Civic Engagement and Social Justice

Civic Engagement, Social Justice and Integrated Learning are the buzz words being hummed in the hallowed halls of higher learning (see AAC&U). How to get students to be engaged civically and to deal with the issues of social justice is an interesting challenge. Further, integrating learning across experiences, both in and out of the classroom, is conceptually elegant but practically migraine-inducing. At the same time, the realities of outsourcing and the pressure on students to be able to compete make educators think.
Last fall, I decided to experiment with these ideas. I offered a new course titled 'Local Choices, Global Effects' to incoming freshmen. The course description read "Students, like other members of society, face choices in nearly every aspect of life. These choices often made locally can in the aggregate have powerful global consequences. This course introduces students to “sustainable living” concepts including food, energy, and waste management. It examines how individual choices in these areas can lead to significant global effects.Models from multiple disciplines including economics, physical sciences, political science, and business are used in analyzing the global impact of local choices. Students gain hands-on experience in identifying, selecting and implementing their choices in the College campus and within the community." I did not expect this to appeal to freshmen, but thirteen students signed up. I co-taught this course with a colleague from Student Affairs. In this course we dealt primarily with civic engagement, with some elements of social justice and an integrated learning approach. It is interesting to read to the reflections by students. This course has changed their lives, and it has taught me that even garbage (waste management) can be great food for thought. These freshmen and others have certainly given me a flash of light- illuminating positive change in the world....one student clued me in to using wind-up flashlights!