Thinking question: How will community-based learning pedagogy help achieve your learning goals?  

Community-based learning is an educational approach that integrates classroom instruction with meaningful community engagement. It promotes active engagement, collaboration, and practical application of knowledge, fostering a deeper understanding of academic concepts and cultivating civic responsibility among learners. 

Community-based learning is different from other experiential learning programs because it balances both the community’s goals with the learning goals of the partnership. Each has equal weight and enhances the other for all participants.  

Essential Elements of Community-based Learning:  

•  Meaningful Engagement: Facilitated by mutually beneficial engagement between community groups, students, and instructors. 
• Deeper Engagement:  Hands-on learning that also builds capacity of the community groups. 
• Academic Engagement: CBL courses incorporate relevant academic content, theories, and concepts. 
• Reflective Engagement: Encourages students to examine their purpose while exploring solutions to improve the human condition. 

There are various ways to include a community-based learning assignment in your course: 

• Direct Service- students work directly with consumers, clients, or staff of a community organization to provide a needed service.  
• Community-Based research- students conduct research as defined by the community partner. 
• Project-based- students engage with community partners as “consultants” to create a product for a community organization or its consumers, clients, or staff.  
• Community Education- students research and develop resources to educate community members about social issues or skill development.