Project-based learning

In these exciting and intensive learning projects, student work with faculty and community members to identify issues and needs of communities and to develop strategies for addressing them. The combination of study and practice provide rich, hands-on learning experiences for the students, as well as service to the communities. Students are able to demonstrate competencies through projects that address a variety of issues, such as the language needs of immigrants, affordable housing, media bias against Latinos; community control of development, youth leadership development, training needs of health care workers, teen girls legal rights. Along with specific research, planning, advocacy, or organizing skills that students practice and develop, students and community members who are engaged together in these projects grapple with the frustrations and celebrate the achievements of working as a team and being part of shared/ collaborative process. Students experience the excitement of working at the base, where the compelling, conflicting and critical urban problem and solutions begin to emerge.

Sample Projects

Engaging Student Voices / Strategy and Proposal Development Arches

This course is designed for students who want to work with an organization or community group on issues affecting their community. Students learn how to develop an action plan that addresses a problem, or set of problems, faced by the community group or organization. Specifically, students gain the following skills and knowledge: a) how to develop goals and objectives; b) how to analyze barriers and obstacles to changing communities; c) how to evaluate the impact of action strategies; and, d) how to develop proposals to implement specific aspects of the action plan. Students from this class (Fall 2004: Nick Basdekis, Nancy Bradley Capasso, Meghan Doran, Elizabeth Elia, Makis Antzoulatos, Franklin Katunda, Matthew Landry, Jacqueline Oliverio, and Regina Serpa) have written A Vision of a Community Outreach Research Center: Proposal to the University of Massachusetts at Boston.

Elder Action Research Silverstein
This course is taught as an applied action-research project in partnership with a community organization about a particular health, social service or societal issue affecting the elderly. Students learn to clearly articulate significant questions, develop a research methodology, prepare instruments and gather data which inform debate on the issue. Students will demonstrate the required competencies by participating in the design and implementation of a group field project. This year's community partner is the Boston Commission on Affairs of the Elderly. We will conduct a follow-up study of the Seniors Count initiative--an outreach program begun in 1999. Over 5000 Boston elders were contacted by Seniors Count volunteers. We will survey a sample of those elders to learn how well needs identified through Seniors Count have been addressed; if new needs have arisen; and if the elders have additional concerns or recommendations to pass on to the Boston Commission on Affairs of the Elderly.

HICCUP Project at Harbor Point Arches
This is a year long class which leads to a Capstone in the second semester for new students. It involves running a group with youth at Harbor Point on Wednesday evening before class. Students will have the opportunity to be involved in youth work practice as mentors and group facilitators and participate in a community building project through working with youth in the Hic Cup project.  This exciting project helps to develop practice skills, community building experience and a wonderful opportunity to participate in a service learning collaborative carrying out participatory methodologies.