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HomeEXPR 145: Foundations of Community Action: Co-op Prep

EXPR 145: Foundations of Community Action: Co-op Prep

Course Outline for

EXPR 145

Foundations of Community Action:
Preparation for Cooperative Education

General Education—Co-op Prep—Co-op

Face-to-Face—Lecture

2 Quarter Credits

 

Requirements/Qualifications to be the Instructor of Record for this Course

Designation by Antioch College as a member of the co-op faculty (including visiting, emeriti, and resident scholar). Minimum qualifications are a master’s degree and designation by the Dean of Cooperative, Experiential, and International Education who, along with other full-time co-op faculty members, is responsible for the course design and supervision.

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Course Description

 

New Description: This is a campus-based course that will lead students to effectively engage with organizations and develop the skills necessary to participate fully in the Cooperative Education Program. Focusing on the theme of community action, students are introduced to key concepts of participatory practice that provide a foundation for their life at Antioch College and prepare them for the world of work. In addition to practical skills such as resume writing and interview techniques, students examine the practices of building sustainable relationships across difference, identifying shared purpose, and forging pathways for collective action.

The course makes full use of campus assets by positioning students within a connective web of partner organizations that enables them to develop an understanding of the principles of community-based inquiry and place-based experiential learning. We examine local efforts toward social, economic, and environmental justice as well as how to engage in such work in meaningful, respectful and reflexive ways. Case studies afforded by our proximity to various local nonprofit organizations enable class members to consider best practices in organizational effectiveness and to learn about the challenges of community work. The overall goal of the course is to prepare students to become integrative thinkers, ambitious collaborators, and effective change makers through their engagement both on and off-campus.

Prerequisites: None.

 

Mandatory Course Level Learning Outcomes

 

Through this course, the Cooperative Education Program expects students to:

  • Gain an understanding of principles of organizational engagement, involve themselves in the practice of community action, and become effective partners in collaborative efforts
  • Develop an understanding of the Cooperative Education Program and its expectations for student engagement throughout their Antioch career
  • Be able to articulate their goals and develop a sense of personal agency through self-assessment, self-reflection, and a realization of purpose
  • Develop competency in the required tools and processes necessary for success throughout the co-op experience

Cooperative Education (Program Level) Learning Outcome

  • Integrative Learning is defined by the Co-op faculty as the iterative process through which students engage the world while making connections across ideas and experiences. Students are expected to synthesize and transfer those insights to complex situations they encounter through co-op, campus-based learning, and participation in diverse communities. Students will be able to identify and develop their interests, knowledge, abilities and skills and deliberately link them to purposeful, self-determined pathways at Antioch and beyond.

Mandatory Link to Liberal Arts Learning Outcomes

 

  • Written Communication: Students are expected to craft clear, engaging resumes and reflective writing. Students will also develop the ability to articulate their skills, abilities, and goals in professional contexts.
  • Social Engagement: Demonstrated ability to engage as an active citizen in ethical and civil dialogue within a participatory, multicultural society

 

 

Suggested Bases of Evaluation

  • Class Participation: 30%
  • Resume, Cover Letter, Co-op Aspirations Questionnaire: 30%
  • Life Aims Interview: 10%
  • Life Aims Paper: 30%

 

Last modified 2018-07-24, RGK