Abstract: Community-based learning is a high impact practice which can improve student retention and engagement, and help students better absorb, retain, and transfer knowledge. This paper contains suggestions for working with community partners to offer students an authentic learning experience. Community partners or facilitators present to students with a real-life problem, a relevant question, or a research area related to the course curriculum. Over the duration of the learning period, students apply what they are studying in the curriculum to analyze the problem, reflect on what they are learning, and provide potential solutions to the community partner’s problem or need.
There are many good reasons for taking the time to offer this type of learning and especially at this time during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Working with a community partner has the benefit of bringing students into meaningful contact with future employers, customers, clients, and colleagues. Students experience higher levels of engagement and take a deeper approach to learning when they are able to apply what they are studying to address a real-world problem. They are better able to apply theory to the specific project and deeper understanding of the subject matter and relate it to the real world experiences. Students can improve on their critical thinking, problem solving, presentation, analytical, team work, and interpersonal skills. They can experience what it is like to work on real problems relevant to their discipline, and reflect on that learning in a safe and supporting environment.
In the current situation when students are at home given the effect of COVID-19, there are several problems facing the them ranging from sexual abuse, teenage pregnancies, drug and substance abuse to anxiety and mental health problems among others. Efforts to keep students productively engaged is of essence at this point in time. The paper seeks to address the most productive way in which students could be engaged within their own communities or networked to share knowledge and intern would productively engage teachers, parents and other volunteers in working with students. This concept will help address the challenge of idleness among students. There is a higher risk among learners of contracting the disease at the moment for most of them are not engaged. The paper explores more organized and productive way of engaging students in the context of COVID-19 pandemic using a multi-agency approach. The paper has illustrated a simple methodology of implementing the programme and ensuring that learners remain safe and healthy. The paper explores ways in which all students can immerse into deep learning for life-long learning and engagement. It is evident that just a small percentage of learners are able to access online lessons but through the proposed approach, all learners including those from very remote areas would be engaged in learning.
Title: Community-Based Learning (CBL): A Solution to Managing Learning during COVID-19
Author: Dr. Julius M. Otundo
International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research
ISSN 2348-3156 (Print), ISSN 2348-3164 (online)
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