How can institutions create scaffolded pathways that culminate in the opportunities for students to integrate and apply their learning through Signature Work, especially projects that also leave a legacy by contributing to positive community impacts? This session will explore how both student leadership and faculty innovation can help to drive change to culture, curriculum, and co-curriculum. It will showcase examples from the Bonner Foundation and its network of institutions that are strategically working to embed community-engaged capstones. Through both individual and team-based projects, students are working to build the capacity of schools, nonprofits, and government agencies. They are working on social action initiatives. Come learn and take away inspiring approaches and examples.
Ariane Hoy, Vice President, Bonner Foundation; David Roncolato, Professor and Director of Civic Engagement, Allegheny College; Alexander Nichols, Bonner Scholar, Davidson College
Measures of Dispersion and Variability: Range, QD, AD and SD
High-Impact Signature Work: Case Studies in Community-Engaged Capstones
1. Signature Work
Case Studies in
Community Engaged
Capstones
High Impact
Ariane Hoy, Bonner Foundation; Alexander Nichols, Davidson
College; and David Roncolato, Allegheny College
8. ‣Sought after skills
and competencies
‣Civic minded
graduates
‣ Higher retention &
completion
‣Liberal learning
outcomes
what it leads
to . . .
9. aLexander and his journey
‣Africana and Educational Studies
‣Freedom Schools
‣DC Public Schools
‣La Escuelita San Alban
‣Center for
Civic Engagement
‣Bonner Foundation
10. PATHWAY OF HIGH-IMPACT PRACTICES
‣First Year Experience
‣Learning Community
‣Service Learning
‣Internships
‣Diversity & Global
‣Capstone
12. ‣Four years matters
‣Proven learning
‣Lifelong engagement
‣Dialogue across
difference
‣Power of structured and
unstructured reflection
‣Cohort and mentors
‣Civic-minded graduates
Proven Impact FOR
Student SUCCESS
13.
14. ‣Civic Agency
‣Civic Identity
‣Communication
‣Critical Thinking and
Perspective Taking
‣Diversity & Intercultural
Competence
‣Empathy
‣Integrative Learning
‣Leadership
‣Place and Issue Knowledge
‣Social Justice
STUDENTS ATTAIN KEY OUTCOMES
16. activity: identify pathways
1.List or identify 2 or 3 programs at
your campus
2.Write down examples or students
that demonstrated the learning with
the specificity of a particular level.
3.What are structures at your campus
that facilitate “integrative learning”?
17. ‣The LEAP Challenge calls
on colleges and universities
to build pathways where all
undergraduates to
complete a substantial
“cross-disciplinary project
in a topic significant to the
student and society, as part
of the expected pathway to
a degree” (AAC&U, 2016).
A CALL TO ACTION FOR
HIGHER EDUCATION
18. Community engaged
signature work
‣Network-wide initiative
to integrate engaged
capstones
‣Supported by research
‣Complex change
management initiative
across 65 colleges and
universities
19. HELPED ENACT THE PUBLIC PURPOSE?
what if 25 percent of seniors. . .
24. It is done IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
A PLACE OR COMMUNITY
Increasing human
resources or staffing
Increase Reach and
Impact
Developing organizational or
community capacity
Fundraising
Recommending policy or
social action
Conducting research or
analysis
PRODUCING KNOWLEDGE FOR A PURPOSE
26. THROUGH CAPSTONES,
STUDENTS find A Sweet Spot
Identity: who you are
and want to be
Educational::
academic and
co-curricular
interests
Civic: service
activism
politics
27. miguel liriano
allegheny college
‣Miguel designed a more
uniform and equitable
way to assess city
property and tax
assessments
‣Worked with a long-term
community partner,
Andy Walker, Meadville’s
City Manager
‣Link with Senior Comp
28. ELIZABETH FARAH
SIENA college
‣Analyzed food deserts
‣Developed the Corner Store
Initiative for the New York
Capital Region, which places
fresh produce and healthy
foods in small local markets.
‣Project reflected a partnership
between Capital Roots, the
New York State WIC
program, and store owners.
‣Link with Certificate
29. ALEXANDER NICHOLS
DAVIDSON COLLEGE
‣Developed a policy proposal
for free college for the state
of North Carolina
‣Worked as part of a team in
a course linked with major
‣Bridged interests in Africana
and Educational Studies
with career aspirations in
higher education
30. CHALLENGES: ALIGNMENT
‣At times, students work in
community sites that do not
link with academic interests
‣Students may be in majors
that don’t mesh with their
identities and aspirations
‣Institutional barriers (i.e.,
faculty rewards) prevent
students from making formal
links with curriculum
32. LEt US HEAR A FEW COMMENTS
• Read through the surveys of juniors
and seniors as they share their
insights on their service, majors,
projects, and learning.
•What do you perceive as the barriers
for integrative learning?
35. STUDENTS AS COLLEAGUES
IMPLICATIONS Examples
Empowering Students to
Define Civic Issues
Students identify potential capstone projects
that meet “Sweet Spot”
Creating Opportunities for
Long-Term Engagement
Courses and programs adapt to support greater
academic and co-curricular integration
Reconstituting Faculty Roles
Students are mentored and coached by faculty
in one-to-one (team) project relationships
Longo & Battistoni, 2011
36. Ex: CAPSTONE CURRICULUM
‣Written by a team of current
and past students with faculty
support from Foundation
‣Studied and integrated models
and best practices from
campus programs
‣Tested and implemented with
real students
37. EMPOWERING STUDENTS IN LEARNING
Y1
Y2
Y3
Y4
How to find the academics and partners
that fit your interests
How to identify capacity building
projects and seek out advisors
How to identify and secure funding,
advising, and write a proposal
How to share your project with various
audiences, like community, grad
schools & employers
39. communities of practice
Lave, 1992; Wegner, 1998
‣ “Communities of practice are groups of people who share a
concern or a passion for something they do and learn how
to do it better as they interact regularly.”
‣ “The concept of community of practice has found a number
of practical applications in business, organizational design,
government, education, professional associations,
development projects, and civic life.”
Typical Activities Examples
Problem Solving
How can we change the culture and infrastructure of the
program and institution?
Seeking Experience
This program and college is successfully integrating the
capstone with credit. What are they doing?
Mapping Knowledge
and Identifying Gaps
We interviewed the 16 campus programs that have
implemented changes. Through that, these approaches can
be found.
40. EX: NATIONAL MEETINGS
‣2014 ‣2015 ‣2016
‣2018‣2017
DISCUSSED model
from 2-3 schools
ENGAGED WITH
SCHOLARSHIP TO
FORM & SHAPE IDEAS
launched learning
community with
16 campuses
ROLLED OUT
INSPIRING
EXAMPLES AND NEW
CURRICULUM FOR
PROGRAMS
ENGAGED IN
LEARNING FROM 5
PREVALENT CAMPUS
CHANGE MODELS
45. LESSONS
‣ Leverage the field to drive
change on your campus.
‣ Anyone can be a change leader
(student, faculty, staff, partner,
external friend or ally).
‣ Rewards and incentives can
accelerate or support change.
‣ Evidence (stories and data) can
drive or support change.
46. thank you for coming!
‣www.bonner.org
‣bonner.pbworks.org
‣Prospective Schools and New
Directors Meeting in July
‣For more information, contact
ahoy@bonner.org)
