A University-Community Social and Environmental Justice Film and Discussion Series: Diverse, Interdisciplinary Learning Experiences for Students through the Integration of Classroom Study and Community Engagement

A University-Community Social and Environmental Justice Film and Discussion Series: Diverse, Interdisciplinary Learning Experiences for Students through the Integration of Classroom Study and Community Engagement

Grant:
Gilbert Whitaker Fund for the Improvement of Teaching
Academic Year:
2009 - 2010 (June 1, 2009 through May 31, 2010)
Funding Requested:
$10,000.00
Project Dates:
-
Applicant(s):
crowfoot
dschoem
Overview of the Project:
Faculty associated with the Michigan Community Scholars Program, teaching First-Year Seminars, English Composition courses, and the UC 102 lecture course, will collaborate to offer as part of their courses, a monthly series of films and discussions for students that will be held in the setting of the Ann Arbor Public Library and open to all members of the university and all citizens of Ann Arbor and the surrounding communities. All films will have a focus on social justice and/or environmental justice issues and will be organized according to three substantive themes central to subsets of these faculty's courses, including intergroup relations and dialogue, education, and sustainability. Faculty will meet in the Spring/Summer term and throughout the fall and winter semester to design the series (films and discussions), revise their courses (to integrate the films, discussion, facilitation, and discussion follow-up into their syllabi), and evaluate student learning. Films will be held in September, October, and November 2009. The film series will be coordinated in partnership with the Ann Arbor District Library and Michigan Television. In addition to students being required to attend, there will be extensive publicity to attract members of MCSP and the Ann Arbor and University community to the films. A successful pilot run of the film and discussion series took place in academic year 2008-09 and for the coming year the project will be linked directly to course syllabi.
Final Report Fields
Project Objectives:
1) interdisciplinary teaching and learning, 2) a deep and broad community-based learning experience through facilitated discussions of films involving a diverse audience in terms of age, race, class, and other social identities, 3) a rich understanding of substantive issues because the social context for the discussion, rather than the traditional university classroom, is in (and with) the real-life public domain of the residents of a city and its surrounding communities.
Project Achievements:
1) Incorporation of films on topics of social justice in the syllabi of nine MCSP-linked faculty with the related course readings and classroom and community-based discussions.2) Interdisciplinary faculty discussions in retreats and seminars of film content as part of course planning and pedagogical discussions. 3) Deeper student learning of topics raised by films by a) personal meetings with film directors increasing personal investment, b) integration of films with course readings and in classroom discussion, c) first-hand participation with community members about the content and experience with film topics.4) *Initial development of a “Pedagogy of Teaching and Learning for Substantive University-Community Conversations” - *an unexpected but very important achievement in progress that warrants further development and praxis5) An MCSP community-wide involvement and interest in topics of interfaith issues, race and social stratification, and sustainable food resources. 6) Campus and community-wide organizing and discussions of interfaith issues among faith leaders in Washtenaw County and among UM student leaders.7) Engaged discussions of community members with members of the University of Michigan community about pressing social justice issues.
Continuation:
We have sustained the film series through last winter and into this fall semester. We have lacked funding to bring in film directors and support faculty to devote time to preview films and develop related pedagogy in spring/summer retreats and seminars. Still, several MCSP faculty members are still planning to use the fall films in their courses and require students to attend. There is considerable capacity for expanding these initiatives. We continue to attract audiences of 100+ attendees of university and community members per film screening and discussion.
Dissemination:
- Continued advertising of films and discussions throughout campus and the community. - Word-of-mouth faculty sharing of this initiative and impact on their teaching.
Advice to your Colleagues:
Interdisciplinary faculty collaboration is highly valuable and rewarding but requires considerable time and organization. The same holds true for university –community collaborations. This work requires much more support and nurturance than an individual faculty member creating an innovative approach for his/her own class.
PRINTER VERSION
SEND BY EMAIL