Faculty/Staff Opportunities

A 2-Part Workshop on Reflection in Experiential Learning for Texas Christian University Faculty by Dr. Lynn Donahue

Title: Closing the Loop: Bi-Directional Reflection for Experiential Learning in the Classroom

Experiential learning has a clear, positive impact on students, but meaningfully integrating hands-on projects into academic coursework can be challenging. Join us for a two-part series to learn how to engage your students in critical reflection and evidence-based learning through community-engaged learning, project-based learning, and applied research experiential learning practices. 

Framing & Assessing Experiential Learning Through Critical Reflection
Friday, October 16th, 12:30-1:30

This session introduces the theoretical foundation of bi-directional critical reflection—a process that bridges academic theory with experiential practices. Using structured frameworks such as the DEAL model, participants will explore how pre-experience framing and mid-experience evidence gathering can transform real-world projects into rigorous, evidence-based academic learning across the disciplines. This approach also creates opportunities for multiple sources of knowledge generation from the community and business partners, creating reciprocal and authentic collaborations. 

Putting Practice into Action through a 3-Phase Reflection Framework  
Friday, November 13, 12:30- 1:30

Building on the theory of bi-directional reflection in experiential learning, this interactive workshop will guide participants in developing a 3-phase framework of prompts and strategies you can immediately apply to your current courses. This framework will focus on the three phases of a project: pre-experience framing, data collection and bi-directional integration of theory with practice, and post-experience synthesis.  Participants will learn how effective implementation elevates academic, professional, and civic learning and fosters reciprocal relationships with external partners.  

Biography: Dr. Lynn Donahue has 25 years of experience working with faculty on experiential learning, community-engaged learning, project-based learning, community partnerships, assessment, pedagogy, and scholarship of teaching and learning, and has served as a course instructor in a variety of disciplines. She was the founding Director of Community-Engaged Learning at St. John Fisher University and currently oversees faculty-industry partnership projects and career curriculum through the Greene Center for Career Education and Connections at the University of Rochester. She received her Master’s of Education in Student Affairs from the University at Buffalo and a Doctorate of Education in Higher Education from the University of Rochester’s Warner School of Education and Human Development.  

RSVP at https://forms.gle/L2Rfr1Y7SpXnjVyP7

Before submitting an application, please prepare the following:

Overview: Provide a description for the course, and state how you plan to incorporate service-learning into it. Make sure to explain how the proposed project/activities align with course objectives.

Community Need: Describe the need for the community work as defined by the community agency or partner and how the course/initiative aims to meet that need. Support your statements with information obtained from community partners.

Outcomes: Describe the desired outcomes for the students, staff, and community members involved.

Activities & Timeline: List the activities and timeline for the course, and describe how the service-learning project will be integrated into the schedule. Identify the roles and responsibilities of the primary people involved.

Evaluation: Outline a plan for assessing the educational outcomes for students and the process of gathering information from the community partners.

Budget: Please prepare an itemized budget, indicating the amount requested for different categories (such as supplies, training, travel, printing, etc.) and any in-kind contributions. Make sure to include justification for each line item, tying each proposed expenditure to specific project activities.

*To submit your proposal, please e-mail Dr. Rosangela Boyd at  r.boyd@tcu.edu.

Please e-mail Dr. Rosangela Boyd at  r.boyd@tcu.edu, she will work with you to tailor a presentation specific to your class or organization’s needs.

Academic Service-Learning is a pedagogy based on the principles of experiential education, which integrates community service with academic study. Faculty, in collaboration with representatives from community organizations, design service projects that enhance student learning and help meet community needs. Through structured reflection, students consider relationships between the service experience, the academic content of the class, and its impact on their personal values and professional goals.

A growing number of departments and programs currently utilize service-learning, some having sought the assistance of Community Engagement in building community partnerships, while others developed projects independently.  Our office works continuously to develop a comprehensive list of service-learning courses based on information by faculty members.

Service-Learning Designation for Course

The effectiveness of Service-Learning as a teaching approach depends largely on the preparation phase. When designing the course, faculty need to consider several factors from preparation to implementation to evaluation. The following steps are recommended to ensure a successful experience to all constituents:

1. Explore how service-learning fits into your teaching philosophy
2. Determine how service-learning experiences may facilitate learning by drawing connections to course objectives and desired outcomes
3. Gather resources on community needs and ideas for potential projects
4. Identify community partners and build a collaborative relationship
5. Integrate information on service-learning into the course syllabus, review logistical details and make necessary arrangements
6. Plan how students will be oriented to service-learning
7. Decide on strategies to connect service to learning through reflection
8. Set-up evaluation procedures

Already teaching a service-learning course? Receive a service-learning designation! This designation will allow students to search for classes with a service-learning focus and also ensure that we can accurately reflect the amount of community engagement at TCU.

Organizations:
Campus Compact: TCU is a member of Campus Compact which is a national coalition of more than a thousand college and university presidents – representing some six million students – dedicated to promoting community service, civic engagement, and service-learning in higher education.

The National Service-Learning Clearinghouse
The National Service-Learning Clearinghouse (NSLC), a program of Learn and Serve America, operates America’s premier website supporting the service-learning efforts of schools, higher education institutions, communities, and tribal nations. Under resources it is possible to find information on effective practices, hot topics, funding sources, toolkits on responding to national disasters, lesson plans and syllabi, and much more.

More on Engagement and Volunteering Information:
www.americorps.gov
www.communityengagedscholarship.info
www.idealist.org
www.peacecorps.gov
www.serviceleader.org
www.volnow.org
www.volunteermatch.org
www.unitedwaytarrant.org