To instructors who are considering incorporating community-engaged learning and teaching (CELT) into their courses but worry about the logistics and time involved, Dr. Meredith Schwartz of Philosophy has a simple message: the Faculty of Arts CELT Office “makes it incredibly easy.” Meredith conceded that before including CELT as an option in her PHL 406, Issues of Life, Death, and Poverty course, she was concerned about not being personally well-connected to potential community partners. She found, however, that CELT coordinator Dr. Reena Tandon and her office were able to link to the right organizations and help integrate community engagement into her course plan.  In partnership with a number of agencies that serve the elderly and homeless, students enrolled in PHL 406 are currently serving as “Meals on Wheels” runners, developing a database that conveys homeless and marginalized men’s wishes regarding end-of-life care, and participating in computer instruction and storytelling programs for seniors.

For Meredith, the benefits of participating in CELT are numerous and profound. Students’ experiences have brought the theories and issues raised in the classroom into sharper focus, helping participants better understand structural injustices, as well as the opportunities and limitations surrounding efforts to assist constituencies in need. Meredith has also seen a direct connection between participation in the program and student engagement, reporting that the CELT students have developed into some of the more active contributors to class discussions. And in written reflections on their first-hand encounter with the complex issues facing marginalized and elderly persons, students reveal that they have begun to reflect upon, and in some cases, reorder, their own priorities and values. In fact, “at least two of the students,” Meredith notes, “have told me that they are going to continue working with the community partner after the end of class. Both of these students said that being connected to the community partner through the course helped them make a positive difference in the community and that they wanted to continue even after the course requirements were met.”

For more on this project, contact Meredith Schwartz at meredith.schwartz@ryerson.ca For more on incorporating CELT into your own courses, contact Reena Tandon at rtandon@ryerson.ca

The Faculty of Arts Teaching Profile, an initiative of the Faculty of Arts Teaching and Learning Committee, is designed to celebrate innovative and effective teaching strategies. If you know of a colleague in the Faculty of Arts who deserves to be featured in an Arts Teaching Profile, contact Robert Teigrob at robert.teigrob@ryerson.ca