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Characterizing STEM Community-Based Learning through the Inter-Stakeholder Dynamics within a Three-tiered Model
Get PDFCommunity-Based Learning (CBL) within the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields has the potential to support student learning outcomes while also promoting beneficial outcomes in partner communities, yet complexity of practice can often obscure or limit these outcomes. The multiple participating stakeholders, variety of interactions and settings, and differing goals and objectives, lead to emergent behavior. These dynamics make outcomes, especially those for the community, difficult to recognize. A systems-level approach which clarifies the structure of CBL can minimize some complexity, yet empirical evidence of how STEM CBL is structured in practice is limited. The National Research Council has established a three-tiered model in which Community, Program, and Individual levels provide a structure for informal STEM learning. In this work, this structural framework is used to analyze two case studies to answer the research question: How do the three system levels (Community, Program, and Individual) describe the STEM CBL practitioners, their actions, and goals? Findings from a thematic analysis of data generated through participant-observation within the two purposefully selected cases establishes a foundation for how these system levels can impact practice. Findings indicate that these three levels provide benefit in characterizing STEM CBL and the dynamics between stakeholders. Practitioner awareness of the levels and their implications can promote clarity on the roles, actions, and outcomes for practitioners. Distribution of effort across the three levels can support well-rounded CBL practice through promoting a balanced approach to CBL needs, as well as advancing the voices of all practitioners, but especially those with less power
Who demands which type of life insurance? : various factors in life insurance ownership
No full textThis study examined factors related to the ownership of life insurance by focusing on the role of the psychological characteristics of the respondents. Using a recent online consumer survey, logistic regres- sion analyses were utilized based on four groups: (a) not having any term life insurance or cash value life insurance; (b) having term life insurance policy only; (c) having cash value life insurance policy only; and (d) having both term life insurance policy and cash value life insurance policy. We found that all of the financial status and psychological characteristics were significant, while some of the demographic characteristics were not significant. The specific effects of the characteristics differ by types of ownership. The ownership of term value life insurance was better explained by financial and psychological character- istics, whereas demographic characteristics factored more in the ownership of cash value life insurance. Discussion and implications are provided
Framing the Annuity as Bequest Protection: An Experimental Test
No full textBequest motives are commonly cited as a barrier for annuitization. This paper tests how framing partial annuitization as a protection for an intended bequest against the risk of asset exhaustion due to unexpected longevity influences the desire to purchase an annuity among a sample of 2,160 partic- ipants. The results indicate that this framing argument does increase interest in purchasing an annu- ity. Regression results demonstrate that this framing has a larger positive effect for individuals with a greater bequest motive. The relationship between annuitization framing and bequest motive dem- onstrated by this experiment has important practical and theoretical implications
Creating an Elementary to College Education Pipeline Through a University-School-Community Partnership
Get PDFHigher education institutions are in a great position to create authentic programming to support local underfunded or underperforming public school districts. This article gives an overview of an education outreach collaborative between a 4-year public university, local schools, and a community institution and highlights lessons learned from the project. This community outreach program emphasizes literacy, social justice, and college preparation. It consists of a fifth grade literacy program, a high school tutoring and mentoring program, and a scholarship program for precollege students, all situated within a local public school system. Literature reviewed shows how collaborative projects can be utilized to support community outreach programs using university resources. Preliminary results from impact measures show positive outcomes among program participants. The program can be replicated in similarly situated university–school–community collaboratives
Perceptions of Scholarship Among County-Based Extension Faculty
Get PDFAs universities strive to increase their rank in lists of the best institutions, higher education administrators are encouraging faculty to increase their scholarly work. Some faculty, including non–tenure track and/or outreach faculty, may be less prepared to respond to these demands. Due to a perceived shift in productivity requirements, campus-based faculty at one Southern institution are leading a project to support county-based outreach faculty in their scholarly work. An initial survey assessed perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes toward scholarship among county-based faculty in family and consumer sciences and youth development program areas. Results suggest great variability in knowledge and attitudes among county-based faculty. Survey results will inform next steps for training and development of skill to enhance scholarly work in a small group of county-based faculty
Initiating and Extending Institutionalization of Service-Learning
Get PDFSenior leadership at Ngee Ann Polytechnic in Singapore decided to make service-learning the signature pedagogy of the polytechnic and to infuse at least one service-learning module (i.e., course) in every diploma so that all students would have a service-learning experience. Evidence is provided that, in 3 years, the rapid institutionalization of service-learning meets and exceeds all of Furco’s (2002) dimensions for institutionalization at the Quality Building level. In addition, a bold, visionary institutional strategic plan, the Service-Learning Roadmap, is presented that not only achieved this growth, but also extends institutionalization beyond current models. Finally, implications and recommendations are offered to guide institutionalizing service-learning, thereby providing a model for other institutions globally
The Environment Corps: Combining Classroom Instruction, Service-Learning and Extension Outreach to Create a New Model of Community Engaged Scholarship at the University of Connecticut
Get PDFAn extensive faculty partnership at the University of Connecticut (UConn) that reaches across college and departmental lines is engaged in a project that seeks to enhance, expand, institutionalize, and study a new model for community engagement. The model, called the Environment Corps (E-Corps), combines the familiar elements of classroom instruction, service-learning, and extension outreach to create a method of engagement that aims to benefit students, faculty, surrounding communities, and the university community itself. This article describes the structure and history of E-Corps; details the institutional setting, faculty partnerships, and pedagogical strategies involved; and discusses early evidence of impacts and future prospects
Science with Seniors: A Model Program for Senior Citizen-Centered STEM Outreach
Get PDFWhile many science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) outreach programs focus on children, relatively few efforts are dedicated to voting-age populations. These populations are important to reach because misinformation about science is ubiquitous and hard to discern, which harms informed voting on science-related issues. Our program Science with Seniors (SwS) addresses this critical gap by bringing current science research topics and news to the most dedicated voting demographic, senior citizens, through informal science presentations at local senior centers in the greater Chicago area. Through SwS, graduate students and postdoctoral associates have given more than 40 presentations over the last three years on a variety of topics ranging from climate change to gene therapy. Survey responses indicate that SwS has been successful in its aims: 90% agree that the program has increased their understanding of the presented topics and 92% would attend a similar program in the future. Given this positive feedback, SwS demonstrates a way to bring STEM outreach and accessible science knowledge to older voting populations, and a general program development methodology is outlined so that this model can be implemented elsewhere. Future work will focus on expanding the program to more locations, evaluating the long-term effects of this program on comfort with scientific topics, and making these presentations accessible online so that the conversation can continue beyond the program
Kezar, A., Drivalas, Y., & Kitchen, J. A. (Eds.). (2018). Envisioning Public Scholarship for our Time: Models for Higher Education Researchers. Stylus Publishing. 256 pp.
Get PDFA review of Kezar, A., Drivalas, Y., & Kitchen, J. A. (Eds.). (2018). Envisioning public scholarship for our time: Models for higher education researchers. Stylus Publishing. 256 pp
Problematizing the Relationship Between Cultural, Social, and Political Capital and Graduate Student Participation in a Community Engagement Professional Association
Get PDFThe Graduate Student Network (GradSN) brings together emerging scholars who have an interest in research on service-learning and community engagement (SLCE). In this reflective essay, we problematize the relationship between social, cultural, and economic capital and graduate student participation in the GradSN, specifically the GradSN chair role. To begin, we share the origins, process, and initial findings of a collaborative autoethnographic study that involved a group of seven past, present, and incoming chairs. Participation in this study led us to question what barriers exist for graduate student participation in the GradSN, resulting in this reflective essay. Second, we share the critically reflexive practice the three of us engaged in to interrogate our identities in relation to our chair role. Finally, we discuss the concept of full participation as a way to disrupt current structures in the GradSN, concluding with ideas for future inquiry and action