Community Engaged Learning and Research Dr Catherine Bates TU Dublin
Content of presentation ► Introduction, definition, framework – Responsible Research + Innovation ► Student benefits ► Discussion ► Community and staff benefits ► Projects, and supports, in TU Dublin ► Things to think about when getting started ► Discussion ► Resources
What is community-engaged learning and research? ► Also known as service-learning, Science Shop, Responsible Research and Innovation. ► Staff/students collaborate with underserved community partners (local groups, not-for-profit organisations, etc) to develop real-life course- based projects/research for mutual benefit. ► University of Zagreb vision and mission: ► Professional work ► Development of regional and local communities ► Development of personality
Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) – a new framework for engaged research In a nutshell: ► Solving real-world problems collaboratively ► Research and innovation (including applied research) addressing research questions from society ► Collaborations between researchers, civil society organisations (CSOs), policymakers, statutory bodies and/or industry at all stages of the research process
Why RRI? UN Sustainable Development Goals EU Grand Societal Challenges http:/ www.un.org/sustainable development
RRI Tools: RRI Process requirements https://www.rri- Social Justice tools.eu/documents/10184/107098/D 1.3_QualityCriteriaGoodPracticeStand ards.pdf/ca4efe26-6fb2-4990-8dde- fe3b4aed1676 Sustainability Pink Additions: https://publications.europa.eu/en/pu blication-detail/- /publication/306a7ab4-f3cb-46cb- b675-9697caf5df19/language-en
Students and community engagement Volunteering Community-engaged learning/research Industrial placement Community benefit Mutual benefit Student benefit From Andy Furco
Example: Wells For Zoe ► Students worked on projects suggested by the Irish-run charity based in Malawi, which supports communities with wells for water, early education, farming and employment. ► Manufacturing design engineering students developed designs for modified water pumps ► Computing students worked on computing solutions in Malawi, e.g. school records ► Digital marketing students developed e-zine + website
How do students benefit? ► Learning comes alive ► Work with real-world partners ► Apply developing subject skills ► Receive course credits ► Develop essential transferrable skills – CV ► Learn from and with communities ► Increase social awareness, SDGs ► High impact activity (Kuh) – graduate attributes
Enhancing Responsible Research and Innovation through Curricula in Higher education (EnRRICH) Fostering RRI in higher education curricula is about equipping learners to care for the future by means of responsive stewardship of scientific and innovation practices that address the grand challenges of our time in a collaborative, ethical and sustainable way Enhancing Responsible Research and Innovation through Curricula in Higher Education (EnRRICH) project. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement no 665759. www.enrrich.eu
The EnRRICH Tool – a framework for community engagement in the curriculum http://www.livingknowledge.org/fileadmin/Dateien-Living- Knowledge/Dokumente_Dateien/EnRRICH/D2.3_The_EnRRICH_Tool_for_Educators.pdf
The EnRRICH Tool. Framework for RRI in Higher Education: Design Principles for RRI for learners - Principle of ‘Education for Society’ - Principle of ‘Education with Society’ - Principle of ‘Whole Person Education’ http://www.livingknowledge.org/fileadmin/Dateien-Living- Knowledge/Dokumente_Dateien/EnRRICH/D2.3_The_EnRRICH_Tool_for_Educators.pdf
EnRRICH RRI competence framework http://www.livingknowledge.org/fileadmin/Dateien-Living- Knowledge/Dokumente_Dateien/EnRRICH/D2.3_The_EnRRICH_Tool_for_Educators.pdf
Learning Outcomes http://www.livingknowledge.org/fileadmin/Dateien-Living- Knowledge/Dokumente_Dateien/EnRRICH/D2.3_The_EnRRICH_Tool_for_Educators.pdf
Over to you - exchange ideas ► What resonates with you? ► Do you notice any resistance? ► What questions does this provoke?
How do communities benefit? ► Collaborative learning with staff/students – energising and builds networks ► Project has usable end-product (eg research report, designs) ► Students as role models for HE ► Opportunity to educate future professionals about community, and influence curriculum ► Influence research agenda, address local/societal issues/SDGs
How do staff benefit? ► Makes teaching more interesting, meaningful, relevant and engaging ► Deepens staff-student connections and understanding of student learning styles ► Greater sense of connection to other staff and the institution, and to communities
How does the HEI benefit? ► Increased retention rates ► Marketing - enhances attractiveness of programmes – development of professional skills, CV ► Increased relevance and responsiveness: input, ideas and expertise from NGOs, communities, society ► Third mission - engagement (‘development of regional and local communities’) + SDGs ► EU research funding
Mutual benefits: - Knowledge exchange and co-creation - Collaboration for mutual learning - Combined energy to work for social change
Activity in TU Dublin 2018/19 ► >1100 students (average 1,000+ a year) ► >60 community partners ► >50 academic staff ► >40 modules and programmes ► Undergrad. and postgrad. ► 1 in 3 full-time undergrad programmes
Multi-disciplinary project: College Awareness of Road Safety ► Students from across colleges and years collaborating on College Awareness of Road Safety (CARS) project. Presentation evening and competition every year - Final year electronic engineering student developed a system to monitor the distance between cars when stopped (tailgating)
Local community project: Grangegorman Lifeline and Community Garden(ing) Project ► Urban regeneration: how to maximise the potential of urban green areas, including community gardening around a disused railway line – for health, recreation, transport, biodiversity, education, tourism etc ► Chemistry students working on creating soap from waste food carrier oils ► Architectural technology students worked on designs for structures
Individual CERL projects ► Product Design students work with Enable Ireland to produce concept designs for assistive technology – including a PhD project ► Electrical Engineering students work with children to teach them lego robotics programming, then host Robosumo competition ► Business students work with Recycle IT, who recycle waste electrical goods, to create a simulation of the recycling process to see how they can increase efficiencies ► Maths students analyse datasets provided by partners
CERL projects in TU Dublin ► Computing: students co-design apps/assistive technology with end-users in St John of God community services – eg app to manage logins. ► Electrical Engineering: Final year student worked with Camphill Community to develop a quiet motorised roller blind for colour therapy room ► Manufacturing and design engineering students designed variations on bicycles with Bridge Project that could be used for micro-enterprises – eg mobile barber ► Culinary arts students developed a template to assess the sustainability of products, with a local Food Cooperative
Where did we come from? ► Aug 2008, end of 3 year pilot - Community Learning Project under the faculty of Tourism and Food (funded by Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs). ► Sept 2008, start of second 3 year pilot - Students Learning With Communities, under Community Links, operating across all faculties (funded by SIF II).
Based in Access and Civic Engagement Office ► Working in partnership - with underserved communities and individuals; with colleagues; with students. ► Enhancing teaching and learning: supporting diversity in the classroom; building community engagement into modules ► Supporting research: co-creation and exchange of knowledge in collaboration with partners, and lobbying for change
What do we do? ► Meet, support and bring together lecturers/students/communities ► Provide training for lecturers (eg PG Diploma) ► Develop new and existing relationships with community groups ► Collaborate with other universities ► Develop resources (e.g. website) ► Raise awareness of project within TU Dublin and externally ► Collaborate internationally on research (H2020), publish on work
CERL and EU research ► EU Framework 7/H2020 Science with and for Society funding to enhance CERL across EU. ► Public Engagement with Research and Research Engagement with Society (PERARES) project 2010- 14, coordinated by Groningen University, NL. ► Enhancing RRI in Curricula in Higher Education (EnRRICH) Project 2015-18, coordinated by Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium. ► Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership funding: ► Curriculum Innovation through Research with Communities: Learning Circles of Educators and Technology (CIRCLET) project 2019-22, coordinated by Queen’s University Belfast, UK.
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