Santa Clara faculty discuss what community-based learning adds to classroom experiences
“When you’re responsible for making something happen, it’s different than just learning. Students know how to write papers. But when they have to go out and do something with somebody, that’s when it becomes rewarding. Even if it seems small, I think it’s big because they are responsible for seeing a project from beginning to end.”
—Professor Emile McAnany, communication
His students have helped create newsletters, brochures, and other materials for community outreach organizations that frequently lack time, money, and volunteers to complete them.
In November 2006, Santa Clara photography students took portraits of families living in a local homeless shelter, then presented them with keepsake albums just before Christmas. Instructor Renee Billingslea’s own experiences in the Peace Corps encouraged her to add this experience to her class, Exploring Society through Photography.
“By spending time and getting to know the individuals who live at the shelters, the students have gained new perspective and hopefully have learned something new about their own lives. In addition, it is always easier to take a photograph of someone you know. It seems that as individuals, we often feel helpless when it comes to our homeless population. What can we do? Because of the community-based component of this course, we break down barriers and learn that these folks aren’t that much different than ourselves. We can work to empower each other through listening and talking.”
—Renee Billingslea, art & art history
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