ERIC Number: EJ890355
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2004-Jul
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0092-055X
EISSN: N/A
Comparative Collective Community-Based Learning: The "Possibilities for Change in American Communities" Program
Cunningham, David; Kingma-Kiekhofer, Cheryl
Teaching Sociology, v32 n3 p276-290 Jul 2004
This article introduces an approach to service learning based on students' collective engagement with a range of community organizations. We explore the particular benefits of this comparative collective community-based (CCC) learning model through a discussion of the "Possibilities for Change in American Communities" program, which was begun by the authors in 2001. The program exposes students to a diverse set of community contexts by integrating a 32-day sleeper-bus trip around the eastern half of the U.S. into a year-long curriculum. We discuss the distinct advantages of such a program as well as the tradeoffs associated with the comparative analysis of multiple communities. We conclude by exploring alternative ways to incorporate the CCC framework within more conventional community-based initiatives.
Descriptors: School Community Relationship, Service Learning, Comparative Analysis, Community Organizations, School Community Programs, Integrated Curriculum, Teaching Methods, Teaching Models, Community Change, Sociology, Program Effectiveness, Experiential Learning
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A