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Re: Fwd: Psychology of Civic Engagement

by Michel Wakeland

10 July 2002 13:44 UTC

Not to be combative, but as many of us know, the material on this is ambiguous at best.  At Millikin University, we require service-learning in freshman and senior courses, and find that it has a positive effect both on future intent and behavior.  The material with which I'm familiar would seem to indicate that the closer the experience is to volunteering, the less effect it has on encouraging future civic involvement in this way, but the better the experience models service-learning, the greater effect it has in encouraging future civic work.
 
 
Michel Wakeland
Director, Center for Service Learning
Millikin University
1184 West Main
Decatur, IL  62522-2084
mwakeland@mail.millikin.edu
(217) 362-6461
 
"Every time a person stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve  the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, these ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."
 
                                                  Robert F. Kennedy

>>> "Eric Hartman" <erihartman@hotmail.com> 07/10/02 08:19AM >>>

Hi Deb,

I'm looking forward to seeing the syllabus, it looks like it will be an interesting course. The effort to develop civic engagement and civic values through service-learning/ civics courses, etc., is an area that I've found interesting. Particularly interesting/controversial are studies such as that by Stukas, A. (I believe 2000), which suggests that REQUIRED service programs may actually serve to turn students away from civic engagement. I would be happy to forward a list of references and other information in this area if that would be helpful. (I just don't have it with me at the moment). Please let me know if you would like that reference list. Best of luck,

Eric Hartman




Eric Hartman
Adjunct Faculty, Community College of Allegheny County
Service-Learning Consultant, PA Service-Learning Alliance
 
"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.  The important thing is not to stop questioning."
-Albert Einstein
>From: Deb Mashek
>To: sl@csf.colorado.edu
>Subject: Psychology of Civic Engagement
>Date: Tue, 9 Jul 2002 20:24:15 -0400 (EDT)
>
>
>Dear Colleagues,
>
>I'm preparing to teach an undergraduate course entitled "The Psychology of
>Civic Engagement." Im hoping to cover such content as (1) barriers to
>involvement, (2) identifying needs in the community, (3) building
>relationships between community and volunteers, (4) building relationships
>between volunteers and service recipients (i.e., the individuals who the
>volunteers interact with), (5) issues of burnout, (6) initiating and
>maintaining involvement, (7) costs of engagement, and (8) benefits of
>engagement.
>
>I thought those of you on this list might willing to discuss the merit of
>these topics. In addition, I'd greatly appreciate any suggestions for
>additional topics and/or overall course structure. I'm also in the
>process of collecting suggestions for source material (e.g., research
>articles, theory papers, reflective essays, experiential reports, books).
>
>I will post a summary of responses to the list (I will also post my
>syllabus once its prepared!).
>
>Thanks for sharing your ideas!
>
>Best wishes,
>
>Deb
>
>Debra Mashek, Ph.D.
>Department of Psychology
>SUNY Stony Brook
>Stony Brook, NY 11794-2500
>Phone: 631.632.9601
>Fax: 631.632.7876

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