformational, the initiative must alter the culture of the institutions by changing select underlying assumptions and institutional behaviors, processes, and products; it must be deep and pervasive, affecting the whole institution; it must be intentional; and it must occur consistently over time (Eckel, Hill, & Green, 1998).

Institutionalized Service-Learniing In The 50 States, Kathy Anthes

Service Learning, General

Service-learning is a teaching method that combines service to the community with classroom curriculum. Service-learning is more than merely community service. It is a hands-on approach to mastering subject material while fostering civic responsibility. On a programmatic level, service-learning in America is thriving. Through funds from the Corporation for National Service, almost every state has resources and some level of a service-learning program. Although practitioners and other service-learning advocates have long regarded service-learning as a way to increase student achievement and student civic engagement and decrease a host of problems, such as drop-out rates and school crime and violence, there …

Cesar Chavez: Educating The Heart, Orange County Cesar Chavez Day Initiative

Curriculum

Cesar Chavez was one of the most significant and influential civil rights leaders of our time. Chavez devoted himself to social justice and improving the lives of the impoverished and oppressed. His name, like the name of Martin Luther King, Jr., speaks of character and commitment. This project is in honor of the life and work of Cesar E. Chavez.

The Cesar Chavez project is a multi-faceted service learning experience that will provide your 4lh graders with a unique, hands-on perspective of California History. Whether used to celebrate Cesar Chavez Day (March 31st) with your class or simply as a …

Strategic Directions For Service-Learning Research: A Presidential Perspective, Judith Ramaley

Higher Education

Service-learning can be viewed as a form of pedagogy designed to enhance learning and promote civic responsibility as well as one of a set of strategies to link the capacity of a college or university to the needs of society. A commitment to service-learning can become the avenue for a larger transformational change agenda by providing a focus and a reason to consider significant changes in campus priorities, faculty roles and rewards, resource utilization and university-community relationships. The case is made for the role of the scholar/practitioner president and the importance of a legitimate scholarly base to effect institutional change, …

Change As A Scholarly Act: Higher Education Research Transfer To Practice, Judith Ramaley

Higher Education

Achieving transformational change is a scholarly challenge best dealt with by practicing public scholarship, which is modeled by the leader and encouraged in other members of the campus community. Like all good scholarly work, good decision making by campus leadership begins with a base of scholarly knowledge generated and validated by higher education researchers.

Silicon Valley Partnership For Recruiting And Preparing Quality Teachers For Students In High Needs Schools: "It Takes A Valley", Susan Meyers, Amy Strage, Janet Norris

Curriculum

The old African proverb, "It takes a village to raise a child" seemed apropos as the team members discussed our shared commitment to recruiting and retaining quality teachers for our children. However, we are not a village, we are the Silicon Valley hence, "It takes a valley" to raise the teachers, specifically prepared for the children in our valley who are struggling in high need schools.

Community Service Learning Packet, Martin Kimeldorf

Curriculum

This learning packet contains a set of exercises designed to stimulate the student's thinking about their community and the value of community service. It begins with a personal definition of the word "community." From this definition, the student then gathers information about the school community. Hopefully, by attending school club meetings students will increase their sense of belonging and learn about options for volunteering at their campus. The notion that young people are selfish and hedonistic is examined in a section about stereotypes and biased news reporting. To break up the "worksheet" sequence two movie assignment guides are provided, where …