Out in the Field: Experiential Learning through University–Community Partnerships

Abstract

This chapter describes two courses in which university students were involved with community partners, in one case a local school system and in the other, a local nonformal educational institution. The authors begin with a discussion of the benefits of civic engagement through service learning in an academic setting and describe the integration of socio-scientific issues of local importance and a service-learning aspect into the courses. The authors follow with a discussion of the impacts the project has had on each of the partners involved in the collaboration. The authors conclude with lessons learned as a result of the project and future plans for the partnership.

Citation

Haines, S. and McClure, C. (2020), "Out in the Field: Experiential Learning through University–Community Partnerships", Sengupta, E., Blessinger, P. and Mahoney, C. (Ed.) University–Community Partnerships for Promoting Social Responsibility in Higher Education (Innovations in Higher Education Teaching and Learning, Vol. 23), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 121-135. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2055-364120200000023009