Help your students build stronger academic skills. Create an excitement for learning. Encourage lifelong volunteerism. Change their lives, yours and many others by offering community-based learning (CBL) experiences such as service-learning and community-based research.
Service-Learning and Community-Based Research pedagogy provide experiential learning of course objectives within the local community, reinforcing application of classroom knowledge. Students learn to take the core information that faculty members want them to learn, and extend that knowledge outside of the classroom.
The Community Involvement Center at Weber State University can help you get started and offers a number of tools to support you during your community-based learning efforts.
Below is a list of frequently asked questions for faculty new to community-based learning. For more detailed information, use the links in the “faculty” tab of the CIC website.
What counts as community-based learning?
To be CBL-designated, your class must meet nine criteria, 10 if you’re engaging your students in community-based research. For example, service should:
- Relate to the subject matter of the course; and
- Be aimed at developing students’ civic education.
Why should I register my course with the CIC?
When you register with the CIC, we'll help you:
- Find and develop community partners;
- Record and track students’ service hours; and
- Provide documentation of your involvement for promotion and tenure files.
What training/resources are available through the CIC?
We offer a number of training opportunities and resources, including:
- Workshops available with topics ranging from preparing students to serve, applying for the CBL designation, and establishing community partnerships; and
- A toolkit with sample syllabi, service-learning ideas and other helpful materials.
How do I minimize the risks of service-learning?
The CIC utilizes
- A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), a formalization of partnerships between the CIC and community organizations; and
- An Informed Consent Agreement which helps ensure safety from liability to our students, faculty, staff, and partners. Students give their informed consent when registering online with the CIC, prior to completing service-learning hours in an off-campus organization.
