"Without question, CBL enhances and expands my academic course content in surprising, unexpected, and positive ways. All students comment on the value of having to apply and adapt their intellectual knowledge in a non-academic setting. They also gain a greater awareness of the complex world around them and an understanding that their education is not confined to the four walls of a college classroom. While I have to relinquish a certain degree of control in utilizing CBL, CBL can have transformative and lasting effects on my students. The end results far outweigh the perceived risks."
-Bridget Franco, Associate Professor, Spanish
The Donelan Office promotes an integrative teaching and research approach that combines academic learning in the classroom setting and research with engagement in the Worcester community. Faculty members, in conjunction with the Donelan Office, develop learning and research partnerships that meet course and scholarly objectives as well as the interests of local community organizations. These partnerships are focused on either service and/or research projects collaboratively developed with a community partner.
Faculty interested in developing a CBL course or an SIA research project can use this website for:
- Resources for course development
- Suggestions of additional readings on CBL pedagogy and practice
- Professional organizations relevant to community engaged teaching and scholarship
- A more comprehensive Power Point, "Introduction to Community-Based Learning" (PDF) and shorter, "Overview of CBL for New Faculty" (PDF)
- Power points of Donelan Office and CBL Faculty conference presentations ("Commitment to Justice, Montserrat" [PDF] and "Intersections of SL and Social Justice" [PDF])
- Information on Faculty Volunteer Opportunities in and around Worcester
- Information about past and future faculty development events
- Information about Scholarship in Action for faculty interested in community engaged research/scholarship.