Defining Community-Engaged Learning

North Central College defines Community-Engaged Learning (CEL) as an educational experience in which students collaborate with community partners to apply academic knowledge and critical thinking skills to meet societal needs. Through critical reflection on their activities, students gain a deeper understanding of course content, a broader appreciation of the discipline, and an enhanced sense of civic efficacy and responsibility.

CEL is important to a liberal arts education because it provides students with an opportunity to make an impact on the real world while learning civic responsibility.

How to create a meaningful CEL experience

For Faculty

Be clear with your students about what your expectations are for the CEL component of the course
Provide opportunities for students to take class time to complete their CEL work
Evaluate students based on the learning, not participation.
Provide students with CEL options that will have some meaning to them, and be of real value to a community
Avoid giving students monotonous tasks or meaningless manual labor, as this makes it difficult for to students to find value in their work
Require students to reflect on their experience and demonstrate what they've learned through a presentation, paper, etc.

For Students

It tends to be easier to reflect upon your work when you're helping a community in need.
Try to find work which involves something you're passionate about.
If you are assigned CEL work and unable to create your own experience, communicate with your professor to better understand why they chose that particular experience, and what they intend for you to get from it.
Manage your time outside of class to ensure that you can give your CEL work the appropriate amount of attention.
Communicate with your community partners. Remember that you're only there temporarily, and that in order to better understand the community it is important to hear from those who live in it daily.

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