Engaged Times isaresourceformembersofCampusCompact.Ifyouhaveques+onsortosuggestatopicforanupcomingissue,pleasecontact:

JulieElkins,Ed.D.,DirectorofAcademicIni8a8vesTel:617.357.1881,x205 Email:jelkins@compact.org

  

Engaged Times A member resource of Campus Compact

By Julie B. Elkins, Ed.D., Director of Academic Initiatives

45TemplePlace,Boston,MA02111T:617.357.1881www.compact.orgVolume2Issue2March12,2010

 

Engaging Research  What is the subject? Opportunities to reframe the work, push the envelope, and embark on new arguments have been championed by higher education leaders who wear super capes with “Researcher” inscribed across their chests. The complexities of researching engagement are daunting in a field that continues to fight for recognition in the academy. We need new insights, theories, and analysis so our engagement does not become as stuck as a needle in a groove that runs deep and nostalgic on a 45 rpm record. Research on community and civic engagement is a central part of our work and it is important to take time to listen to voices producing the latest research in the field. Who is on the cutting edge of engagement? I recently attended a dissertation defense and a dissertation research presentation, both at UMASS-Boston. Each presentation focused primarily upon service-learning and faculty. Doctoral candidate Bowa George Tucker’s research was titled “Uncovering the Civic Dimensions of Service-Learning in Higher Education: A Multi-Case Study.” He studied twelve faculty members at three liberal arts institutions who were teaching service- learning courses. Tucker asked, “How do faculty members structure their service-learning courses to achieve civic learning outcomes?” His research showed that only two of the three indicators of service-learning (meaningful service to the community and enhanced academic learning) were occurring. The third component of service-learning—purposeful civic learning (Howard, 2001)—was absent. In the second presentation, doctoral candidate Elaine Ward McGuiness’ research “Women’s Ways of Engagement: Explorations of Gender, the Scholarship of Engagement, and Institutional Reward Policy and Practice” looks deeply through an ethnographic lens to examine faculty in the field of service-learning that have been honored nationally for their work.

McGuinness’ findings are not only groundbreaking in the sense that she has created a new theoretical framework, but her methods honor basic principles of women’s studies. McGuinness refused to call her work a defense; rather, she titled it a “Dissertation Research Presentation.” She built upon the 1986 work of Mary Field Belenky, Nancy Rule Goldberger, Jill Mattuck, and Tarule Blinkey’s “Women’s Way of Knowing,” and based on her research findings, a new theory of “Women’s Ways of Engagement” has emerged.  Why is this important to the field? Tucker’s research led me to ponder. Do faculty need to be more deliberate about civic learning outcomes, or does this model of service-learning need more reflection? At times, research may provoke us to ask more questions than to discover new answers. Perhaps Tucker’s findings signal a need to increase faculty development opportunities and reward systems that enhance the focus on creating purposeful civic learning, not just meaningful service and enhanced academic learning. What can we be doing at Campus Compact to assist faculty in adding learning components about purposeful civic engagement to their syllabi? A host of studies show that women faculty are more likely to offer service-learning courses. McGuinness’ study asks, “How do the research interests of women faculty with a community-engaged research agenda align with institutional reward systems, and what are the influences of such alignment on individual faculty career and institutional change?” McGuinness found that ‘stage’ in career and institutional type were not central issues, but that the decision to carry out community-engaged scholarship was deeply rooted in the faculty member’s personal identity. The motivation was internal; however having a positive external environment with reward systems and allies to support their work was very important to their community-engaged scholarships. This is where Campus Compact can be highly influential. Providing recognition and support through course construction workshops, mini-grants, civic-engagement awards, collaborative research, and featuring work at conferences, on webinars, and on our website (www.compact.org) is critical. This is a role that Campus Compact does well, and this new research affirms the need for our continued leadership and support. How is this helpful to my daily work? When you are wrapped up in the daily art of practice, it’s often hard to even fantasize about research. For me, it was inspiring to attend two dissertation presentations on community-engagement. Both personally and professionally, research—and specifically theory—helps guide my practice and provides a frame for processing, reflecting, and integrating direct experiences. Reading, learning, and listening to research provides a welcome change from the day-to-day work and allows me to look through a fresh lens at what can be truly inspirational. Where can I find resources on this topic? There are a number of exciting opportunities on the horizon to learn more about the latest research in the field. Right now, there is a call for proposals for the 2010 International Association for Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement (IARSLCE) Annual Conference Indianapolis, IN. Co-hosted by Indiana

University-Purdue University Indianapolis, and Indiana Campus Compact, the featured theme for this 10th annual conference is “International Perspectives: Crossing Boundaries through Research.” Proposals will be accepted via electronic submission until 11:59 p.m. (EST) Monday, March 29, 2010. http://www.researchslce.org/_Documents/Conferences/2010_Conference/Call_for_Proposals.pdf Information about the conference is available at: http://www.researchslce.org/_Documents/Conferences/2010_Conference/SaveTheDate2010.pdf