Key terms, definitions, and examples of Community Engagement
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Activity Types
A project classification used in CEPI that allows the tool to break down the engagement types in the form of activities (i.e., service learning course, mentoring, internships, etc.)
American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU)
A higher education association whose members share a learning and teaching-centered culture, a historic commitment to underserved student populations and a dedication to research and creativity that advances their regions' economic progress and cultural development.
American Democracy Project (ADP)
A network of more than 250 state colleges and universities focused on public higher education’s role in preparing the next generation of informed, engaged citizens for our democracy. ADP is part of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities.
Arts, Culture, and Humanities
Projects and organizations that support the need for improvement through Arts, Culture and Humanities. This is one of several focus areas ascribed to projects and community partners within UNO's CEPI.
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Campus Compact
A national coalition of 1,000+ colleges and universities committed to the public purposes of higher education. The focus of Campus Compact is civic engagement with the goal of developing students’ citizenship skills and forge effective community partnerships. The Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center houses the regional Campus Compact office and its director.
View the Campus Compact Website
Campus Partners
Non-university organizations that collaborate or benefit from UNO students, faculty, and staff through teaching and research. Collaboration between UNO and the community (within the framework of Academic Community Engagement) most often involves the following organization types: nonprofits, educations institutions, governmental organizations, k-12 schools, and businesses.
Capstones
*The Association of American Colleges & Universities (AASCU) defines capstones as "culminating experiences" for "students nearing the end of their college years to create a project of some sort that integrates and applies what they’ve learned. The project might be a research paper, a performance, a portfolio of “best work,” or an exhibit of artwork. Capstones are offered both in departmental programs and, increasingly, in general education as well."
CEC Building Partner
A community or campus partner that is (or has been) physically housed in the UNO Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center (CEC) spaces. Please note that all reporting is based on CEC building partners who are associated with at least one project in CEPI.
View the CEC Building Partners
Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU)
Consists of higher education institutions in urban and metropolitan locations. CUMU focuses on the higher education’s role in urban and metropolitan settings, engenders a unified approach to the resolution of common challenges, and develops a clearer understanding within the higher education community and among public policy makers. UNO hosted the CUMU conference in 2015. Chancellor emeritus Christensen served as the president of CUMU.
Community Engaged Scholars Transcript Designation (CESTD)
This designation documents and recognizes undergraduate students for their community engagement experiences. This designation offers incentive and competitive edge for students who choose to tailor their involvement and academic work in a way that capitalizes on UNO’s comparative advantage.
ENGAGED SCHOLARS (defined): Students who integrate their UNO academic experiences and knowledge with a commitment to community betterment.
Collaborative Assignments and Projects
*The Association of American Colleges & Universities (AASCU) explains "collaborative learning combines two key goals: learning to work and solve problems in the company of others, and sharpening one’s own understanding by listening seriously to the insights of others, especially those with different backgrounds and life experiences. Approaches range from study groups within a course, to team-based assignments and writing, to cooperative projects and research."
Common Intellectual Experiences
*According to the Association of American Colleges & Universities (AASCU), "the older idea of a “core” curriculum has evolved into a variety of modern forms, such as a set of required common courses or a vertically organized general education program that includes advanced integrative studies and/or required participation in a learning community. These programs often combine broad themes—e.g., technology and society, global interdependence—with a variety of curricular and cocurricular options for students."
Community Engagement Partnership Initiative (CEPI)
An online tool that collects and showcases partnerships, through individual projects that involve a community partner and campus partner. Anyone can view a series of public-facing data visualization maps and reports.
Community Engagement Project
Individual projects within the realm of academic and non-academic community engagement. Projects take place throughout campus involving UNO students, faculty, and staff, while benefiting or collaborating with the community.
Community Partners
Non-university organizations that collaborate or benefit from UNO students, faculty, and staff through teaching and research. Collaboration between UNO and the community (within the framework of Academic Community Engagement) most often involves the following organization types: nonprofits, educations institutions, governmental organizations, k-12 schools, and businesses.
View a Map of Community Partners
Community-Based Learning (CBL)
As opposed to Service Learning, these are professional experiences that provide an opportunity to put academic knowledge into practice or learn more about a specific profession. During these experiences, it is expected that students gain intensive experience applying principles of civic and community engagement and/or disciplinary knowledge and skills in a community setting. Community is broadly defined and includes nonprofit, government, business, and K-12 partners. The goal for these experiences is focused on the student learning and experience for the project, not necessarily to fulfill a community-identified opportunity.
Other forms of experiential learning as defined by Educational Policy Advisory Community (EPAC), also in the UNO catalog.
- Internship - Course includes work experiences related to a student's major or career goal. The internship typically involves a student working in a professional setting under the supervision of practicing professionals. (May be eligible as variable credit)
- Practicum - Course hours are practical, supervised training designed to supplement formal study. Students learn practical applications of classroom material and gain skills and knowledge.
View More Examples of Community-Based Learning
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Diversity/Global Learning
"Many colleges and universities now emphasize courses and programs that help students explore cultures, life experiences, and worldviews different from their own," according to the Association of American Colleges & Universities (AASCU). "These studies—which may address US diversity, world cultures, or both—often explore “difficult differences” such as racial, ethnic, and gender inequality, or continuing struggles around the globe for human rights, freedom, and power. Frequently, intercultural studies are augmented by experiential learning in the community and/or by study abroad."
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Economic Sufficiency
One of several focus areas of community partners and projects in CEPI. classifications/designations that address the causes, consequences, and solutions to poverty, with a special focus on meeting the economic needs of those affected by poverty. This is one of several focus areas ascribed to projects and community partners within UNO's CEPI.
Educational Support
Projects and organizations that support educational and learning needs, as well as inequalities within the community. This is one of several focus areas ascribed to projects and community partners within UNO's CEPI.
Engaged Research
Engaged research has been developed, evaluated, and communicated in collaboration with community partners, but is rigorous in terms of its design and methodology. It is relevant to the needs of the community, and its outcomes should be valued by both academic peers and community partners. Examples of engaged research may include government funded research, corporate funded research; community group funded research; foundation funded research; community based participatory research; evaluation research studies; and/or applied research.
Engaged Teaching
Community Engaged teaching is defined as activities that combine teaching with community engagement. Evidence of engaged teaching may include descriptions of activities related to service learning classes; program based service learning; development and/or instruction in university-based for-credit and/or non-credit certificate programs; other forms of other education programs; development and/or leading learning tours; development and/or instruction or occupational licensure classes; and sharing academic expertise through media interviews, speakers bureaus, extension.
Engaged Service
Engaged service involves the application of academic knowledge to address community issues and priorities through collaboration, reciprocity, and a spirit of partnership. Examples may include: working with governmental, educational, nonprofit, advocacy, and other community organizations to develop policies, procedures, legislation, curricula, and other products; contributing to the design, implementation, and/or development of grants, contracts, and other collaborative projects; developing curricula, assessments, training programs, and other tools in consultation with K-12 schools, community colleges, and other educational organizations; and contributing to economic and community development through technical assistance or applied research.
Engagement Scholarship Consortium (ESC)
A consortium of higher education institutions committed to community engagement. ESC’ goal is to work collaboratively to build strong university-community partnerships anchored in the rigor of scholarship, and designed to help build community capacity. The national conference was hosted by UNO in 2016. Associate Vice Chancellor Smith-Howell serves on the ESC Board of Directors.
Engagement Types
A classification of the type of community engagement of a project (i.e., community-based learning, volunteering, knowledge and resource sharing, engaged research, service learning, access to higher education).
Environmental Stewardship
Projects and organizations that support the need for the improvement of our environment through sustainability and awareness. This is one of several focus areas ascribed to projects and community partners within UNO's CEPI.
ePortfolios
*According to the Association of American Colleges & Universities (AASCU), "ePortfolios are the latest addition to AAC&U’s list of high-impact educational practices, and higher education has developed a range of ways to implement them for teaching and learning, programmatic assessment, and career development. ePortfolios enable students to electronically collect their work overtime, reflect upon their personal and academic growth, and then share selected items with others, such as professors, advisors, and potential employers. Because collection over time is a key element of the ePortfolio process, employing ePortfolios in collaboration with other high-impact practices provides opportunities for students to make connections between various educational experiences."
Externship
Externships tend to be a required classroom experience. These are often job shadowing experiences and are mostly unpaid.
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First-Year Seminars and Experiences
*The Association of American Colleges & Universities (AASCU) says that "first-year seminars or other programs bring small groups of students together with faculty or staff on a regular basis. The highest-quality first-year experiences place a strong emphasis on critical inquiry, frequent writing, information literacy, collaborative learning, and other skills that develop students’ intellectual and practical competencies. First-year seminars can also involve students with cutting-edge questions in scholarship and with faculty members’ own research."
Focus Areas
A classification/designation ascribed to community partners and projects within CEPI. The focus areas of projects and community partners can be different. Focus areas include Arts, Culture, and Humanities, Economic Sufficiency, Educational Support, Environmental Stewardship, Health and Wellness, International Service, and Social Justice.
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Health and Wellness
Projects and organizations that support and bring awareness to the health and wellness needs of everyone, including specific health concerns of the ill, the aged, those with disabilities, and others in need while advocating for healthy lifestyles. This is one of several focus areas ascribed to projects and community partners within UNO's CEPI.
High Impact Practice
The Association of American Colleges & Universities (AASCU) explains that high impact practices are teaching and learning practices, which have been tested and proven to benefit college students. Practices vary in form, the learner, the institution, and context. These practices take many different forms, depending on learner characteristics and on institutional priorities and contexts.
Examples of High Impact Practices:
- First-Year Experiences
- Common Intellectual Experiences
- Learning Communities
- Writing-Intensive Courses
- Collaborative Assignments and Projects
- Undergraduate Research
- Diversity/Global Learning
- ePortfolios
- Service Learning, Community-Based Learning
- Internships
- Capstone Courses and Projects
*Sources for high impact practices include 1) Association of American Colleges & Universities (AASCU); 2) High-Impact Educational Practices: What They Are, Who Has Access to Them, and Why They Matter, by George D. Kuh (AAC&U, 2008).
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Institute for Democracy & Higher Education (Tuffs University)
Aims to create and disseminate new knowledge that will advance higher education’s role in the civic and political learning and engagement of their students. UNO is participating the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement initiative.
International Association for Research in Service Learning and Community Engagement (IARSLCE)
Promotes the development and dissemination of research on service-learning and community engagement internationally and across all levels of the education system.
International Center for Service Learning in Teacher Education
A group focused on supporting service learning in teacher education programs. They have not met in several years but are located on the Duke University campus. There are no affiliation fees required.
International Service
Projects and organizations that support international needs and concerns while devoting efforts to both local populations (refugees, immigrants, exchange students, etc.) and those engaged in international travel. This is one of several focus areas ascribed to projects and community partners within UNO's CEPI.
Internship
*The Association of American Colleges & Universities (AASCU) explains that "internships are another increasingly common form of experiential learning. The idea is to provide students with direct experience in a work setting—usually related to their career interests—and to give them the benefit of supervision and coaching from professionals in the field. If the internship is taken for course credit, students complete a project or paper that is approved by a faculty member."
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Learning Communities
The Association of American Colleges & Universities (AASCU) explains "the key goals for learning communities are to encourage integration of learning across courses and to involve students with “big questions” that matter beyond the classroom. Students take two or more linked courses as a group and work closely with one another and with their professors. Many learning communities explore a common topic and/or common readings through the lenses of different disciplines. Some deliberately link “liberal arts” and “professional courses”; others feature service learning."
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National Youth Leadership Council (NYLC)
A youth-focused organization whose mission is to create a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world, with young people, their schools and communities through service-learning. UNO uses the NYLC K-12 Quality Service Learning Standards as a research-based approach to best practices in service learning. NYLC hosts the annual National Service Learning Conference. There are no affiliation fees required.
Nonprofit Association of the Midlands (NAM)
The mission of NAM is to strengthen the collective voice, leadership, and capacity of nonprofit organizations to enrich the quality of community life throughout Nebraska and Western Iowa. UNO is a paid member of this organization.
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Practicum
A practicum is always for-credit and facilitates learning experiences that are appropriate to the student's educational level and needs, and supportive of classroom learning. These can be undergraduate or graduate level and vary by college and program.
View the Grace Abbott School of Social Work Practicum Website
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Service Learning (method of instruction)
Service Learning is a method of teaching that combines classroom instruction with meaningful, community-identified service. This form of engaged teaching and learning emphasizes critical thinking by using reflection to connect course context with real-world experiences. Faculty members collaborate with community organizations as co-teachers and encourage a heightened sense of community, content application and understanding, civic engagement, and personal responsibility for students while building capacity and contributing to real community impact. Partners can include P-12 schools, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and governmental agencies. Models of service learning include P-16 projects and Traditional projects.
View Different Models of Service Learning
Some examples include a chemistry class collaborating with Douglas County Health to test for lead levels in spices and reporting on their findings or a psychology faculty member teaching operant conditioning collaborating with the local Humane Society to clicker train dogs to be more adoptable.
There are two types of service learning projects within a service learning class.
- Traditional Service Learning: Traditional Service Learning involves a University course working directly with a community partner on a project.
- P-16 Initiative Service Learning: P-16 Service Learning involves a University course working directly with a P-12 (pre-school - high school) class and a community partner on a project.
Service Learning Academy
Every semester, there are a variety of courses that incorporate service learning. Students can register for courses that are designated as service learning during the registration process. Faculty can also work with the UNO Service Learning Academy to incorporate service learning into a course.
View Examples of Service Learning Projects
Social Justice
Projects and organizations that support inequality and corrupt social structures while devoting special efforts to meet the social needs of underprivileged populations. This is one of several focus areas ascribed to projects and community partners within UNO's CEPI.
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Undergraduate Research
*The Association of American Colleges & Universities (AASCU) says that "many colleges and universities are now providing research experiences for students in all disciplines. Undergraduate research, however, has been most prominently used in science disciplines. With strong support from the National Science Foundation and the research community, scientists are reshaping their courses to connect key concepts and questions with students’ early and active involvement in systematic investigation and research. The goal is to involve students with actively contested questions, empirical observation, cutting-edge technologies, and the sense of excitement that comes from working to answer important questions."
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Volunteerism
A non-curriculum, non-fee based community involvement that provides community or societal assistance, ultimately aiming towards community and societal improvement. Exemplary efforts may be recognized through scholarships, awards, recognition, and other rewards.
View UNO's Volunteer and Civic Engagement Programs
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Writing-Intensive Courses
*The Association of American Colleges & Universities (AASCU) explains "these courses emphasize writing at all levels of instruction and across the curriculum, including final-year projects. Students are encouraged to produce and revise various forms of writing for different audiences in different disciplines. The effectiveness of this repeated practice “across the curriculum” has led to parallel efforts in such areas as quantitative reasoning, oral communication, information literacy, and, on some campuses, ethical inquiry.