Preparing the Way for Reform in Higher Education: Drawing Upon the Resources of the Community-at-Large
Higher education is being asked to pay more attention to student learning and to contribute to the enhancement of the social and economic conditions of the community it serves. As a result, educational institutions will no longer be self-contained. Community members and organizations have become not only critical partners in framing the goals and intentions of the educational reform movement, but they also have assets that must be tapped by educational institutions that wish to implement change and respond to social needs.
Dilemmas for University-Community Partnerships and Service-Learning
We are two Associate Professors in the College of Public and Community Service, University of Massachusetts, Boston. We are committed to community engagement, social justice, and education for social change. Our students are adults from urban, working class backgrounds similar to the community in which we are located. Through collaborative service learning classes, our efforts are geared toward providing links between community and campus in ways that respect the expertise and needs of all participants. By incorporating Participatory Action Research (PAR) into service learning classes, we have found we can develop meaningful partnerships that promote experiential learning, community building, and changes in power relationships. While this is never easy, for us it is the most gratifying type of teaching, learning, and research. It is our hope that by writing about our experiences, we will highlight the difficulties, and promote a dialogue on methods and approaches to enhance this work.
Nonobstetric lower genital tract injuries in rural India
To study the impact of nonobstetric genital tract injury (NOGTI) in rural India.