Effective management and leadership in the nonprofit sector requires both an understanding of the basic principles of nonprofit organization and associated management challenges (covered in PAFF 551) and familiarity with current debates that are changing how they operate (PAFF 552).

The purpose of PAFF 552 is to introduce students to a range of challenges facing nonprofit organizations and to identify approaches that nonprofit practitioners and academics have proposed for addressing those challenges.

PAFF 552 is an “Issues” course, intended to introduce students to a range of topics. This year, as last year, I have organized the course to address the role philanthropy plays in the nonprofit sector.  The course has a central service-learning component, the distribution of grants to local nonprofit organizations, with funding from Campus Compact/Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund, South Central New York Community Foundation and fundraising by students and alumni.

The course will involve close collaboration with the Social Work course, Advanced Social Work Practice with Communities, which also meets on Tuesday afternoons. The two classes will meet together periodically for discussions and presentations by outside speakers. One team assignment and organization site visits will involve members of both classes working together. In addition grantmaking decisions will be a shared process involving both classes.

Course Goals

1. To review the role of nonprofit organizations in the United States and the context within which they operate (theoretical explanations for nonprofit organizations, tax and legal setting, etc).
2. To introduce students to various forms of institutional philanthropy, how they operate and their strengths and limitations.
3. To review strategies and concerns related to grant making, including accountability, performance measurement, capacity building and relevant data analysis.
4. To introduce students to innovative approaches to nonprofit work, emphasizing marketization and social entrepreneurship.
5. To expose students to similarities and differences in the approach to nonprofit organizations in social work and public administration.

Course Knowledge & Skill Objectives

Upon successful completion of PAFF 552, students should be able to:

1. Discuss theories that explain the reason for a nonprofit sector and the implications of those theories for management;
2. Demonstrate critical thinking and writing skills;
3. Identify current and historic approaches to philanthropy, their strengths and weaknesses and their impact on nonprofit organizations.
4. Assess what information is useful in evaluating nonprofit organizations and requests for funding, with particular attention to accountability, capacity and data analysis.
5. Identify emerging debates in philanthropy and nonprofit management and relevant sources of information about them.
6. Identify and discuss differences in approaches to nonprofit organizations in social work and public administration.

I have organized the course content to cover this material in several blocks or units:

Week 1-2: Nonprofit Sector Role and Context and the Philanthropy Incubator

Weeks 2-6: Philanthropy, its Institutional Mechanisms, Strategy

Weeks 6-10: Management Issues in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations.

Weeks 11-14: Emerging Approaches to Philanthropy and Nonprofit Work

Course Timeline

The distribution of funds to local nonprofit organizations is central to this course. To complete the process of assessing organizations and making grants requires careful adherence to deadlines.  I have summarized below key course milestones:

Timeline for Key Philanthropy Incubator Milestones

Feb 16:  Focus Area Selected

Feb 23:  Draft RFP

March 2: Finalize and Distribute RFP

March 23: RFP Due, Final Proposal Evaluation Rubric Developed

April 6:  Initial Review of Applications

April 6-20: Site Visits

April 20: Funding Decisions

May 4: Awards Ceremony

Required Texts

I require two books for purchase:  Fleishman, J. (2007).  The Foundation, A Great American Secret: How Private Wealth is Changing the World (Paperback Ed.).  New York: Public Affairs; and Frumkin, P. (2006).  Strategic Philanthropy.  Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Other reading will be available through the BU library (e-journals), on electronic reserve, from websites (links provided) or handed out.

Method of Instruction

This course is organized as a seminar. Classes will involve a combination of presentation and discussion.  Students are expected to have read the material assigned for the day and be prepared to discuss it at that class.

Discussion expectations:

In pursuit of critical thinking, students are strongly encouraged to adhere to the following principles:

1. Recognize the difference between reason and emotion, thinking and feeling;
2. Build arguments with evidence, not feelings.
3. Realize that reason and critical thought are necessary inside and outside of the classroom.

Given these principles, the goal for this class is to emphasize civil discourse, establish fact-based viewpoints, and engage in focused discussions, rather than win arguments or engage in verbal altercations.

Determination of Grades

Grades will be determined based on four components, each of which (and its weighting) is listed below.  Assignments are outlined below; more detailed assignment information will be provided later in the semester.  Grades for each component will be by points.  The total points you receive during the semester will be the basis for your final grade.

Assignments

1) Class Participation (20 points)

Because students must work together in this class to accomplish a collective goal, class participation in this class is a more significant portion of your final grade than in other courses I teach. Participation is essential for creating an effective grants program.

Reading assigned material and participating in class discussion is central to success in this course. Readings are to be completed in preparation for class on the date listed. These are to be read by ALL students. The readings will serve as the starting point for lecture, discussion, the application of concepts, and the practice of essential skills. Readings and assignments have been selected to introduce students to issues in philanthropy that will make it possible for students to act as effective grantmakers. Students are expected to come to class having read the assigned readings and prepared to discuss those readings. Students may be called upon to lead discussions or explain sections of the readings without prior warning.

Class participation will be evaluated based on the contribution you make to class sessions and the work of the Philanthropy Incubator. I will assign participation grades at four points during the semester (after weeks 4, 8, 10 and at the end of the semester).

2)  Team Work (30 points total—15 team, 15 individual)

Students will work in teams across classes. The teams will be responsible for the major elements of the Philanthropy Incubator project: choosing a focus, designing an RFP, establishing criteria for evaluating proposals, conducting and reporting on site visits and analyzing proposals. Team members will receive both individual and team grades. Each team member will be responsible for one component of the team project; however, the full team will have responsibility for providing input and feedback to that team as he/she develops that element.

At each point in the semester when one of the components is due and the class must make a decision about its grantmaking process, three teams will present their recommendations (I expect there will be six to seven total teams). Teams that do not present will be asked to respond to the team presentations, adding any ideas that are substantially different from those presented. Each team will be responsible for two formal presentations over the course of the semester.

At the end of the semester students will assess the contribution of their team members to the work of the group and determine the distribution of five points of the other team members’ grade.

Team work will involve the following components:

• Each member of the team will be responsible for making recommendations for one elements of the Philanthropy Incubator.  (15 points):
  • Focus Area Recommendation.  Develop a recommendation for the area on which the Philanthropy Incubator should focus.  Use data about community needs to make your recommendation.  (Due February 16^th)
  • Request for Proposal. Design an RFP for the Philanthropy Incubator; provide a rationale to accompany it that explains your choices. (Due February 23^rd)
  • Evaluation Tools. Develop a rubric for evaluating proposals.  Provide a rationale to accompany that explains your choices.  (Due March 23^rd)
  • Site Visit Report.  Provide an analytic report about what you learned on your visit(s) to grant applicants.  (Due April 20).

• Analyses of Final Proposals.  (10 points).  Each group will be assigned a set of final proposals to review and analyze.  (Due April 20^th)

• Team Participation (5 points)

3) Course Reflection Papers (50 points)

Every week, students will be responsible for a one-to-two page, single-spaced reflection on the reading for the week. Questions for the reflection will be posted the week before. Reflection papers will be due at the beginning of each class session.

To generate a dialogue about course issues, I have set up a course blog. The address for the blog is:  http://buphilanthropyincubator.blogspot.com. Students will be responsible for posting all or parts of their reflections on the course blog. This blog is private and only available to students in PAFF 552, SW525, CCPA faculty and administrators and selected stakeholders (such as project funders). I will enter your names as blog authors to allow you to post.

Students may post on the blog at ANY time; however, you must post to the blog at least three times during the semester. In addition, ALL students must comment on the blog at least once a week.  I will provide you with a posting schedule at the second week of class.  If you are scheduled to post on the blog, you must make your post by the Saturday before class to provide other students with the opportunity to respond to your post.

I intend the reflection papers to provide you with an opportunity to engage with the course reading material and reflect on how those concepts relate to the issues we discuss in class. Your primary sources for your reflection papers are course readings, discussions, presentations from outside speakers, and if appropriate other scholarly writing or current events related to philanthropy and the nonprofit sector. I will evaluate reflection papers based on how well they address the reflection question, their engagement with the course reading, the use of evidence (based on experience, data or other reading) to support arguments and how well they demonstrate the ability to apply theoretical concepts to the practical work of nonprofit organizations and philanthropy.

Important Caveat About Assignments: I will review assignments with you mid-semester to assess workload.

Expectations Regarding Professional Communication

As a professional degree program, the MPA program demands that students demonstrate the level of professionalism that will be expected of them upon graduation. This applies to students’ communication in writing, as well as their conduct in and out of the classroom. I expect students to submit written assignments that meet professional standards in both content and style.  Professional content requires thorough research and the demonstrated ability to articulate logical and insightful arguments and to apply critical thinking skills. Professionalism in style requires that written assignments be professional in appearance, clearly written, and free of grammatical, spelling, and syntax errors.

Professional communication in class discussions begins with coming to class prepared and on time.  Students are expected to do all of the readings assigned for each class meeting and to be ready to discuss them.  As current or aspiring professionals in the field, students are also expected to be enthusiastic consumers of material related to their chosen profession.  Students should also read a national newspaper as well as a local paper to stay informed of current issues related to the nonprofit sector.   Similarly, the most committed students will also read nonprofit sector publications to monitor research within the discipline.  I encourage students to share news stories about the nonprofit sector; at times, I will begin class with discussions of relevant current events.

Class Schedule, Reading and Assignments

Date: Jan 26

Topic: Nonprofit Sector Overview, Philanthropy Incubator Overview, Public Administration/ Social Work Values and Ethics

Reading: Students4Giving Application, available under course materials on BlackBoard, Fidelity charitable gift fund website (www.charitablegift.org), “The Nonprofit Sector in Brief”  (www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/411664_facts_and_figures.pdf), “The Looking Glass World of Nonprofit Money: Managing in For-Profits Shadow Universe,” Clara Miller (www.nonprofitfinancefund.org/docs/The%20Looking%20Glass%20World%20of%20Nonprofit%20Money.pdf), Fleishman, Chapter 2:  The Third Great Force:  America’s Civic Sector, Recommended (for students who have not had PAFF 551):  Salamon, Nonprofit Sector Overview (on e-reserve).

P.I. Milestone or Class Assignment, Possible Speaker:  List of Eligible Grantees

Date: Feb 2

Topic: What is philanthropy?  Landscape of American Philanthropy

Reading: Frumkin, Introduction, Fleishman, Introduction and Preface, Video:  The Grantmakers Role (www.grantcraft.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Page.viewPage&pageID=608)

Date: Feb 9

Topic: Role of Philanthropy, Selecting a Focus Area

Reading:   Frumkin, Chapter 1, Fleishman, Chapters 1, 3, Shared Reading/Discussion:  Scanning the Landscape:  Finding Out What’s Going on.  Available at:  http://www.grantcraft.org/index.cfm?pageId=627.  (Free registration required.)

Date: Feb 16

Topic: Institutional Philanthropy, Foundations, United Way

Reading: Complete foundation tutorial “Foundations today” available (with free registration) at the Foundation Center: http://foundationcenter.org/getstarted/tutorials/ft_tutorial/; Boris, E.  (1998).  Foundations.  In J. Shafritz (Ed.), International Encyclopedia of Public Policy and Administration (pp. 928-935).  Boulder, CO: Westview; Frumkin, Chapters 2-3; Ostrower, F. Limited Life Foundations: Motivations, Experiences and Strategies:  http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/411836_limitedlifefoundations.pdf

P.I. Milestone or Class Assignment, Possible Speaker: Focus Area Selected

Date: Feb 23

Topic: Strategy and Effectiveness in Philanthropy

Reading: Fleishman, Chapters 4-6; Frumkin, Chapters 4-5; Center for Effective Philanthropy Beyond the Rhetoric:  Foundation Strategy, at http://strategy.effectivephilanthropy.org; Using Competitions & RFPs, available at:  http://www.grantcraft.org/index.cfm?pageId=631 (registration required)

P.I. Milestone or Class Assignment, Possible Speaker: Draft RFP

Date: March 2

Topic: Emerging Forms of  Philanthropy and Approaches to Strategy; Donor Advised Funds, Giving Circles

Reading: Frumkin, Chapters 6-8; Review “Giving Circles Network” website (www.givingcircles.org), particularly “About Us,” “Knowledge Center” and “Giving Circle Central”; “Donors Turn to Giving Circles as Economy Drops,” at www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104151828; Review Fidelity charitable gift fund website:  www.charitablegift.org; Kramer, M. (2009).  Catalytic Philanthropy.  Stanford Social Innovation Review, 7(4), 30-35

P.I. Milestone or Class Assignment, Possible Speaker: RFP Finalized and Distributed

Date: March 9

Topic: Accountability

Reading: Fleishman, Chapter 9; BBB/Wise Giving Alliance Standards (Review the assessment for two to three nonprofit organizations.  Select at least one that does not meet the standards.); Minnesota Council of Nonprofits Standards of Excellence; Recommended: Benjamin, L.  (2008).  How accountability requirements shape nonprofit practice.  Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 37(2), 201-223.

Date: March 16

Topic: Organizational Data Analysis and Grant Making

Reading: Review Charity Navigator website and article “Six Questions to ask Charities Before Donating,” at: www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=28; Charity Navigator:  Methodology (all navigation bar elements), at:  www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=33; Tuckman, H. & Chang, C.  (1991).  A methodology for measuring the financial vulnerability of charitable nonprofit organizations.  Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 20, 445-460; Greenlee, J. & Trussel, J. (2000).  Predicting the financial vulnerability of charitable organizations.  Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 11(2), 199-210; Lammers, J. (2003).  Know your ratios?  Everyone ELSE does. Nonprofit Quarterly, 10 (1), 34-39; “Five Questions for Tom Pollak” at:  www.urban.org/toolkit/fivequestions/TPollak.cfm

Date: March 23

Topic: Performance Measurement and Effectiveness in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations

Reading: Frumkin, Chapter 10; Fleishman, Chapter 15; Herman, R. & Renz, D. (2008).  Advancing nonprofit organizational effectiveness research and theory: Nine theses.  Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 18(4), 399-415; Easterling, D.  (2000).  Using outcome evaluation to guide grant making:  Theory, reality and possibilities.  Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 29, 482-486; Carson, E.  (2000).  On foundations and outcome evaluation.  Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 29, 479-481; Campbell, D. “Provider Perceptions of Feedback Practices in Nonprofit Human Service Organizations.”  (On Blackboard).

P.I. Milestone or Class Assignment, Possible Speaker: Proposals Due; Criteria for Evaluation Presented and Discussed

Date: March 30

No Class:  Spring Break

Date: April 6

Topic: Making Site Visits; Collaborative Decision Making

Reading: “Developing a Site Visit Program,” at www.cof.org/templates/311.cfm?itemNumber=16027 ; “Why We’re Sold on Site Visits,” at:  www.cof.org/files/Documents/Family_Foundations/Site%20Visit%20Companion/Why_We’re_Sold_on_Site_Visits.pdf ; “The Truth About Site Visits,” MN Council on Foundations, at:  www.mcf.org/Mcf/forum/1999/sitevisit.htm; Site Visit Worksheet, at:  www.cof.org/files/Documents/WebNotebook/July2003/Grants/Sample_Site_Visit_Worksheet.pdf; Sample Site Visit Evaluation, at  www.cof.org/templates/311.cfm?ItemNumber=16518; Sample Site Visit Checklist, at:  http://www.cof.org/templates/311.cfm?ItemNumber=16517

P.I. Milestone or Class Assignment, Possible Speaker: Initial Evaluation of Proposals; Proposed sample site visit evaluation forms; Site Visits Assigned

Date: April 13

Topic: Social Enterprise and Innovation in the Nonprofit Sector

Reading: Eikenberry, A. (2009).  Refusing the Market: A Democratic Discourse for Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations.  Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 38(4), 564-581; Phills, J., Deiglmeier, K., & Miller, D. (2008).  Rediscovering Social Innovation.  Stanford Social Innovation Review, at:  www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/rediscovering_social_innovation; review the Rockefeller Foundation’s Initiative: Advancing Innovation Processes to Solve Social Problems, at:  www.rockefellerfoundation.org/what-we-do/current-work/advancing-innovation-processes-solve; Select and listen to two Social Innovation Podcasts; “Scaling a Social Enterprise through Crowdsourcing” at:  sic.conversationsnetwork.org/series/socialEntrepreneurship.html; “Patient Capital and the Solution to Poverty” at:  sic.conversationsnetwork.org/series/philanthropy.html

Date: April 20

Topic: Site Visit Reports and Analyses; Collaborative Decision Making

P.I. Milestone or Class Assignment, Possible Speaker: Award Decisions Completed

Date: April 27

Topic: Debates and Discourse in Philanthropy

Reading: White House Social Innovation Fund, review draft “Notice of Funding Availability,” on reserve; Philanthropy Blog Analysis — select two of the blogs listed earlier in the syllabus and read through the posts from January 1 through this class day.  Come prepared to discuss:  a) What are the primary concerns of this blogger over the recent four months and how have readers responded; b) How does that content related to the issues we’ve discussed in this class; c) How do you evaluate the arguments made by the blogger and his/her respondents?

P.I. Milestone or Class Assignment, Possible Speaker: Standards for evaluating blog content

Date: May 4

Topic: Dinner and Reflection

P.I. Milestone or Class Assignment, Possible Speaker: Awards Ceremony

The vision of the University of Chicago Urban Health Initiative (UHI), a top institutional priority, is that Chicago’s South Side will become a paradigm of urban health by 2025. Chicago’s South Side, with the University of Chicago and its world class medical school at its epicenter, is a region disproportionately affected by poor health and poverty. The South Side Health and Vitality Studies (SSHVS) forms the research and evaluation arm of the Urban Health Initiative to produce actionable knowledge that informs health behavior, policy and investments in the region.  The South Side Health and Vitality Studies employ an asset-based, community-engaged (Figure 1) research strategy whereby community and university members work as equal partners to 1) identify community priorities, 2) track community assets, 3) leverage community assets, 4) conduct research, and 5) generate new knowledge that is then used to reset priorities.  SSHVS strives for “science in service to community, conducted in partnership with the community.”  This philosophy is articulated in a recent paper published in Preventive Medicine (attached) by university and community collaborators for the Studies and provides the framework of our urban health teaching activities. The South Side of Chicago, a 95 square mile region including 34 of the city’s 77 community areas, is one of the largest contiguous African American urban communities in the US (70% of 803,000 people). Of Chicago’s 10 poorest communities, 9 are on the South Side, and the health of individuals living on in this area lags far behind that of the rest of the city and the nation. Despite a high prevalence of poverty and poor health, the South Side of Chicago is uniquely vital in its strong community organizations, robust social networks, rich cultural and faith traditions, and resilient small businesses.

See the Model of Community and University Engagement for the SSHVS at http://www.sshvs.org/pdfs/Community-Health-Model.pdf.

Guided by principles jointly developed by our community and university team members (below), we are committed to “creating learning opportunities by involving students, trainees, and community members” and “jointly learn and discover – together and from each other” in our research activities.  Our training program in community-engaged urban health research includes two predominant kinds of activities: 1) experiential learning in a mentored community-university team research setting, and 2) classroom, workshop and community-university summits.  The syllabus is integrated vertically across courses in the medical and postdoctoral curricula and is designed for relevance and adaptability to both university and community audiences using adult learning strategies. Training is available to individuals with varying levels of knowledge and experience, including community members, university faculty and staff, and undergraduate, graduate, and medical students. A community-based literacy consultant works closely with our team to advise on translation of our syllabus for various community audiences.  The length and content of training experiences is tailored to study priorities and audience objectives.

Guiding Principles:

Community and University Collaboration, Mutual Respect, and Shared Benefit

• Involve diverse community members in key decisions throughout the project
• Build mutual respect and trust between the researchers and community members
• Address issues that are most important to the health and vitality of the community across socio-economic boundaries
• Maximize participation of and leadership by people living in our target communities on the South Side
• Collect data that can quickly benefit community organizations by providing data and enhancing skills
• Jointly learn and discover – together and from each other – the value of research for improving and sustaining health and vitality
• Engage a multi-disciplinary team of researchers from across the institution
• Create learning opportunities by involving students, trainees, and community members
• Enhance sustainability of the Studies by focusing on the strengths of the research team and by developing external funding

Study Design

• Focus on understanding the social and environmental determinants of health and vitality
• Employ a life-course approach to understanding health and vitality, collecting data across the age span
• Use minimally-invasive techniques for biological and other data collection
• Collect data that are comparable with existing national, regional, and local datasets
• Gather and share data with efficiency and transparency
• Focus on modifiable problems for which the research can inform testable interventions and policy changes
• Build-in potential for replicability in other communities, including international settings

II. PURPOSE

To introduce individuals with an interest in health science to the principles, tools, and ethics of community-engaged population-based urban health research with the primary goal of developing competent leaders and partners to help fulfill the vision that the South Side of Chicago will become a paradigm of urban health by 2025.

III. OBJECTIVES

The objectives of our training program are for trainees to:

1. Understand strategies for conducting urban health research, including dominant principles and models for conducting community- or population-based health research.

2. Apply the Asset-Based Community-Engaged Research Model to design and implementation of health research activities that advance urban health in our region and elsewhere.

3. Demonstrate skill in performing minimally invasive biological and physical measures for use in population-based urban health research, including an understanding of the rationale and ethics.

4. Develop competency, especially via experiential learning and mentorship, in interacting with a broad diversity of community and university collaborators to optimize each individual’s contribution and the productivity of the overall team in reaching urban health goals.  Following participation in our training program, all individuals will be able to:

1. Describe the vision of the Urban Health Initiative and the role of the South Side Health and Vitality Studies in achieving this vision.
2. Describe the asset-based, community-engaged research strategy, its origin, and the rationale for its use in urban health research.
3. Ethically practice urban health research in harmony with the guiding principles of the South Side Health and Vitality Studies, and understand the process for and value of a principle-based approach to community-engaged health research.
4. Communicate, to a variety of audiences, the rationale for and risks/benefits of biological and physical measurement in population-based health research.

IV. SYLLABUS COMPONENTS

1. SAMPLE READING MATERIAL

Academic medicine and community partnerships

• Ahmed, S.M., Palermo, A.G., 2010. Community engagement in research: frameworks for education and peer review. Am J Public Health. 100, 1380-7.
• Hill LD, Madara JL. Role of the urban academic medical center in US health care. Jama – Journal of the American Medical Association. 2005;294(17):2219-2220.
• Israel, B.A., et al., 2001. The Detroit Community-Academic Urban Research Center: development, implementation, and evaluation. J Public Health Manag Pract. 7, 1-19.
• Israel, B.A., et al., 1998. Review of Community-Based Research: Assessing Partnership Approaches to Improve Public Health. Annual Review of Public Health. 19, 173-202.
• Jones L, Wells K. Strategies for academic and clinician engagement in community-participatory partnered research. Jama. Jan 24 2007;297(4):407-410.
• Lantz PM, Viruell-Fuentes E, Israel BA, Softley D, Guzman R. Can communities and academia work together on public health research? Evaluation results from a community-based participatory research partnership in Detroit. Journal of Urban Health-Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine. 2001;78(3):495-507.
• Norris, K.C., et al., 2007. Partnering with community-based organizations: an academic institution’s evolving perspective. Ethn Dis. 17, S27-32.

Asset-based Approaches

• Aronson, R.E., et al., 2007. Neighborhood mapping and evaluation: a methodology for participatory community health initiatives. Matern Child Health J. 11, 373-83.
• Kretzmann JP, McKnight JL. Building Communities from the Inside Out: A Path Toward Finding and Mobilizing a Community’s Assets. Evanston, IL: ACTA Publications; 1997.
• Lindau ST, Makelarski JA, Chin MH, Desautels S, Johnson D, Johnson WE Jr, Miller D, Peters S, Robinson C, Schneider J, Thicklin F, Watson NP, Wolfe M, Whitaker EE. Building community-engaged health research and discovery infrastructure on the South Side of Chicago: Science in service to community priorities. Preventive Medicine. 2011;52(3-4):200-207. (Attached)
• Mathie, A., Cunningham, G., 2003. From Clients to Citizens: Asset-Based Community Development as a Strategy for Community-Driven Development. Development in Practice. 13, 474 – 486.
• Minkler, M., Hancock, T., 2003.Community-Driven Asset Identification and Issue Selection, in: Minkler, M., Wallerstein, N. (Eds.), Community-Based Participatory Research for Health.  Jossey-Bass Publishers, San Francisco, pp. 135-154.

Ethics

• Bastida, E., et al., 2010. Ethics and community-based participatory research: perspectives from the field. Health Promot Pract. 11, 16-20.
• Ross, L.F., et al., 2010a. Human subjects protections in community-engaged research: a research ethics framework. J Empir Res Hum Res Ethics. 5, 5-17.
• Ross, L.F., et al., 2010b. Nine key functions for a human subjects protection program for community-engaged research: points to consider. J Empir Res Hum Res Ethics. 5, 33-47.

Population-based Biosocial Research

• Woolf, S.H., 2008. The meaning of translational research and why it matters. JAMA. 299, 211-3.
• Berkman LE. Social Epidemiology: Social Determinants of Health in the United States: Are We Losing Ground?  Annual Review of Public Health. 2009;30:27-41.
• Berkman L, Kawachi I (Eds). Social Epidemiology. New York: Oxford University Press; 2000.
• Institute of Medicine. For the Public’s Health: The Role of Measurement in Action and Accountability.  Washington, DC: The National Academies Press; 2011 [pre-publication].
• Sánchez-Jankowski, M., 2008. Cracks in the pavement: social change and resilience in poor neighborhoods. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA.
• Shah AMea. A Participatory Approach to Designing a Community Health Survey: A Report on the Survey Development Process 2003.
• Wells, K., Jones, L., 2009. “Research” in community-partnered, participatory research. JAMA. 302, 320-1.
• Whitman S, Shah A, Benjamins M. Urban Health: Combating Disparities with Local Data. New York, NY: Oxford University Press Inc; 2010.

2. SAMPLE LECTURES: Our community-engaged curriculum is not taught via a single course; rather, the syllabus is integrated vertically across medical and post-doctoral courses and classroom, workshop, and community summit activities.

Examples of Urban Health and Related Lectures in the Medical and Post-Doctoral Curricula

Course Name/Lecture Title

Health Care Disparities in America/Doctors’ Role in Caring for Underserved

Chicago Academic Medicine Program for Minority Undergraduate Premedical Students/Sexuality and Urban Adolescence

Scholarship and Discover:  Epidemiology and Research Design/Qualitative Research in Biomedicine

Dept of Ob/Gyn Resident Research Training Curriculum/Navigating the IRB:  Ethics and Human Subjects in Women’s Health Research

MacLean Center on Clinical Medical Ethics Fellows Curriculum/South Side Health and Vitality Studies and Urban Health

MacLean Center on Clinical Medical Ethics Fellows Health Disparities Seminar/Science in Service to Community:  The South Side Health and Vitality Studies

Pritzker Scholar in Translational Aging Research Training Course/ Biogerontology using Integrated Data to Advance Knowledge of Aging

Fundamentals of Health Services Research/Theory, Methods, Applications for Integrating Health Research:  Harnessing Biological and Social Data

3. EXAMPLE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES Our training program in community-engaged urban health research includes two predominant kinds of activities: 1) experiential learning in a mentored community-university team research setting, and 2) classroom, workshop and community-university summits.  In addition, we have a robust communication infrastructure that uses monthly newsletters, social media, and widely publicized community-based events to provide broad dissemination of knowledge, information about training opportunities, and to share trainees’ reflections on their training experiences.

The purpose of this course is to provide students with the theoretical and practical bases for program evaluation.  Students will develop basic skills in a variety of approaches to evaluation, including techniques that are particularly suitable for evaluating health promotion, community health improvement, and related health and social services programs.  Course learning will be synthesized through design of an evaluation framework and methodology for a relevant program.

Prerequisites

There are no formal prerequisites for this course.   It is assumed that students have some familiarity with health services delivery and the organization of the health system.  If you feel you do not have this knowledge, please contact me to discuss the suitability of this class for you.

Learning Competencies (OMPH Approved)

At the completion of the course, students will be able to:

1. Explain how theory informs evaluation design and methods
   • Describe the linkage between theory and evaluation
2. Solicit and integrate input from program stakeholders in the development of an evaluation plan
   • Communicate with program stakeholders about their programs and about evaluation
   • Obtain program information from stakeholders and other sources
   • Integrate input from program stakeholders in the development of an evaluation plan
3. Critically assess evaluations and interpret evaluation findings
   • Evaluate major components of articles presenting evaluation results
   • Identify limitations of published evaluations
4. Design and prepare an evaluation plan
   • Describe the major types, concepts, strategies, and methods for evaluating programs
   • Formulate evaluation questions appropriate for a specific program
   • Design an evaluation appropriate for answering particular evaluation questions
   • Work in a collaborative team to develop the evaluation plan
5. Explain how ethical principles apply to evaluation
   • Explain procedures for protecting human subjects in evaluation
   • Describe potential ethical considerations for program evaluation
6. Critically analyze how power differences play a role in evaluation
   • Identify issues of power differences between and among evaluator, community and program stakeholders
   • Articulate role of economic and political power in influencing evaluation
   • Incorporate principles of cultural competency into evaluation design, methods, and language used

At the conclusion of the course, students will be asked to determine the extent to which they have accomplished each of these competencies through their own learning.

Methods of Evaluation

There will be multiple methods of evaluation that will determine both your course grade and the evaluation of the course itself.

1.  Evaluation of Students

The course grade will be determined as follows:

Short assignments 40%

Evaluation project 50%

Class participation 10%

2.  Evaluation of Course and Professor

I welcome your feedback on the class, and will conduct brief process evaluations periodically during the course to invite your input.  On the basis of your comments, we will make “mid-course corrections” as necessary to ensure that the class meets your needs and is responsive to your suggestions, while still fulfilling the course objectives set out above.  A final evaluation of the course and the professor will be conducted during the last class session.

Required and Supplemental Readings

There are two required resources for this course:

Daniel L. Stufflebeam and Anthony J. Shinkfield. Evaluation Theory, Models, and Applications. San Francisco:  Jossey-Bass, 2007.

Sherril B. Gelmon, Anna Foucek and Amy Waterbury.  Program Evaluation:  Principles and Practices.  2nd edition.  Portland:  Northwest Health Foundation, 2005.  (Copies may be downloaded from http://nwhf.org/resources/.)

Many other useful books and journals on program evaluation exist.  You are encouraged to reference these books and related materials, available at the PSU and OHSU libraries as well as at other public and private libraries, for additional information and relevant examples as well as for background information for your assignments.  I will provide assistance if you wish specific direction with respect to identifying particular resources.

Description of Major Assignments

There are three components to the grade for this course:  two short assignments, a team evaluation project, and class participation.

1.  Short Assignments (40% of course grade)

There will be two short assignments, each worth 20% of the course grade.

Assignment #1:  Critique of an Evaluation Article

This will be due at the beginning of the class session on January 31^st.  A late assignment will result in a reduction in course credit.  Graded assignments will be returned on February 7^th.  The purpose of this assignment is to reflect on foundational material covered in the first sessions of the course, and to use your learning from these sessions to critique an article reporting evaluation/research findings.  In class you will be given a set of guidelines for completing the critique.  You will have a choice of one of several articles from the American Journal of Public Health, available in the PSU, OHSU or other health-related libraries (or through on-line access).  You should obtain a copy of your selected article.  The list of articles is provided in Appendix 1; they have been selected to reflect a variety of topics as well as a range of uses of evaluation strategies and methodologies.

The critique should be completed independently, and may be no more than 5 pages in length (references are additional to the 5 pages).  It must be typed, double-spaced using a 12 point font, with standard 1″ margins, and proofread for spelling and grammatical accuracy.  No references other than the textbook, course materials and the article itself are necessary. Any citations should be presented using a generally accepted citation format (such as APA).  Please do not attach a copy of the article to your submission.

Assignment #2:  Critique of an Evaluation Model

This will be due at the beginning of the class session on February 14^th.  A late assignment will result in a reduction in course credit.  Graded assignments will be returned on February 21^st.  The purpose of this assignment is to consider and critique one of four commonly recognized models of evaluation (or approaches).  The four models are:

• Stufflebeam’s CIPP Model/Improvement-Accountability Approach (Chapter 15)
• Scriven’s Consumer-Oriented Approach (Chapter 16)
• Stake’s Responsive/Client-Centered Approach (Chapter 17)
• Patton’s Utilization Focused Evaluation (Chapter 18)

You should read all four chapters, and then select one of the models.  Using material covered in the class to this point, compare and contrast your selected model with the other three models.  Frame your analysis by drawing upon personal experiences with evaluation as well as any of the 26 approaches described in Chapters 6-10 that are relevant to your discussion.  Address the following points in your paper:

• Description of the core elements of the model/approach (no more than a ½ page)
• Benefits of this model/approach for health program evaluations (with comparisons to at least two of the other three)
• Limitations of this model/approach in health program evaluations (with comparisons to at least two of the other three)
• Questions or concerns you would have about using this model (with comparisons to all of the other three) (no more than a ½ page)

The critique should be completed independently, and may be no more than 5 pages in length (citations are additional to the 5 pages).  It must be typed, double-spaced using a 12 point font, with standard 1″ margins, and proofread for spelling and grammatical accuracy.  Any citations should be presented using a generally accepted citation format (such as APA).

2.  Evaluation Project (50%)

A major part of your learning in this class will be achieved through the application of theory and concepts to an actual program evaluation project.  Through this project, you will also participate in community-based learning (also known as service-learning) — working with a community organization to develop an evaluation framework that will respond to the organization’s needs and assets, and will be of future use to that organization. The objectives of this experience for the students are to:

• gain knowledge about the program/organization for which the evaluation design is being prepared;
• meet with program/organization leadership to identify program objectives, intent of the evaluation, and anticipated outcomes;
• design a realistic and comprehensive evaluation plan that is compatible with program/organizational assets, needs and resources; and
• present the evaluation plan to the program/organization, the professor and the class.

An important aspect of community-based learning is to provide service to the community partner (the organization or agency for whom you will design the evaluation).  Therefore, there are also objectives for the community partner; these are to:

• inform students about the program/organization;
• meet with students to identify program objectives, intent of the evaluation, and anticipated outcomes;
• provide consultation to students throughout the process as necessary, and provide relevant background information; and
• review the evaluation plan and offer periodic feedback to the students.

Other objectives may be defined between the students and the community partner at their initial meeting.  The intent of the project is not to conduct the evaluation, but to design an evaluation framework that the community partner can then use (frequently a student returns to the organization to conduct the evaluation during a subsequent field experience or special project).  It is anticipated that students will meet with their community partners at least three times — an initial information gathering meeting of the entire student team with the partner representative, a meeting to discuss preliminary ideas and collect additional information, and a final meeting for the entire student team to present the evaluation plan.  The second meeting could be a telephone discussion.  Additional contact is often necessary, either by e-mail or telephone.

A description of the projects will be provided at the first class session, students will rank their individual preference for the evaluation projects, and I will determine the assignment of teams to the various projects during that class.  A list of this year’s community partners is included in Appendix 2.  Each group will receive a contact name, with phone number and email address.  Within two weeks, each group must meet with its community partner to initiate the evaluation design process, and will report on this meeting to the entire class on January 24^th.  The protocol for the final evaluation paper, which identifies the expected components of your paper, is appended to this syllabus (Appendix 3).  The exact content will vary with the nature of the organization and the intent of the evaluation design.

Each evaluation team will make a brief presentation of its evaluation framework; presentations will occur in class on March 7^th and March 14^th.  Each presentation will be up to 15 minutes in length, followed by 10 minutes for class discussion facilitated by the presenting evaluation team.  The presentation should provide a brief overview of the organization and the intent of the evaluation, and then focus on the proposed framework and methodology.  All members of the group must participate in the presentation.  Teams should provide handouts for all class members of your evaluation methodology and instruments (e.g. survey, interview protocol, focus group script, etc.) so that the discussion may provide feedback on possible ways to strengthen the methodology.  Teams should invite your community partner to attend the presentation (this may take the place of the formal presentation to the partner, unless they request a presentation at their organization); we will schedule the timing of the presentations to accommodate the partners’ availability.  Teams should email the PowerPoint slides for your presentation to me by 6:00 p.m. of the day before you are scheduled to present.

After your presentation you may wish to make minor changes in your paper prior to submission. One integrated paper will be submitted for each project team, following the guidelines in Appendix 2.  The paper should be typed, double-spaced (using a 12 point font), proofread for spelling and grammar, and no more than 20 pages in length (appended materials, sample evaluation instruments, and references are additional to the 20 page limit). All citations should be presented using a generally accepted citation format (such as APA).  Each student will also append an independently written 1-2 page reflection statement on lessons learned from working in the community (see Appendix 2).  Evaluation papers for those groups presenting on March 7^th are due no later than Wednesday, March 9^th; papers for those presenting on March 14^th are due no later than Wednesday, March 16^th.  Papers are due by 4:00 p.m. in hard copy to my office.

The 50% of course credit allocated for this assignment will be distributed as follows:  25% for the presentation and 25% for the written paper.  Each student on a team will receive the same credit for the written paper; the presentations will be judged individually by the professor (10% group evaluation, 10% individual evaluation), with 5% allocated for peer evaluation.  There is no grade assigned for the reflection statement, since this is a personal observation; nonetheless it is required and should be given careful attention.  Since much of the grade is a group evaluation, it is particularly important that you give careful attention to the quality of the group products, ensuring that the collective work is well integrated, the presentation is focused and within the time limits, and the paper reads as a coherent single work.  If you experience difficulties within your group, please contact me.

3.  Class Participation (10% of course grade)

Ten percent of the grade will be allocated to class participation; this includes preparation for each class session, active participation in class discussions, and general involvement in class activities.  Participation in the class sessions is an important part of your learning — to reflect on the reading and thinking you are doing related to the course content, engage in discussions with your classmates and professor, share your experiences with respect to your evaluation project, and ask questions and seek answers from all participants in the class.  You are expected to attend all class sessions; the proportion of course grade allocated to class participation will reflect your level of participation and demonstrated learning.  If you must miss a class, please let me know in advance so that we may discuss how you may make up missed material.

Inappropriate use of technology during class will result in loss of the entire 10% for class participation.  Inappropriate use includes:  texting, using your laptop for games or Internet surfing during class, cell phone/Bluetooth usage, Tweeting, updating Facebook pages, etc.

Expectations

A course syllabus can be considered as a contract between the professor and the students.  This syllabus includes all expectations for performance in the class, and you should now understand what is required of you, and the deadlines for assignments.  If you have questions about any of these expectations, I encourage you to discuss them with me sooner rather than later.  Any changes in the course requirements or schedule will be communicated in class.

Student Code of Conduct

In a graduate level course, students are clearly expected to do their own work, as stated by PSU policy.  Plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty will result in the grade of zero for the work involved and may, if in the judgment of the instructor that the particular case warrants it, result in the grade of “F” for the course and/or referral to the University for further action. To learn your rights and responsibilities as a member of the Portland State Community, please review the Student Code of Conduct that describes behavior for which a student may be subject to disciplinary action (http://www.pdx.edu/dos/codeofconduct).

Accommodation for Disabilities

If you have a disability and are in need of academic accommodations, please notify me immediately to arrange needed supports.  If you are registered with the Disability Resource Center, please provide me with the paperwork they have given you regarding accommodations.

Course Schedule

The following is the anticipated schedule of class topics, readings, and assignments.  All readings are from the required textbooks (other than where noted), and should be completed before the class for which they are assigned.  NOTE:  Please bring both of the resource books with you to each class, as well as electronic or hard copies of other assigned readings.  Any other readings will be distributed/announced in class the week prior to their use.

Session 1:  January 3

Introductions and course overview

Introduction to program evaluation

Fundamentals, theory, standards, logic of evaluation

Overview of group projects and determination of groups for projects

Readings: Stufflebeam & Shinkfield, Chapters 1, 2, 3; Gelmon, Foucek & Waterbury, Chapter 1

Session 2:  January 10

Approaches to evaluation

Feasibility and value of evaluation, evaluability and needs assessments

Creating an evaluation matrix

Readings: Stufflebeam & Shinkfield, Chapters 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 (skim); Gelmon, Foucek & Waterbury, Chapters 2, 3

B.A. Israel, C.C. Coombe, R.R. Cheezum, et al.  “Commnity-Based Participatory Research:  A Capacity-Building Approach for Policy Advocacy Aimed at Eliminating Health Disparities.”  American Journal of Public Health 100 (November 2010): 2094-2102.

Session 3:  January 17

No class — Martin Luther King holiday

Session 4:  January 24

Evaluation designs (experimental, quasi-experimental, randomized control, case study)

Issues of reliability and validity

Ethical issues and protection of human subjects in evaluation

Readings: Stufflebeam & Shinkfield, Chapters 13, 14; Gelmon, Foucek & Waterbury, Chapter 4; Review “Research Integrity: Human Subjects” with specific reference to guidelines for determining nature of review at http://www.rsp.pdx.edu/compliance_human_process.php

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  “The Tuskegee Timeline.”  Available at <http://www.cdc.gov/tuskegee/timeline.htm>

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  “How Tuskegee Changed Research Practices.”  Available at <http://www.cdc.gov/tuskegee/after.htm>

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.  “The Doctors Trial (the Medial Case of the Subsequent Nuremberg Proceedings).”  Available at <http://www.ushmm.org/research/doctors/twoa.htm>

Groups:  Report on first meeting with community partner

Hand out short assignment #1 instructions

Session 5:  January 31

Methods used in evaluation #1:  Surveys

Readings:  Gelmon, Foucek & Waterbury, Chapters 5, 6D.H. Odierna and L.A. Schmidt.  “The Effects of Failing to Include Hard-to-Reach Respondents in Longitudinal Surveys.”  American Journal of Public Health 99 (August 2009): 1515-1521.

Groups:  Bring evaluation matrices for class review

Due:  Short assignment #1

Session 6:  February 7

Methods used in evaluation #2:  Focus Groups, Interviews

Readings: Gelmon, Foucek & Waterbury, Chapters 5, 6

Groups:  Bring sample surveys for reviewShort assignment #1 returned

Session 7:  February 14

Class critique of evaluation approaches

Readings: Stufflebeam & Shinkfield, Chapters 15, 16, 17, 18

Groups:  Bring sample focus group and interview protocols for review

Due:  Short assignment #2

Session 8:  February 21

Methods used in evaluation #3:  Observations, Documentation, Use of Experts

Evaluation budgets

Readings: Gelmon, Foucek & Waterbury, Chapters 5, 7; Stufflebeam & Shinkfield, Chapter 22

Groups:  Bring final questions on evaluation design and methods

Short assignment #2 returned

Decide on group presentation schedule

Session 9:  February 28

Evaluation information collection, analysis, synthesis and reporting

Managing, completing, using and communicating evaluations

Pitfalls of evaluation

Readings: Stufflebeam & Shinkfield, Chapters 20, 24, 25, 26; Gelmon, Foucek & Waterbury, Chapter 8

Groups:  Bring evaluation budgets

Session 10:  March 7

Student presentations (four groups)

Due:  Final papers for these presentations to my office by 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 9th

Session 11:  March 14

Student presentations (two groups)

Due:  Final papers for these presentations to my office by 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 16th

Synthesis of course themes

Final course evaluation

Graded papers will be available for pickup from the PA office on March 28th.

APPENDIX 1

Articles for Short Assignment

T. Dumanovsky, C.Y. Huang, M.T. Bassett, and L.D. Silver.  “Consumer Awareness of Fast-Food Calorie Information in New York City after Implementation of a Menu Labeling Regulation.”  American Journal of Public Health 100 (December 2010): 2520-2525.

R.C. Klesges, D. Sherrill-Mittleman, J.O. Ebbert, G.W. Talcott, and M. DeBon.  “Tobacco Use Harm Reduction, Elimination, and Escalation in a Large Military Cohort.”  American Journal of Public Health 100 (December 2010): 2487-2492.

A.P. Martinez-Donate, J.Z. Zeliner, F. Sanudo, et al.  “Hombres Sanos:  Evaluation of a Social Marketing Campaign for Heterosexually Identified Latino Men Who Have Sex with Men and Women.”  American Journal of Public Health 100 (December 2010): 2532-2540.

A.E. Maxwell, R. Bastani, L.L. Danao, et al.  “Results of a Community-Based Randomized Trial to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening Among Filipino Americans.”  American Journal of Public Health 100 (November 2010): 2228-2234.

T.N. Nguyen, J.H. Tran, M. Kagawa-Singer, and M.A. Foo.  “A Qualitative Assessment of Community-Based Breast Health Navigation Services for Southeast Asian Women in Southern California:  Recommendations for Developing a Navigator Training Curriculum.”  American Journal of Public Health 101 (January 2011): 87-93.

A.M. Novoa, K. Perez, E. Santamarina-Rubio, et al.  “Impact of the Penalty Points System on Road Traffic Injuries in Spain:  A Time-Series Study.”  American Journal of Public Health 100 (November 2010): 2220-2227.

S.E. Samuels, L. Craypo, M. Boyle, et al.  “The California Endowment’s Healthy Eating, Active Communities Program:  A Midpoint Review.”  American Journal of Public Health 100 (November 2010): 2114-2123.

T.G.M. Sandfort, J.M.W. Bos, K.L. Collier, and M. Metselaar.  “School Environment and the Mental Health of Sexual Minority Youths:  A Study among Dutch Young Adolescents.”  American Journal of Public Health 100 (September 2010): 1696-1700.

T.K. Takaro, J. Krieger, L. Song, D. Sharify, and N. Beaudet.  “The Breathe-Easy Home:  The Impact of Asthma-Friendly Home Construction on Clinical Outcomes and Trigger Exposure.”  American Journal of Public Health 101 (January 2011): 55-62.

J.F. Thrasher, R. Perez-Hernandez, K. Swayampakala, et al.  “Policy Support, Norms, and Secondhand Smoke Exposure Before and After Implementation of a Comprehensive Smoke-Free Law in Mexico City.”  American Journal of Public Health 100 (September 2010): 1789-1798.

R.R. Wing, M.M. Crane, J.G. Thomas, R. Kumar, and B. Weinberg.  “Improving Weight Loss Outcomes of Community Interventions by Incorporating Behavioral Strategies.”  American Journal of Public Health 100 (December 2010): 2513-2519.

P.A. Wyman, C.H. Brown, M. LoMurray, et al.  “An Outcome Evaluation of the Sources of Strength Suicide Prevention Program Delivered by Adolescent Peer Leaders in High Schools.”  American Journal of Public Health 100 (September 2010): 1653-1661.

APPENDIX 2

Community Partners for Winter 2011

1. Growing Gardens, Youth Grow Program – www.growing-gardens.org

2. Ladder to Leadership, Patient Navigator Program

3.  Friends of Zenger Farm, Healthy Eating on a Budget Program – www.zengerfarm.org

4.  Oregon Foundation for Reproductive Health, One Key Question Program – www.prochoiceoregon.org

5.  Preventive Medicine Residency Program, Oregon Health & Sciences University, Training Residents for Prevention and Policy Program – http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/education/schools/school-of-medicine/departments/clinical-departments/public-health/education-programs/preventive-medicine-residency/index.cfm

6.  Portland Police Bureau, Crisis Intervention Training Program – http://www.portlandonline.com/police/index.cfm?c=30680

APPENDIX 3

Final Evaluation Paper Protocol

The group evaluation paper should be prepared as follows:

1.  Descriptive information about the organization where the program/activity is located

2.  Program description, goals and objectives, and scope of activities

3.  Purpose of the evaluation

4.  Literature review, documenting relevant evaluations that provide the basis for your design and choice of methods (include complete citations in a bibliography of all references)

5.  Conceptual matrix and discussion of core concepts and key indicators

6.  Evaluation design, including choice and justification of selection of design, other designs considered, costs/benefits of selected design, methods to address threats to validity

7.  Measurement methods and data sources identified in conceptual matrix; discussion of selection and design of data collection instruments; drafts of sample instruments (appended); issues of sample size (where applicable)

8.  Discussion of involvement of human subjects, including anonymity, confidentiality and socio-economic-cultural issues; need/procedures for Institutional Review Board review/approval

9.  Proposed methods for synthesis and analysis of data, as well as strategies for presenting results and findings

10.  Budget for the evaluation (budget statement and narrative), illustrating major categories of expenditures (human resources, operations, supplies, travel, etc.); indicate sources of funds (confirmed or potential) and alternatives for funding

11.  Anticipated uses of the evaluation; suggested alternative methods of reporting and dissemination of results to multiple audiences.

12.  Appraisal of the likelihood of completion of the evaluation by the community partner; resources needed for completion

Appended to the group paper from each individual group member:

13.  Reflections on community-based learning and lessons learned – each team member should independently write and submit a 1-2 page statement; these may be appended to the final paper

The copy of the paper you give to the partner should not include #12 or 13.

NOTE:  Since you will hand in one final paper per team, it is important that you allow sufficient time to prepare the paper so that your submission is an integrated, consistent report written in a single voice, rather than a series of fragments pasted together.  This should be a well-edited, error-free, professional report that the community partner will be pleased to receive.

This course examines methods of community development for a diverse democracy. It assesses the ways in which people join together, take initiative, and develop community-based programs, with or without assistance by outside agencies. It analyzes core concepts of community development, steps in the process, and perspectives on future practice in a society which values diversity as an asset.

The course assumes that community members are active participants and competent citizens who mobilize resources and build upon strengths, rather than problems in society or passive recipients of services. Emphasis is placed on increasing involvement of traditionally underrepresented groups in economically disinvested and racially segregated areas.

The course will draw upon best practices and lessons learned from community-based initiatives involving education, environment, health, housing, and neighborhood revitalization, in addition to social work, public health, urban planning, and related fields.

Course Objectives

• Understand the changing context and core concepts of community development in a diverse democratic society.
• Recognize alternative concepts of community as pluralist and multicultural units of solution.
• Develop knowledge of steps in the process, e.g., bringing people together, assessing community conditions, building organizational capacity, making action plans, increasing intergroup dialogue.
• Critically assess case studies and lessons learned from community-based practice.
• Identify issues of underrepresented groups in economically disinvested and racially segregated areas.
• Examine questions of ethics and values arising in the field.

Course Design

Responsibilities include readings, participation in discussions, written assignments, and individual and group exercises related to course objectives. Community collaborators and resource persons will address specific topics in areas of expertise.

Relationship of Course to Curricular Themes

Multiculturalism and Diversity:

Students will identify ways in which community development can address race, ethnicity, class, gender, age, sexual orientation, and other forms of stratification of inequality.

Social Justice and Social Change:

Emphasis is placed on how community development can strengthen social change and social justice through community building in economically disinvested and squirted areas.

Promotion, Prevention, Treatment, and Rehabilitation:

The course will focus on how to prevent social problems and promote healthier communities rather than to take the frequent common curative model approach

Behavioral and Social Science Research:

Relevant research and best practices from diverse social science disciplines and professional fields will contribute to understanding of empirically-based practice.

Course Schedule

Date-Topic(s)

May 8-Opening and Orientation

May 15-Core Concepts I

May 22-Core Concepts II

May 29-No Class, Memorial Day

June 5-Steps in the Process, Entering the Community, Making Contacts & Bringing People Together

June 12-Getting to Know the Community I

June 19-Getting to Know the Community II

June 26-Building Organizational Capacity, Making Action Plans

July 3-Building Constituency Support, Increasing Intergroup Dialogue

July 10-Community Project

July 17-Community Project

July 24-Community Presentations, Youth Participation in Neighborhood Development, Closing

Reading List

Core Concepts

Checkoway, B., et al. (2003). Democracy multiplied in an urban neighborhood: Youth Force in the South Bronx. Children, Youth and Environments, 13, 1-19.

Checkoway, B., et al. (2006). Arab Americans Arising: Case Studies of Community-Based Organizations in Three American Cities. Dearborn: Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services, pp. 23-37.

Pratt Center for Community Development CDC Oral History Project Studies

http://www.prattcenter.net/cdcoralhistory.php

Capraro, J.F. (2004). Community organizing + community development = community transformation. Journal of Urban Affairs, 26, 151-161.

Mattesich, P. & Monsey, B. (2001). Community Building: What Makes It Work? A Review of Factors Influencing Successful Community Building. St. Paul: Amherst J. Wilder Foundation.

Grisgby, W.J. (2001). Community Vitality: Some Conceptual Considerations. University Park: Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development.

Murphy, P.W. & Cunningham, J.V. (2003). Organizing for Community-Controlled Development. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, Chapters 3,4.

Chaskin, R.J. (1997). Perspectives on neighborhood and community: A review of the literature. Social Service Review, 71, 521-547.

Morrissey, J. (2000). Indicators of citizen participation: Lessons from learning teams in rural EZ/EC communities. Community Development Journal 35, 59-74.

Steps in the Process

Henderson, P. & Thomas, D.N. (2003). Skills in Neighbourhood Work. London: Allen & Unwin, Table of Contents.

Jones, B. (1990). Neighborhood Planning: A Guide for Citizens and Planners. Chicago: American Planning Association, Chapter 2.

Bopp, M. & Bopp, J. (2001). Recreating the World: A Practical Guide to Building Sustainable Communities. Calgary: Four Worlds Press, Part IV.

World Vision. (2002). Transformational Development & Community Transformation. Federal Way: Author, passim.

Entering the Community

Henderson & Thomas, Chapter 2.

Eng, E. (1988). Extending the unit of practice from the individual to the community. Danish Medical Bulletin, 6, 45-51.

Getting to Know the Community

Marti-Costa, S., & Serrano-Garcia, I. (2001). Needs assessment and community development: An ideological perspective. In J. Tropman, et al., eds. Strategies of Community Intervention. Itasca: F.E. Peacock Publishers, Chapter 14.

Henderson & Thomas, Chapter 3, Appendix.

Hope, A. & Timmel, S. (1995). Training for Transformation: A Handbook for Community Workers. Gweru, Zimbabwe: Mambo Press, Chapters 1-3.

Driskell, D. (2001). Creating Better Cities with Children and Youth. Paris/ London: UNESCO/Earthscan, Chapter 6.

Kretzmann, J. & McKnight, J. (2005). Mapping community capacity. In M. Minkler, ed. Community Organizing and Community Building for Health. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, Chapter 10.

Making Contacts and Bringing People Together

Henderson & Thomas, Chapter 5.

Hope & Tisdale, Chapter 5.

Chambers R. (2002). Participatory Workshops. London: Earthscan, Chapters 5,11-12.

Building Organizational Capacity

Henderson & Thomas, Chapter 6

Hardcastle, D., et al. (2004). Community Practice: Theories and Skills for Social Workers. New York: Oxford University Press, Chapter 10.

Chaskin, R.J., et al. (2001). Building Community Capacity. New York: Aldine De Gruyer, Chapter 2.

Making Action Plans

Henderson & Thomas, Chapter 7.

Hope & Tisdale, Chapter 7.

Driskell, D. (2001). Creating Better Cities with Children and Youth. Paris/ London: UNESCO/Earthscan, Chapter 4.

Murphy, P.W. & Cunningham, J.V. (2003). Organizing for Community-Controlled Development. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, Chapter 8.

Building Constituency Support

Checkoway, B. (1986). Political strategy for social planning. In B. Checkoway, ed. Strategic Approaches to Planning Practice. Lexington: Lexington Books, Chapter 13.

Warren, M.R. (2001). Dry Bones Rattling: Community Building to Revitalize American Democracy. Princeton: Princeton University Press, Chapter 5.

Maurasse, D.J. (2001). Beyond the Campus: How Colleges and Universities Form Partnerships with Their Communities. New York: Routledge, Chapter 4.

Increasing Intergroup Dialogue

Zuniga, X. & Nagda, B.R. (2004). Design considerations in intergroup dialogue. In D. Schoem & S. Hurtado, eds. Intergroup Dialogue: Deliberative Democracy in School, College, Community, and Workplace. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, Chapter 20.

McCoy, M. & McCormick, M.A. Engaging the whole community in dialogue and action: Study circles resource center. In Schoem, Chapter 9.

Youth Participation in Neighborhood Development

Medoff, P. & Sklar, H. (1994). Seeds of Hope: The Fall and Rise of an Urban Neighborhood. Boston: South End Press, Chapter 8.

Checkoway, B. (1998). Involving young people in neighborhood development. Children and Youth Services Review, 20, 765-795.

Frank, K. I. (2006). The potential of youth participation in planning. Journal of Planning Literature, 20: 351-371.

Assignments

The assignments for the course include memoranda based on the readings and proposal for a community development initiative.

Memoranda

Write a series of memoranda which enable you to critically analyze and refer to the readings, organize your thoughts, and come to class prepared to discuss your approach. Each memorandum should be no more than two typewritten pages, and is due on the dates indicated below.

The first memorandum should address: What is your definition of community development? What criteria would you use to assess it, and why?
(Due May 15, 10 percent)

The second memorandum should discuss: What are the key factors which facilitate successful community development. (Due May 22, 10 percent)

The third memorandum should compare various versions of community development, and formulate an approach of your own. Specifically, what are the “steps in the process” described by Henderson and Thomas, Jones, Bopp and Bopp, and World Vision. What are the steps in your own approach, and why? (Due June 5, 10 percent)

For the fourth memorandum, form a learning group around a method of community assessment, e.g., interviews, focus groups, asset mapping. Write a group memorandum which refers to relevant readings and addresses: What is the method? What are its features? What are its strengths and weaknesses? What is its potential for the class project? Come to class prepared to teach others about its practice. (Due June 19, 10 percent)

Proposal

Working in learning groups, prepare a 5-page proposal for a community development initiative in a specific neighborhood, and make a 10-minute presentation to class members and community leaders. More background on this project is below. (Due July 24, 40 percent)

Portfolio

Prepare a final portfolio of your semester’s work, including all assignments and a brief reflexive summary of your experience in the course. (Due July 26)

On-Line Resources

There are various on-line resources relevant for your work in the course, including Comm-Org and Community Tool Box.

Paper Revision Policy

You may revise and resubmit any paper for reevaluation until the last session of the seminar. Papers are due on assigned dates unless prearranged with the instructor. Late papers will be penalized.

Class Participation

Class participation contributes to individual and group learning. It might include involvement in discussions, volunteering, cocurricular activities, group leadership, or other initiatives. (20 percent)

Participation requires presence in class and submission of assignments on scheduled dates unless arranged in advance. Absence from class may result in lowering of your grade.

Class Project

Pastor Harry Grayson of Messias Temple Church in Ypsilanti has asked us to conduct a class project that will gather information and formulate an approach for a community development initiative in a neighborhood area, and present findings and recommendations to community leaders.

Overall, he wants to develop a vision and plan that will promote participation, build capacity, and strengthen development in an area served by the Ypsilanti Community Non-Profit Housing Corporation, bounded approximately by Congress Street, Michigan Avenue, Chidester Street, I-94, and South Hewitt Road.

Pastor Grayson has asked the following questions:

1. What do people inside and outside the area perceive as its assets and needs?
2. What kind of community development initiative would people most likely support in the area? What would you recommend?
3. What are some approaches to community development as a process that might accomplish this purpose? What are the steps in the process?
4. What are the key elements for successful community development? What are the factors that facilitate and limit work of this type?

Pastor Grayson is asking us to gather information and formulate ideas for consideration. He hopes that we will “look, listen, and learn” as a preliminary step on which to build a potential long-term initiative. The assignment is not to formulate plans or create change, but to gather information and formulate ideas for an initiative which they might undertake. He expects us to make a presentation to him and other community leaders at the end of the semester.

Because of the preliminary sensitive stage, he asks that we communicate and coordinate through me before entering the neighborhood. It might jeopardize the project if we were to make contact without checking with him first.

Pastor Grayson is interested in gathering information about assets and needs, groups and agencies, community leadership, perceptions of people inside and outside the area, etc. Assessment methods might include observations, documents, interviews, focus groups, asset mapping, and a session with young people.

Pastor Grayson is joined by colleagues who share his commitment. They have been impressed by World Vision’s approach to transformational development, which places emphasis on youth development and youth participation.

Proposals should include the following:

• Project name – name or title of the project
• Purpose statement – a one sentence description of what will be accomplished as a result of the initiative
• Project overview – a one-paragraph summary of the project
• Project goals – impacts to be accomplished
• Project objectives – key elements necessary for success
• Rationale – why the project is important and the approach is appropriate
• Project steps – steps that will accomplish the objectives
• Elements for successful community development
• Indicators for measuring success
• Your own methodology – what you did to come up with the proposal
• Realistic timeline

The proposal should utilize and refer to specific course readings and class discussions. The presentation should include a visual that illustrates the proposal.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

SW 650 Spring/Summer 2006

Name:

Address:

Telephone:

e-mail:

UM program:

Professional goal:

Childhood community:

Ancestral community:

Community experience:

Interest in course topic:

Something about you that might be useful to the class:

Group whose participation I care about:

Characteristic of the group:

Perfect day:

Do you have a car available for driving to the neighborhood?

In the event that additional scheduling is required, can you meet on the following: Monday, 12-1; Monday, 5-6; Saturday morning; Sunday evening

What is civic engagement? Why do some heed its call, while others shrug their shoulders and change the subject? How do youth who are involved in their communities evaluate their contributions? How do adults view their efforts? What results can programs that seek to engage and empower youth show? How can researchers and evaluators measure these outcomes and their meanings for the youth, for adults, for their communities, and for society?

This course will explore questions such as these, starting from the premise that youth civic participation is not just important, but imperative in a democracy. We will examine current research and theory about youth civic engagement, and we will test the assumptions, conclusions, and implications of these pieces by relating them to a particular youth empowerment program, sponsored by the John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities at Stanford. In its current sites in Redwood City and West Oakland, Youth Engaged in Leadership and Learning (YELL) trains youth to research and reform their schools and their communities. Through weekly service to this program, you will come to learn from the youth about the issues they face and about how they see themselves in relation to these concerns. The perspectives of these middle and high school students will lie at the heart of this course.

During the quarter, you will also have the opportunity to hear from adult researchers and practitioners about the challenges they face, the lessons they are learning, and the contributions they are making. Finally, you will also be encouraged to assess your own suppositions and convictions about youth, about community, and about civic engagement and service. In essence, you will serve as your own case study as well.
For more information about YELL or the John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities, please refer to the website http://gardnercenter.stanford.edu.

Course Eligibility

This course is open to all undergraduates and SUSE MA students, but it will be capped at eight. Interested students should submit an application via email to Jerusha and Milbrey prior to the second scheduled class.

Course Requirements and Expectations

* 3 hours per week of service to YELL (25%)
Based on the interests and skills you articulate in your application, the YELL participants will match you with a particular work team. While you will be expected to help your assigned team to prepare its product, you will also be encouraged to find additional ways to contribute to the learning of this community, to support the experiences of the participants, and to serve the program. This aspect of the course may well be the most rewarding and the most fun.

* Class attendance and engagement (20%)
Class attendance is mandatory. Regular participation in class is not required; however, at a bare minimum, we will expect you to have read the assigned readings (usually 50-75 pages a week), to listen respectfully to those speaking, and to appear attentive. We will encourage you to pose questions, to make connections across your experiences, and to share insights and critical interpretations of the readings, as we believe these are the keys to a rich learning experience. When readings for the week exceed 75 pages, we will divide the readings amongst you, using the jig-saw technique.

* Memos (20%)
These short memos will allow you to integrate the course readings with your service experience, and they may help you prepare for class discussion. They need not exceed a page in length. Often, we will prompt you with a directing question. In organization and in style, the memos should be more formal than traditional journal entries, but they should include some conscious analysis of self: your lenses, sensibilities, and sense-making. the first five weeks of the course, you will be asked to complete four memos. In the seventh week of the course, you will have the chance to revise one of these based on the feedback you have received.

* Final presentation (15%)
Throughout the first half of the quarter, the memos will serve to track the ways in which your understandings deepen, as beliefs and assumptions are confirmed or reassessed, and as you consider how research and theory illuminate or obfuscate Jived experience. The presentation you give on our last day of class can be seen as an extension of these memos. You will be expected to draw on personal experiences as you reflect on what you have learned over the past nine weeks from the YELL youth and staff, about yourself, and about civic engagement. You may also wish to discuss any related experiences with service, politics, or community involvement that you had prior to this course. Your audience for this presentation will consist of the YELL youth and staff. Although power point is not necessary, your five-seven minute presentation should be engaging, clear, and well organized. If you wish to present with a partner, you may do so. In this case, your presentation should last 10 minutes. There will be an opportunity to practice presenting and fielding questions in class before the YELL youth arrive on campus.

* Final paper (20%)
Over the course of the quarter, it will become clear to you that the field of youth civic engagement is riddled with problems. Within the research literature, there are problems of conceptualization and of measurement. Both in schools and in the community, effective practice is hampered by social, political, and financial constraints. For your final paper, you will choose one problem that you believe has significant implications for either future scholarship or future policy and practice. Your paper should trace the roots of this problem, discuss its costs, and formulate research-based recommendations for change. These papers should be approximately 10 pages in length, double-spaced, 12 point font. A proposal for the paper will be due in class on May 3. Drafts will be due May 24 in class, and final papers will be due on June 6 by 5:00 p.m.

Course Outline

I. Introduction: Pathways to Civic Engagement

Week 1: Introduction

Week 2: Conceptions and pathways
Assignments due: Memo on civic engagement conceptualizations. Course application
Readings:
Putnam, R. (2000). Thinking about social change in’ America. In Bowling alone: The collapse and revival of American community. New York: Simon & Schuster. 15-28.
Coles, R. (1993). Kinds of service. 1n The Call afService. New York: Houghton Mifflin. 13-67.
Camino, L., & Zeldin, S. (2002). From periphery to center: Pathways for youth civic engagement in the day-to-day life of communities. Applied Developmental Science, 6, 213-220.
Keeter, S., Zukin, C., Andolina, M., & Jenkins, K. (2002). The civic and political health of the nation: a generational portrait. Report for the Center for Information and Research on Civic Engagement (CIRCLE).

Week 3: Obstacles and challenges
Assignment due: Memo on obstacles
Readings:
Roach, C., Yu, H.C., & Lewis-Charp, H. (2001). Race, poverty, and youth development. Poverty and Race, 10, 3-6.
Checkoway, B., et al. (2003). Young people as competent citizens. Community Development Journal, 38,298-309.
C Hart, D., & Atkins, R. (2002). Civic competence in Urban Youth. Applied Developmental Science, 6,227-236.
Anyon, Y., & Naughton, S. (2003). Youth empowerment: The contributions and challenges 0/ youth-led research in a high-poverty, urban community. Stanford, CA: John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities.
YELL Reports: http://gardnercenter.stanford.edu/sharing_ what_works/work _ of jgc youth.html

II. The Anatomy of Youth Empowerment

Week 4: Civic interest and motivation
Assignment due: Memo on interest and motivation
Readings:
Miller, F. (1992). The personal and the political in reasoning and action. In H. Haste & J, Torney-Purta (Eds.), The development of political understanding: A new perspective. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 55-63.
Hart, D., Yates, M, Fegley, S., & Wilson, G. (1995). Moral commitment in inner-city adolescents. In M. Killen & D. Hart (Eds.) Morality in every-day life. New York:
Cambidge University Press. 3 I 7-339.
Lake Snell Perry & Associates and The Tarrance Group, Inc, (2002). Short term impacts, long term opportunities: The political and civic engagement of young adults in America. Report for the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) and the Center for Democracy and Citizenship and the Partnership for Trust in Government.
Flanagan, C., Bowes, J., Jonsson, B., Csapo, B., &. Sheblanova, E. (1998). Ties that bind: Correlates of adolescents’ civic commitments in seven countries. Journal of Social Issues, 54, 457-475.
Schondel, C & Boehm, K. (2000). Motivational needs of adolescent volunteers. Adolescence, 35.

Week 5: Civic knowledge and skills
Assignment due: Memo on knowledge and skills
Readings:
Baldi, S. (2001). What democracy means to ninth-graders: U.S. results
from the international EAS civic education study. National Center for Education Statistics. Chapters 1& 2.
Kirlin, M. (June 2003). The role of civic skills in/ostering civic engagement. Report for the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE).
Gutmann, A. (1999). Democratic education. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 101-107.
James, T. (Spring, 2003). Democratizing knowledge: The role of research and evaluation in youth organizing. CYD. 4,33-39.
Flanagan, c., & Faison, N. (2001). Youth civic development: Implications of research for social policy and programs. Social Policy Report, XV, 3-14.

Week 6: Civic and political efficacy
Assignment due: 1 page proposal for term paper
Readings:
Kahne, J. & Westheimer, 1. (2002). The limits of efficacy: Educating citizens for democratic action. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association. Boston, MA. August 29-September 1,2002.
Kaba, M. (200 I). ’They listen to me … but they don’t act on it’: Contradictory consciousness and student participation in decision-making. High School Journal, 84,21-35.
O’Donoghue, J. & Kirshner, B. (2003). Urban youth’s civic development in community-based youth organizations. Paper presented at the International conference on civic education, New Orleans, LA, November 16-18,2003.
Steinberger, PJ. (1981). Social context and political efficacy. Sociology and Social Research. 65, 129-141.

Week 7: Leadership
Assignment due: Revision of one of your memos
Readings:
Gibson, C. (200 I, November). from inspiration to participation: A review of perspectives on youth civic engagement. New York: Carnegie Corporation.
Kouzes, J. & Posner, B. (1998). Student Leadersbip Practices Inventory. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
O’Brien, J. & Kohlmeier, J. (2003). “Leadership: Part of the civic mission of the schools?” The Social Studies. 94(4) 161-166.
Roach, A., Wyman, L., Brookes, H., Chaves, C., Health, S.B., Valdes, G. (1999).
Leadership giftedness: Models revisited. Gifted Child Quarterly 43, I, 13-24.

III. School, State, and National Policies for Youth Civic Engagement

Week 8: Civic education in school
Readings:
Meier, D. (September, 2003). So what does it take to build a school for democracy? Phi Delta Kappan, 15-21.
Mosher, R., Kenny, R., Garrod, A., & Sadowsky, E. (1994). Democracy in a New Hampshire school: Applied citizenship education. In Preparing for citizenship: Teaching youth to live democratically. Westport, CT: Praeger, 151-163.
Sawyer, C. (1993). Democratic practices at the elementary school level: Three portraits. In Berman, S., & La Farge, P. (Eds.) Promising practices in teaching social responsibility. New York: State University of New York Press, 87-103.
Kreisberg, S. (1993). Educating for democracy and community: Toward the transformation of power in our schools. In Berman, S., & La Farge, P. (Eds.) Promising practices in teaching social responsibility. new York: State University of New York Press, 218-235.
Kahne, J., & Westheimer, J. (1999). In the service of what? The politics of service-learning. In J. Claus & C. Ogden (Eds.) Service learning for youth empowerment and social change. New York: Peter Lang.
Boyte, H. (1991). Community service and civic education. Phi Delta Kappan, 72. 765-767.

Week 9: Students and school reform
Assignment due: Draft of final paper
Readings:
SooHoo, S. (Summer 1993). Students as partners in research and restructuring in schools. The Educational Forum, 57,386-393.
Crane, B. (2001). Revolutionising school-based research. Forum, 43,54-55.
Harding, C. (2001). Students as researchers is as important as the national curriculum. Forum, 43,56-57.
Mitra, D. (2001). Opening the floodgates: Giving students a voice in school reform. Forum, 43,91-94.
Silva, E. (2001). Squeaky wheels and flat tires: A case study of students as reform participants. Forum, 43,95-99.
Fielding, M. (2001). Beyond the rhetoric of student voice: New departures or new constraints in the transformation of 21st century schooling? Forum, 43, 100-109.
Fletcher, A. (2003). Meaningful student involvement: Guide to inclusive school change. Olympia, WA: The Freechild Project.
Listening:

http://www.wrni.orglfocusrhodeisland/archives/022704.shtmI

http://www.youthradio.org/education/kqed2003 _ krystleexitexam.shtm

Week 10:
Assignment due: Prepared presentation
Readings:
Sirianni, C. (Fall, 2002). Volunteering then and now: Civic innovation and public policy for democracy. The Brookings Review, 20,42-45.
O’Donoghue, J., Kirshner, E., & McLaughlin, M. (Eds.) (Winter 2002). Youth evaluating programs for youth: Stories of Youth IMPACT. New Directions for Youth Development, 96,101.118.
Youniss, J., Vales, S., Christmas-Best, V., Diversi, M., McLaughlin, M., & Silbereisen, R.
(2002). Youth civic engagement in the twenty-first century. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 12,121·158.
Haid, P., Marques, E.C., & Brown, J. (1999). Re-focusing the lens: Assessing the challenge of youth involvement in public policy. Ontano, Canada: The Ontario Secondary School Students’ Association & The Institute on Governance.
Final papers due June 6, 5:00 p.m.

We have had other successful service-learning initiatives at the law school over the past 12 years. Most of you have participated in one or more externship experiences available over a broad range of legal positions. Our LawHelp seminars provide unique perspectives for students through hands-on assignments built around specific legal problems of the elderly, victims of domestic violence, children, and families in crisis. Mediation courses give students opportunities to learn through actual mediations. Professor David Dominguez has successfully launched laudable community lawyering projects dealing with complex social problems in our area.

This course builds on these other experiential offerings by focusing on legal research that results in a concrete product that will benefit the community. The community will be involved in shaping the desired research, in collaborating with you in producing the research, and in using the results of the research. You may end up creating court forms, an explanatory brochure, preparing a curriculum and lesson plan, writing an article, proposing legislation, working on a handbook, producing a video or power point presentation, or creating a grant proposal. The keys to a successful project are identifying a community organization and knowledgeable community members, working closely with the community in shaping and creating the research, and producing something useful to the community based on your legal research.

In past years, students have carried out a number of exemplary projects. They include:

Preparation of materials for students in a new externship in Uganda assisting families affected by AIDS and HIV (wills, legal planning)
Preparation of a brochure on Section 8 housing
Preparation of immigration reference tools
Preparation of lesson plans for K-3 grades on alternative dispute resolution
Re-establishment of the Tuesday Night Bar (Central Utah Bar Association)
Creation of new forms for the Committee on Resources for Self-Represented Parties
Preparation of materials for Midvale City on teenage pregnancy concerns connected to date-rape and statutory rape
Updated bankruptcy packet for Utah Legal Services debt counseling clinic
Pro Bono Alliance Proposal (Public Interest Law Forum and the Law School)
Preparation of power point presentations (employment law and landlord/tenant law) for Hispanic Initiative in Salt Lake City (J. Reuben Clark Society, Salt Lake City Chapter)
Preparation of informational brochures in Spanish on immigration, employment law, taxes, domestic violence (Centro Hispano)
Drafted a policy statement for Provo School District concerning enrollment at Independence High School (the district?s alternative school)
Preparation of articles of incorporation, bylaws and web site (Preservation of Utah Lake)
Improved electronic version of Utah Domestic Relations Manual (Utah Legal Services)
Brochure on Predatory Lending and Paycheck Loans (Home Buyer & Mortgage Counseling Services)
Packet on Haiti Adoptions (Children?s Hope Foundation)

What Is Community-based Research?

Community-based research involves students, faculty and community members working collaboratively on research that is useful to a nonprofit agency, government or neighborhood organization. A unique characteristic of this kind of research is that the community serves as an active contributor and agent of change by participating in the design, execution, evaluation, and dissemination of academic research.

BENEFITS OF EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION

Benefits for the student through this special way of learning. I urge you to accept this invitation to learn and grow as a person. Service-Learning is a significant development impacting higher education reform. It potentially provides transformative education based on the impact of ?doing something? outside of lecture and class discussions.

This form of learning is based ?on individual contributions to the common good from a student?s own perspective, view point, and background. Students are understood as whole human beings with complex lives and experiences rather than simply as seeking after compartmentalized bits of knowledge.? (From Adam Howard, Teacher Education Situated in Reflective Practice (National Society for Experiential Education Quarterly, Summer 2003, Vol. 28, No. 3).

As you engage in this course, you will face situations requiring you to figure things out, make decisions and develop new understandings. Learning from Experience can be a magical teaching and learning opportunity. You are asked to take what you have learned as you make an impact through a transformative experience. It is a way to make ideas and learning come to life.

In 1916, John Dewey asked:

?Why is it, in spite of the fact that teaching by pouring in, learning by a passive absorption, are universally condemned, that they are still so entrenched in practice? That education is not an affair of ?telling? and being told but an active and constructive process, is a principle almost as generally violated in practice as conceded in theory.? (Democracy and Education. New York: Free Press (1916)).

This kind of class provides ?opportunities to grapple with the complexities of a real-world context. You are learning by doing. This class is different. We read when we need to find something out. By working on the project, … our learning process will emphasize collaboration. You will learn through experience as well as from the insights and contributions of community partners as well as your fellow classmates.? (Based on Adam Howard, NSEE)

Benefits for the Community. Service-learning principles emphasize the reciprocal relationships experienced in this form of learning. The student/learner and those served work together in a mutually supportive teaching/learning and serving/receiving relationship. It is often called democratic education with the goal of civic engagement for the students who learn through their interaction with those being served, who in turn, serve the student by sharing their knowledge and skills as they work with the students.

?Oakes and Lipton (Teaching to Change the World. New York: McGraw-Hill College. (1999)) maintain that there are four fundamental tenets of a learning community: learning is situated in a community of inquirers who share meanings, interpretations, and ideas; learning continually relates to classroom members? lived experiences; learning relates to the present cultural context of the larger society as well as the cultural context of our collective history; and the content students learn has value and is meaningful. Through learning communities, students and teachers reject the notion that education is a fragmentary act of receiving and giving compartmentalized bits of knowledge.?

COURSE ASSIGNMENTS

I. The Research Plan and Product. Each student, working individually or as part of a team of 2 to 3 students, will have the opportunity to interact and engage with a real community partner, meet with real people, partner as collaborators on real problems, and experience first-hand that their ?service? must be linked with what the community is both interested in and willing to support. Thus, the student?s service and learning are inextricably woven together. In implementing your project you should identify a community?s important legal needs and develop a product to address an important need (again, with community input).

You have the option of identifying your own community partner and project OR you may choose to work with one of the following community partners I have identified. If you want to identify 1 or 2 other students to work together as a team, that is encouraged. If you are planning to write a paper to serve as a substantial writing paper, you should plan to work independently on a project rather than on a team.

1. Standing Committee on Materials for Self-Represented Parties (Administrative Office of the Courts) ? I serve on both the full committee and the subcommittee on forms. We welcome the involvement of students in helping produce new materials for the self-represented parties? portal on the Utah state law library web site http://www.utcourts.gov/howto/. Work involves preparation of information packets for the state law library web site and brochures for distribution.
2. Immigration Court Improved Legal Access Initiative. This task force is setting up training for law students to assist pro bono attorneys on immigration removal cases. The team will assist in creating information materials and classes. The proposed project will help train and prepare young immigration attorneys, non-immigration lawyers and students to represent low income immigrants in removal proceedings. Barbara will also be responsible for strengthening pro bono clinics like Centro Hispano and Guadalupe in SLC while trying to create a new clinic in St. George.
3. Centro Hispano, Community Help for Immigrants through Law and Education (CHILE). They need materials available in Spanish especially designed for Immigrants. The law school is offering a new Hispanic Streetlaw Course this semester connected to student outreach activities at Centro Hispano. Student projects in this course will be helpful to this new initiative.
4. Provo Chapter of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society. They are launching a pro bono outreach program as part of the L.D.S. Church hispanic initiative. Work with their Pro Bono Committee on an Hispanic Initiative with local stakes and churches.
5. Work with the Utah Commission on Volunteers in preparing a report/presentation on liability protection for volunteers that would be shared with local and state government leaders:

   a) Research and report on volunteer liability issues, including but not limited to state statutes and ordinances protecting the organizations and municipalities that utilize volunteers, personal injury and property damage to and by volunteers, the Good Samaritan Act, and the Medical Reserve Corps Act, all specific to Utah law.
   b) Attend a strategic planning meeting of the Utah Citizen Corps Council in January of 2008 and assist in the development of a business plan for the year 2008, including the preparation of a presentation on volunteer liability issues for training purposes.
   Research could include state and national sources and models; for example, Florida and California, which both experienced extensive natural disasters frequently, have Disaster Service Workers programs and legislation. Utah ranks #1 in the nation for volunteering at an impressive rate of 43% compared to the national average of 27%, but many questions linger in the minds of prospective volunteers and the organizations that would like to engage volunteers in their programs.

6. The Rocky Mountain Innocence Center (RMIC) works to correct and prevent the conviction of innocent people in Utah, Nevada, and Wyoming. With the help of law students participating in the Innocence Clinic at S.J. Quinney College of Law and volunteer attorneys, RMIC investigates and litigates provable claims of actual innocence by prisoners. RMIC also conducts outreach and education about the causes and consequences of wrongful convictions and policy reforms that can prevent the conviction of innocent people. Outside of the Innocence Clinic, RMIC has unique volunteer opportunities for law students in three basic categories:

   (1) Policy Reform (legislative research and writing, including drafting legislation, and legislative advocacy);

   (2) Outreach and Education (preparation of educational and training events and materials, including materials for law enforcement officials, judges, defense attorneys, policymakers, and the public);

   (3) Non-Profit Development (website development, preparation of written and audio-visual public relations materials, and fundraising).

7. Midvale City, Community Building Community (Families Agencies Communities Together). This neighborhood organization works to find solutions to community problems. Last year, the committee working on immigrant concerns used law student assistance regarding Violence Against Women. Their committee combating teen pregnancy received materials regarding date rape and statutory rape.
8. Project with Professor Jini Roby at the School of Social Work and graduate from our Law School. She is looking for someone to help her with an article she is writing about internet-assisted adoptions and the legal concepts and laws that can be applied to regulate them. The student will assist her on a paper entitled ?The Benefits and Pitfalls of Internet-assisted Adoption Services: A Call for Regulation.? She has done most of the literature review, but would like a law student to research the various federal criminal laws that could be applied (e.g. wire fraud) to regulate this increasing practice.
9. Habitat for Humanity of Utah County builds and renovates simple, decent homes with families in need of safe and affordable housing in our community. They recently opened a ReStore Home Improvement business to help them fund their building mission and have gone from building one to two homes a year to four to five homes a year. With increase in capacity and the addition of the store, they are in need of some additional written legal/financial policies to help them become more business-like and to better protect the organization's interests. The legal and financial policies that are needed include record retention for financial records, saved computer files, and email. They also need to strengthen fiscal controls for the affiliate, and create controls and money handling policies for the ReStore.
10. Work with any local organization you have a specific interest in because of your own personal or family interests, connections or experiences with community programs.

    Each student (or team of students) will: determine the research project; develop the research design; gather information; and produce the chosen research product. You need to turn in your topic and initial plan to Professor Backman by Friday, January 18th. I will schedule a time to meet with each of you individually or as a team of students during these first two weeks of the semester. Be sure to sign up for an appointment.

    The initial plan should include appropriate contact information describing the community partner(s) participating with you in your research. Each student should plan on spending at least 40 hours working on the project over the full semester (meetings with team members, work with community partners, completing team assignments, etc.). That means about 3 hours per week in addition to classroom sessions. After the first few weeks of class, I will schedule meetings with each of you individually or as a team in place of the regular class sessions. We will resume regular class sessions at the end of the semester for student presentations to demonstrate class projects.

II. Reflective Journals. You are to prepare and send to me four reflective journals during the semester by email. (To be turned in on Mondays, January 28, February 11, March 3 and March 31.) Reflection is viewed as a critical part of service/learning education. Goals of Reflection in service-learning include:

1. Deepen understanding; connect service experiences with academic learning. If you understand something, you can teach it, use it, prove it, explain it, defend it;
2. Stimulate problem solving through critical thinking;
3. Challenge assumptions;
4. Provide transforming perspectives.

Each student will maintain a reflection journal consisting of three parts:

1. Part one is a report on your project and the progress you have made on your project: Include a summary of activities, observations, readings and conversations. You should prepare a progress report on the way the plan is working out and any revisions you have made on the initial plan in collaboration with the community partner(s).
2. Part two is a log reporting the number of hours you have spent on the project out of class since the last reflective journal and a cumulative total of your hours to that point in the semester.
3. In part three, please respond to the following assigned topics:

   (1st Reflection Journal due January 28) ? What I expect by enrolling in Community-based Legal Research? (Motivations) In choosing a community problem and a community partner for my project, these are my initial ideas. Why?

   (2nd Reflection Journal due February 11)? How I have learned about the chosen project and the community partner(s) involved? (Community partner) What resources already exist to help me in carrying out my project? (Mentors, resources, assets)

   For the remainder of the semester, you will be asked to report on your project?s progress in your reflective journal, indicating what you personally contributed to the project since your last entry. You are also asked to briefly explain the involvement of other students and community partners who are collaborating with you.

   (3rd Reflection Journal due March 3) ? How has your experience in working with the community on your project affected you, your views, your perspectives, and your future? (Personal Impact)

   (4th Reflection Journal due March 31) ? Describe the good, the bad and the ugly you have experienced in community-based legal research. How could the course be better the next time it is offered? (Course recommendations)

III. Class Presentation. Each student (or student team) will make a presentation during the final month of the course by sharing the final research product.

Schedule:
January 7 ? Introduction to course

January 14 ? Class Session on Collaboration

January 21 — NO CLASS, Martin Luther King holiday
            Written Initial Research Plan and Description is due by January 18.

January 28 ? (1st reflection journal is due, What I expect by enrolling in Community-based Legal Research? (Motivations) In choosing a community problem and a community partner for my project, these are my initial ideas. Why?)
            Class Session focusing on community-based research principles.

February 4 ? Individual, Small Group Consultations.

February 11 ? (2nd reflection journal is due, How I have learned about the chosen project and the community partner(s) involved? (Community partner) What resources already exist to help me in carrying out my project? (Mentors, resources, assets))
            Class Session reporting on your community service organization participation and what you learned from your consultations with them

February 18 ? NO CLASS, Placement Break

March 3 ? (3rd reflection journal is due, How has your experience in working with the community on your project affected you, your views, your perspectives, and your future? (Personal Impact)
            Class Session on Monthly Reflection about student research plans and progress reports.

March 10 ? Individual, Small Group Consultations

March 17 ? Student presentations. Class Session.

March 24 ? Student presentations. Class Session.

March 31 ? (4th reflection journal is due, Describe the good, the bad and the ugly you have experienced in community-based legal research. How could the course be better the next time it is offered? (Course recommendations))
            Student presentations. Class Session.

April 7 ? Celebration and evaluation. Class Session.

Web sites to consider:

www.compact.org (Campus Compact)
www.servicelearning.org (National Service-Learning Clearinghouse)
www.coralnetwork.org (Georgetown?s Community Research and Learning Network)

Mission Statement:

To help protect the ecological integrity of the Oconee and Ocmulgee River Basins by working with stakeholders to reduce the impact of human activities on water quality and biodiversity.

The Upper Altamaha Initiative is a service learning course that provides a structured and supportive format for students to apply policy, design and ecological principles learned in the classroom to the real world of people and policy.

Initiative Philosophy and History

The Upper Altamaha Initiative matches graduate students from the University of Georgia with community stakeholders facing specific environmental challenges. Students from law, ecology, environmental design, wildlife ecology, scientific illustration and agricultural engineering may participate in the course. Water quality and the protection and restoration of aquatic species through the best available science, design and policy concepts are key goals for this hands-on program. The course presents a holistic approach to land use planning from the perspectives of our interdisciplinary faculty and guest lecturers.

Previous Environmental Practicum courses have included the Etowah, Altamaha, and Satilla Initiatives. Students in earlier Environmental Practicum classes drafted a conservation subdivision ordinance adopted by the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners, promoted the use of transferable development rights to protect water quality resulting in enabling legislation adopted by the Georgia General Assembly, and developed a system of water withdrawal to protect endangered aquatic species which was adopted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For more information about these and other Environmental Practicum projects, see our website at http://www.rivercenter.uga.edu/education.htm.

Practicum Goals:

1. Provide an educational environment where students can apply skills learned in the traditional classroom to pressing community concerns and problems;
2. Provide an opportunity for students and faculty to work with other disciplines in integrated environmental decision-making and problem-solving thus improving their ability to understand, communicate with, and influence other disciplines;
3. Increase awareness of the importance of addressing environmental issues proactively within the university community and the broader community;
4. Respond to community concerns and problems in the Oconee and Ocmulgee River Basins;
5. Build capacity for service learning at the University of Georgia.

Class Format:

• Two or three class meetings in first two weeks of semester to select projects and develop work-plans;
• Approximately four to six lectures (Fridays from 12:30 ? 3:30 p.m.) on ecological, design and policy issues affecting the watershed;
• One paddling trip on the Oconee River;
• Periodic group meetings to develop particular projects;
• Project presentation (either to stakeholders or to the class and other interested parties at the University) with dress rehearsal;
• A journal logging each student?s activities and reflections on the meaning of the service learning experience and ecological design and policy implications;
• At least one meeting between faculty and each individual student to reflect on and evaluate course progress and issues and concerns.

Expectations (students):

Attend class lectures and field trip, read assignments prior to each lecture, work together to define class projects, attend group meetings and work cooperatively to develop a work plan and to complete the project, attend individual meetings with professors, and keep a journal of work completed and associated reflections. Students will be graded on class participation and project substance and presentation.

Expectations and grading policy are spelled out more specifically in the course rubric, which is available in the class notebooks (located at the Institute of Ecology and the Law Library) and on the class web site at http://www.rivercenter.uga.edu/education/upper_altamaha/main.htm.

Required readings are available in the class notebooks and on the web site.

Note: We strongly encourage Law students to take this course AFTER they have taken the environmental law survey course.

Expectations (faculty):

Coordinate informative lectures and field trip; facilitate interaction between students and stakeholders in the Upper Altamaha Basin; provide support to students in identifying and completing particular projects; facilitate dress rehearsals and project presentations; facilitate publication of projects and provide a forum for students to reflect on their experiences in the course.

Potential Projects:

• drafting model stormwater management and other land use/environmental ordinances;
• developing or supplementing Total Maximum Daily Load Implementation plans;
• identifying development/protection scenarios for a particular county;
• designing a park or parking lot or a right-of-way;
• identifying septic management strategies;
• developing a land protection plan;
• determining the costs and effectiveness of various best management practices;
• documenting the economic value of natural resources in a jurisdiction

A coursepack of required readings is available at Excel Text Preparation, 1117 South University Avenue. Students are also encouraged to read either print or electronic versions of the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Detroit Free Press daily. The Economist is excellent weekly reading. Additional documents and web-based readings will be assigned during the semester. We will also make heavy use of selected websites ? most notably the Brookings Institution Website, and we will take some articles from Salamon?s The Resilient Sector and The State of NonProfit America.

Course Quizzes, Reflection Papers and Projects:

Area 1 Assignments: Reflection papers provide 15% of your final grade
Area 2 Assignments: Exams provide 25% of your final grade;
Area 3 Assignment : Community Policy Integration Project provides 60% of your final
grade

Area 1Assignments: Reflection Papers. For these assignments, students will be split into two groups (A and B); these groups are for the purpose of the reflection paper assignment only! As well,the groups will hold across both SW 647 section 1 and SW 697 section 1. Students will submit reflection papers based on the readings for both SW 647 section 1 and SW 697 section 1 every other week. (Students in one but not both of these couses/sections will submit reflection papers based on the readings for the course/section for Gant/Spencer that they are in.)

Reflection papers should reflect upon and integrate material in the readings (for each course) with your personal experience and or your field work experience. Reflection papers will incorporate one or more aspects of our focus on privilege, oppression, diversity and social justice. Postings to coursetools should be brief and concise, about 2
pages in length. Reflection papers should be posted every week on the Friday prior to class, and will be posted to the SW 647 (Gant) Coursetools (Next Generation) site. Late postings will not earn credit. The reflection entries will count
towards 15% of your grade.

Area 2 Assignments: Quizzes (25% of Grade): Four graded miniquizzes ( with lowest grade dropped): Each quiz consists of 5 questions, each worth 20 points. Questions can be of any format. Quizzes will be completed usually during the first hour of class, and are designed to be completed in 20 minutes or less. Students are urged to complete the sample quiz on the course website, available during the second week of classes.

Quiz Dates: Material Covered
February 14, 2006: Up to 2/7/06
March 28, 2006: Up to 3/21/06
April 4, 2006: Up to 3/28
April 18, 2006: Up to 4/11/06

Area 3 Assignment : Community Policy Analysis and Integration Project [AKA
Group Project] (60% of Grade):

Part 1: Social Problem: definition, identification, estimates of magnitude, causes and consequences of problem, due Mar. 15th, 100 points possible
Part 2: Social policy/program analysis: identify appropriate social policies to ameliorate the problem, due Apr. 12th, 200 points possible
Part 3. Community/Public Presentation, due Apr. 19th, 100 points possible
Part 4. Conclusions, outline, implementation and evaluation of advocacy strategy + Replication Manual (include
documents from all parts): Draw conclusions about the current fit between policy and social problem solution, and outline/implement an advocacy strategy, providing an initial assessment of the policy advocacy strategy (e.g., consciousness raising, solution generation, planning, implementing plan, monitoring activity), due Apr. 26th, 100 points possible

This assignment relates to both SW 647 and 697 (Spencer Section). In our second or third class session you will sign up for a working group presentation that will work on policy assessment and community relevance advocacy of a specific dimension of the SW Detroit Neighborhood. For the students in the Spencer Section of SW 697, you will retain the same group configuration for SW 647. Students not in the Spencer Section of SW 697 will have the opportunity to sign up for of the existing groups during the second or third SW 647 class session.

Students will break into groups to conduct evaluations of identified projects of Community Based Initiative interest and development (2002-2006). IRB approval has already been obtained for these projects; of necessity, some approaches and strategies will have already been outlined in general fashion. The strict time constraints argue against individual projects or projects reflecting a student interest outside of the identified projects. These analysis and implementation papers should complement the papers to be done (on the same project) in the Spencer section of SW 697.

For Winter 2006, the projects are as follows:

REACH?Developing sustainability policy for Family Health Advocates
Community Arts Initiative?Create dialogue and policy impact for creation of artspace in SW Detroit (interface with Cool Cities Initiative)
Bridging Communities and Springwells Villiage?Developing homeless policy for Community Development in SW Detroit

This assignment will use multiple methods for policy assessment and advocacy that will be covered in the throughout the class. Time will be provided each week for student groups to work on the project and ?field work? time will be provided during one or more class sessions. These findings will be complied into a report to be shared with our community partners at a presentation on April 19. Remember to incorporate our focus on privilege, oppression, diversity and social justice. The presentation is worth 100 points. The instructor will allocate these points according to established criteria for
presentations (see page 19).

In many cases, the assessment activities outlined in SW697 can be informed by a review of relevant policy. As well, the assessment activities can lead to or serve as part of a policy advocacy strategy ? one developed by students and community stakeholders. In all cases, you will receive considerable support and direction from both instructors of each class ? as well as the staff of CBI. Also, while some groups may addresses interpersonal services and not community level activities, policies still play a role in determining the form and structure of service delivery, whether that service delivery is delivered at a micro (interpersonal) level or a more macro (neighborhood on up) level.

Replication manual: In order to integrate the course content with the practice work in the field experience, the focus of this assignment will be to assess and document what you learned from one group project in the field. Your manual should include your protocols, references, documents from your organization, written products related to the case, as well as a final product written for our community partners that synthesizes the content from both SW 647 and 697 (where possible and where relevant) in a user friendly, accessible way. The documents/presentations will be on our CBI and other websites.

More detail for the Community Policy Analysis and Integration Project:

Several good models that can guide such an analysis exist within the social work literature (Karger & Stoesz, 2002, Chapter 2; & Colby, 1989, pg. 2). Depending on the social worker's role and preparation for making an analysis, it is possible to approach this important task in greater or lesser depth. You can use either of the referenced models for analysis or you may use the framework provided here. You must provide a reference citation for whatever model you choose to use.

NOTE: It is very, very important that you acquire a copy of the appropriate regulations at your earliest.

The following model has three sections, each distinct from the other. In the first section, only the social problem is to be discussed. In the second section, only the social policy/social program (designed to address the social problem) is to be discussed. DO NOT discuss social problem in the second section. In the third section, based on your analysis in sections one and two, discuss your conclusion and recommendations.

Note: Use sub-titles in your paper.

1. Part I. Social Problem: The first step in the analysis of a social policy or program is to have a clear understanding of the social problem that created the situation requiring such a policy. To assess this problem, it is useful to undertake the following activities (100 points):
   1. Identify how the problem is defined and locate estimates of its magnitude. For example, what definition(s) of poverty, mental illness, or unemployment is(are) commonly used? How many people experience this problem as it is defined? What particular sub-populations are most likely to face this problem?
   2. Determine the causes and consequences of the problem. What social factors have caused this problem? What has been the result? Are there multiple causes? Are there multiple consequences from a single cause? What are they? Describe.
2. Part II. Social policy and program analysis: Once the problem is understood, the second step is to identify an appropriate social policy (regulation & not the law)/ program policy in place to ameliorate the problem. E.g., CSR= Code of State Regulations (www.state.mi.us/ and click on Code of State Regulations). Read the key elements and characteristics of the regulations and while analyzing address the following 8 points in some detail. Use journal articles and interview data as sources of information (200 points):
   1. Summarize the policy/program in one short paragraph.
   2. Nature of services available.
   3. Who is eligible to benefit from the policy/ program & the size of primary target population.
   4. List major categories of people affected (directly and indirectly; positively or negatively) by the policy and identify the type of effect, e.g., in a new health policy:

      Physicians?directly affected because their reimbursement levels will be affected and the types of services they can provide will also be influenced?.. (how).
      Patients?will be directly affected because the nature of choices available to them in terms of doctors and procedures, that are reimbursable, will decline.
      Employers?will be affected indirectly because all employers, regardless of the size of the employment, have to offer health and mental health coverage to the employees.

   5. Overt (expressed in written format) goals of the policy/program.
   6. Values underlying these goals (refer to social work values). Indicate how the goals exemplify specific values. Each goal illustrates a social work value. List the goal and then describe how one or more social work values are conveyed through the goal.
   7. Actual effect (effect once the policy is executed) on the target population. What actually happens when the policy is implemented? Actual effects could be very different from the goals. Review journal articles on program/ policy evaluation to address this point.
   8. What is the cost of implementing this policy? What part of the federal/ state budget is consumed by this policy/ program? What is the American sentiment towards this policy?
      Suggested sources of information for I and II: Journal articles; research articles; Internet sites; interviews with agency personnel, legislators, aides etc.; reports prepared by professionals/ think tanks.
3. Part 3. Draw conclusions, outline and implement advocacy strategy, and provide initial assessment of this strategy: After analysis, it is necessary to judge the merits of the policy/ program. Ultimately, it is the weight of the evidence matched with one's beliefs about what the quality of life should be for the beneficiaries of the policy that will affect the recommendations. Answers to the following questions might be considered in arriving at your conclusion about the policy/proposal (50 points):
   • Is the existing policy/program appropriate for addressing the problem identified? Why? Why not? Explain.
   • If it is not, to what extent? What will you recommend? Describe it. How does your recommendation deal with the causes & the consequences of the problem? However, if the existing policy is adequate, indicate how it addresses
     the causes and consequences of the problem. With a solid analysis of the policy or program proposal in hand, a social worker is prepared to influence the legislation that would impact the social problem under consideration. At times, the social worker will work through agencies or interest groups to affect these decisions; on other occasions, it is more appropriate to contact a legislator directly and express a position on the proposal [Content of Policy II].

Additional Points:

Writing details: Write the paper using APA format. Use of correct grammar is mandatory. Points will be deducted for incorrect grammar. Type this paper, double-spaced in a report format and make use of sub-headings.

1. DO NOT split the group according to the sections of this paper. Group members cannot contribute their fair share to a project if this method of task distribution is employed.
2. Give responsibilities during task group meetings each week and ensure that they are fulfilled during the next meeting.
3. Distinguish a law/ legislation from a regulation. The latter are available on line, or in state codes and the Federal Register. For analysis, you need a copy of the regulations and not the law.
4. Please submit drafts of the analysis in a timely fashion.
5. If issues and concerns related to group process are not solved by the members within a week, kindly bring this to the notice of the professor. All issues concerning the content of the paper (e.g., difficulty in finding the regulations) should be brought to the attention of the professor as soon as possible.
6. For the purposes of this paper, a social problem in any community is different from the negative effects of an existing social welfare policy. Social problems, as explained in the course, will be addressed in the first section of the report and the ill-effects of the social welfare policy will be addressed in the second section of the report. For e.g., high costs of prescription drugs for low-income elderly is a social problem; absence of coverage through Medicare is the negative characteristic of an existing social policy. DO NOT CONFUSE THE TWO ITEMS-social problem and ill effects of policy.

Groups may submit a single project. If groups submit one project, each students' contribution should be clearly identified. Additionally, I will require that each group member submit to me a grade for all other group members (i.e., group member A submits a recommended grade for members B and C, member C submits a recommended grade for members A and B, etc.). I will use the recommended grades in the assignment of student grades for all projects.

Non-profit organizations are the newest and fastest growing sector in the US with the number of such organizations doubling during the last 25 years. In addition to growth in numbers, nonprofit organizations have become increasingly complex entities influencing public policy, participating in community affairs, and forging partnership with private and public organizations. With increased growth and complexity, a significant need has emerged for sophisticated managers with organizational acumen, technical skills, and an in-depth understanding of what it means to work in the nonprofit world.

Nonprofit organizations touch on every aspect of our lives and on every level of institutions. Most are in social and health services like the American Red Cross, Compass, and the American Diabetes Society. But they include hospitals, universities, museums, social clubs, and economic development agencies. Nonprofit organizations have always been an important part of the public service system. To an increasing degree, governments are providing social services through contracts with nonprofits. For example, continued resource scarcity, devolution of responsibilities by federal and state governments, and privatization have put additional pressure on the not-for-profit sector to fill in where government withdraws and to work in partnership with other organizations in the delivery of public services. Often referred to as the ?third sector,? it is composed of charitable or public benefit, advocacy, mutual benefit, and religious organizations. Of the 1.6 million organizations in the third sector, our primary focus will be on the 1.2 million 501(c)(3) public serving or benefit organizations in the arts, health, and human services, education, and the environment.

This course focuses on issues in the administration and management of nonprofit organizations including relationships between the nonprofit, public, and private sectors. It is the mission of this class to familiarize you with the work of nonprofit organizations and with the challenges faced by this sector. This mission will be achieved by combining theory with practice. We will begin by examining the size, scope, role, sub-sectors, and distinctive characteristics of the nonprofit sector. We will then briefly discuss legal requirements involved in establishing a nonprofit organization and key management trends in this sector. Then our attention will shift to examining some of the critical management tasks involved in building an organization?s capacity to achieve excellence. This can include tasks such as leadership, setting direction and establishing accountability, creating a dynamic and effective board of directors, developing and managing financial and human resources, and effective marketing and communications. This course is an applied course designed for graduate students. As an applied course, you will be required to become involved in a nonprofit organization to experience hands-on and gain knowledge of the reality of nonprofit management. Interested nonprofit organizations are asked to submit proposals outlining clearly defined projects for you to undertake. The nonprofit organizations will get benefit from your analyses and recommendations.

Regarding theory, we will cover the following topics:

• History and extent of volunteerism and philanthropy in nonprofit organizations.
• Administrative leadership, administrative organization, board selection orientation and training, board/staff relations, communication, decision making, group leadership, etc.
• Leadership issues (role of the board of directors, executive leadership, relationship between board and executive director).
• Marketing, public relations, and managing the agency?s image.
• Management of nonprofit organizations (mission and mission statement, strategic management and strategic planning, financial management, human resource management, managing staff and volunteers).
• Legal aspects, including tax implications.

Regarding the practical aspect of the class, you will be asked to work on real projectsi n a nonprofit organization. The projects will vary from one organization to another, and must be directly related to the topics covered in class. At the end of the semester, you will have to prepare an organizational analysis report about your experience with the nonprofit organization.

Course Description: This online course is designed for graduate students, especially those working in the non profit sector as well as others who are interested in management of non profit organizations. The course is designed to respond in part to the following National Association of Schools of Public Affairs Administration (NASPAA) common curriculum components:

• Budgeting and financial processes,
• Policy and program formulation, implementation, and evaluation,
• Decision-making and problem solving,
• Political and legal institutions and processes,
• Organizations and management concepts and behavior.

This course covers the fundamentals of nonprofit administration including the historical development, role in contemporary society, and economic and political dimensions of contemporary nonprofit organizations, as well administrative issues including regulation, governance, and organizational management. This course also examines similarities and differences between for-profit and nonprofit organizations, major management issues specifically associated with nonprofits, and exposes students to career opportunities to the nonprofit sector. Particular emphasis will be place upon such normative concerns as mission development, reform strategies, and ethical perspectives as they impact the nonprofit environment. (Additional emphases and/or topics may be developed during the semester in response to student interests and needs.)

Goals, Objectives, and Assessments

Overarching goals of the course: 

This course is designed to enhance students understanding of the nonprofit sector in the U.S. and to build conceptual and practical skills needed to perform effectively in positions of
management responsibility in nonprofit organizations. These skills include in creating, developing, and managing a nonprofit organization.

Learning objectives of the course:
At the completion of this course you will be able to:

• Understand philanthropy, volunteerism, and nonprofit organizations and the role of
  the nonprofit sector in our society and economy,
• Explore and discuss managerial tools, techniques, and strategies for effectively
  administering nonprofit agencies,
• Identify the moral and ethical responsibilities of nonprofit administration,
• Discuss the leadership literature and application to nonprofit administration,
• Understand different legal issues as they pertain to the nonprofit sector,
• Explore the relationships among government, business, and nonprofit organizations,
• Identify trends, challenges, and opportunities in the nonprofit sector.
• Learn how to effectively communicate both orally and in writing

Course Outline
Module 0: The Syllabus: Introduction to the course
Module 1: Understanding Nonprofit Organizations: Historical & Contemporary Perspective
Module 2: Government, Business, and Nonprofit Relations
Module 3: The Board and Nonprofit Governance
Module 4: Human Resource Management for the Nonprofit Sector
Module 5: Marketing: Images of Nonprofit Organizations
Module 6: Financial Management: Financial Statements
Module 7: Resource Development & Management
Mid-term exam
Module 8: Strategic Planning and Management
Module 9: Managing Nonprofit Performance
Module 10: Sustainability & Nonprofit Leadership
Module 11: Nonprofit Capacity Building
Module 12: Nonprofit Effectiveness and Entrepreneurship
Module 13: Putting it together: Looking ahead

Required text(s):

• Hudson, M. 2005. Managing at the leading edge: New challenges in managing nonprofit organizations. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. ISBN: 0-7879-7806-X
• Ott J. Steven (ed.). (2001). Understanding Nonprofit Organizations: Governance, Leadership, and Management, Boulder, CO: Westview Press. ISBN: 0813367875
• Wolf, Thomas. (1999). Managing A Nonprofit Organization in the Twenty-First Century. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN: ISBN: 0684849909
• Additional materials are on reserve at the UCF library (online).

Course Requirements and Grading Policy:

You are expected to do the readings for each module and expected to participate actively in class discussions and exercises. I will evaluate your class participation on the basis of your meaningful contributions to class discussions. It is critical to manifest a respectful attitude toward the subject and to value the diversity of opinions reflected by your web-mates. I encourage all of you to freely ask questions and to express your opinions.

You are expected to be active participants in the learning process. Each of you is expected to complete the discussion area exercises and to respond to these weekly. Please follow the directions in the module assignments regarding the content of the discussions. Points are awarded for participation, and responses will be graded for understanding of the content, creativity, and the synthesis of information. To earn points for participation, each student must participate in the discussions assigned in the modules. Each module will provide detailed instructions on the content of the postings in the discussion and provide a grading rubric. Five points may be earned in each of the other assigned Discussions from the following modules, and these points account for 40% of the course grade.

Class Participation & Discussion Contributions Total

• Introduction & Understanding Nonprofit Organizations 5 points
• Discussion on Board Development 5 points
• Discussion on Human Resources 5 points
• Discussion on Financial Management 5 points
• Discussion on Strategic Leadership 5 points
• Discussion on Nonprofit Effectiveness 5 points
• Discussion on Government and Business Relations 5 points
• Discussion on Ethics & New Challenges 5 points

Mid-term:

There is a mid-term exam which accounts for 25% of the course grade. Students must take the mid-term at scheduled time. Study questions for the mid-term will be distributed.

Service-learning (management consulting) project:

There is a term project requirement for the class accounting for 35% of your final grade. The projects will be requested by the nonprofit organization in the Central Florida region and will be distributed to you based on your interests. Each of you will prepare an organizational analysis report about your practical experience in the nonprofit organization. To apply what you have leaned you will be required to administer a self-assessment of a nonprofit organization of your choice after consulting with your professor. Details will be discussed later and an outline will be provided. You will identify a key area or issue in nonprofit management and frame a research question on it. The paper will be based on the relevant literature and information collected from a nonprofit organization. You need to get approval of the instructor on the research question and the choice of the nonprofit agency. The deadline for getting the instructor?s approval on these is 05/24/05 (as posted). The final paper is due on 04/25/06.

The paper needs to be at least 10 pages in length (double spaced) and should not exceed double spaced 15 pages in length. The report should cover the key areas of application of the topic are to be included using the text, the modules, the discussions, and outside consultants (assessment of the mission, strategic plans, and activities of a local nonprofit community organization, using the course texts as primary references for example). The objective of this paper is to provide concrete examples through which you can better understand the importance of mission to the functioning and success of nonprofit organizations and obtain direct experience in the mission-action connection. The project should also give you an excellent opportunity to network in the nonprofit world. The use of the APA format is required with a reference list.

Research Paper Evaluation:

Papers will be graded on (1) how well they describe the organization?s mission/actions, (2) the degree to which they integrate materials and concepts from the course texts and lectures, (3) the depth of the evaluation of the organization being studied, and (4) style and structure. Your paper should include an executive summary, an introduction, a literature review, the organizational analysis, a conclusion, and references, (appendices if needed).

The milestones for the production of the paper are as follows:

a. Select a nonprofit organization
b. Find news articles about the organization (in print or online)
c. Contact the organization and arrange for obtaining mission statement & strategic planning documents
d. Complete the survey instrument
e. Obtain those relevant documents
f. Identify organization activities that you will observe
g. Submit an outline of the paper
h. Submit the final service-learning management consulting project

Statement for Service-Learning: This section of PAD 6149 Nonprofit Administration is a UCF sanctioned service-learning class. Students will spend a minimum of fifteen hours over the course of the semester on a service-learning activity. This activity will address a need in our community, support our course objectives, involve a connection between the campus and the world around it, challenge students to be civically engaged, and involve structured student reflection. We will spend time reflecting on our service-learning experience through a service-learning management consulting project. While there is a 15 hour minimum for service to pass the course, your service-learning efforts will be the core of much of the learning in the course. Therefore your ?grade? for service-learning will come from the tangible class-related projects that come out of it rather than simply from completion of the
hour minimum.

Our service-learning work in this Nonprofit Administration course will involve a service-learning management consulting project report for a local nonprofit organization, public school, or government agency. This will allow students to work with a real world audience and will ensure that the significant time you put into your class project leads to meaningful results. I?ll offer some suggestions for possible organizations groups of students may choose to work with and I?ll invite you to suggest other options. I must approve all projects and each project will begin with a signed agreement among the students, the agency contact person, and me. No student is required to participate in a service placement to which he or she has religious, political, or moral objections. It?s the student?s responsibility to let me know about such objections before we finalize group assignments.

Writing ability: Successful graduate level work requires the ability to write clearly using correct grammar and spelling. Be sure to check all your written assignments and postings before submitting them as points will be taken off for improper spelling and poorly worded sentences.

Course Goals Worksheet

Community Goals:
Train future leaders, set example for community, etc.

NASPAA Goals:
Ensure excellence in education and training for public service and promote the ideal of public service.

UCF Goals:
Goal 1: Offer the best undergraduate education available in Florida.
Goal 2: Achieve international prominence in key programs of graduate study and research.
Goal 3: Provide international focus to our curricula and research programs.
Goal 4: Become more inclusive and diverse.
Goal 5: Be America’s leading partnership university.

College Goals:

1. A commitment to service;
2. Quality;
3. Involvement in the work of improving our community. Contributions toward such goals as better healthcare, more effective crime prevention, the eradication of viral diseases and the development of higher living standards for all citizens through active partnerships with corporations, government agencies and non-profit organizations.

Department Goals:

1. Provide the highest quality graduate and undergraduate education for current and prospective public service officials in public and nonprofit organizations.
2. Achieve local, state and national prominence through contemporary curriculum, innovative instruction, scholarly and applied research, and community service.
3. Develop and enhance management skills essential to public and nonprofit organizations oriented towards an evolving metropolitan environment.
4. Promote leadership through adherence to democratic principles and the highest standards of ethical conduct.

Instructor Goals:
Three pillars: collaboration, mutual respect, and engagement. In order for the common goal, respectively learning, to be reached, collaboration needs to be developed. In this collaboration, each partner needs to be actively engaged in reaching the goals.
Participative lectures: most of my classes have some level of award for participation, as I believe the best way of learning. I believe that by building an atmosphere of respect, collaboration and engagement in a classroom, a teacher not only teach, but also prepares students for life.

Course Goals:
At the completion of this course you will be able to:

1. Understand philanthropy, volunteerism, and nonprofit organizations and the role of the nonprofit sector in our society and economy,
2. Explore and discuss managerial tools, techniques, and strategies for effectively administering nonprofit agencies,
3. Identify the moral and ethical responsibilities of nonprofit administration,
4. Discuss the leadership literature and application to nonprofit administration,
5. Understand different legal issues as they pertain to the nonprofit sector,
6. Explore the relationships among government, business, and nonprofit organizations,
7. Identify trends, challenges, and opportunities in the nonprofit sector.

Student Goals:
Please list at least three:

ENJOY THE CLASS!

This is a syllabus in modification through the course of the semester as we creatively respond to the requirements of our community partners?this kind of flexibility is supported by web technology, rather than paper, because updating is pretty easy. So the syllabus is different from the start of the semester. What you see is literally reflective of where this project is now on March 21, 2008!

Blackboard is an indispensable tool in this class.
To access use the following url: www.courseweb.library.upenn.edu
To login you need your own Penn net username and password.
Quba Institute is located at 4737 Lancaster Avenue, and on the web at www.qubainstitute.com 215 473 8589
Our primary liaison is Saida Aziz
Her email address is nubiyyah1 {at} gmail(.)com

Course Description
This graduate/undergraduate seminar is part of a series of Academically Based Community Service classes that examine the relationship between music and spirituality in West Philadelphia. The 2008 version is the second iteration of the Field Methods seminar that has a focus on the Islamic community. Previous classes have had the history and contemporary practice of gospel music as their subject.

The purpose of the course is to give you a condensed version of the field research experience as required for doctoral dissertations in ethnomusicology or the anthropology of music. We begin by doing the kinds of reading a student might undertake prior to taking special field examinations; we speak to community members to establish the parameters of the research?expectations, norms, values, limitations?and then proceed to do the field research in a collaborative, partnership-building and increasingly mentoring manner. Each week you are given both required and recommended (for your interest) reading?both technical and theoretical that should be reflected on in journals and in the seminar environment. The larger goal of these seminars is for you to learn how to use editing software and to workshop particular projects?thick description, fieldnotes, photographic essays, recorded interviews, the recording of a musical event, and videography all in the context of the Quba Institute services, classes, and related events.

One of the major outcomes of the course is that you will produce a series of ethnographic documents/representations in a variety of media: edited file of an ethnographic interview; edited recording of a musical event; a photographic essay; and a short ethnographic film. These will all be posted to the publicly accessible archive we have of these projects on the worldwide web. Our site is currently housed at http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/music/westphillymusic The films will be shown to the partnering community at an event hosted at Penn on May 4, 2008.

Part of what you will learn through this research process ties into the increased scrutiny that field research is confronting in the contemporary world. This includes issues of representation, ownership of cultural documents on one hand, along with the challenges we face in ensuring that these projects are not one-sided i.e., Penn students dropping in to gather data and then parachuting out again. We have to find ways to make this project sustainable, mutually beneficial, and ultimately, to build a strong sense of connectedness between the University of Pennsylvania, and in this case, the Quba Institute?the school and the masjid community. Finally, it is vital that copies of the final documents produced in this seminar are given to the Quba community at the end of the semester. Even though these will all become available online, leaders and families of school kids treasure their own copies, and do not always have internet access in their homes.

Finally, you are required to provide copies of the videos produced to the community, and even to particular individuals featured in the videos. All original research materials are to be carefully labeled and deposited in Van Pelt Library so that they can be accessed by community members, future researchers etc., at a later date.

Reflecting on the partnership and research process as a whole is also a key dimension of the field methods seminar, and should be included in the journals you keep through the course of the semester.

It is going to be busy, so fasten your seatbelts and get ready for the ride!

Structure
Field methods in Ethnomusicology is taught as an Academically Based Community Service Project?which means that you will learn field research methods in conventional ways–by reading and discussing secondary literature?in then in more service learning kinds of practices: a learning-by-doing, and learning by teaching/mentoring process. At the outset we will meet weekly for a three hour seminar, for discussion of assigned readings, with the occasional addition of guests: reperesentatives from SAS Computing, and members of the Quba Institute, for example. Then we will move into a more applied mode of learning: the seminar will last closer to 2 hours in a ?Theory/Practice? styled seminar. Students will read shorter pieces on research methods and reflections, and present weekly projects to the class for feedback from peers. As discussed with Quba, each group of students will work closely with the Quba high school students, mentoring them in what you are learning at Penn, and partnering to shape the issues and ideas required for the semester projects.

Projects
There are several small projects that you are required to do as weekly assignments. They are structured so that you learn by accumulation: i.e., start with writing (no direct representation of what you are presenting), then by adding visual (still photography), audio (recording), then video (audio and video tracked separately and then combined). Each of these projects must be of a quality to go on the webpage, and you should submit them as they are complete, properly documented.

Journals
You are required to keep a field journal this semester and to make weekly entries?DO NOT LEAVE THIS TO THE END OF THE SEMESTER. This will include all your reading notes, your field notes, thoughts about process, reflections?everything you write or record in some way this semester. You should have a minimum of a two paged entry per week. All submitted at the end of the semester?TYPED.

Grading
Assessment of your performance in this seminar will be evaluated in four areas: Weekly Journal Entries, Seminar Discussion, Small Projects and final video documents, and Community Engagement. There is no specific breakdown of the grade, though the tangible products will constitute the major part of the final assessment.

Video Production
There will probably be three different films on three different topics made this semester, in partnership with Quba students and masjid. One will focus on the contested introduction of Sufi practices to this masjid; one on family histories; and the third, focused on popular music tastes and habits.

Schedule
A. Music, Islam, the United States

1. Introduction (1/22)
   Muller (unpublished), Website, documentary on Roots.
   Meet with Quba partners at Quba Institute. CCP van will take us there, we will return on the trolley.
2. Qur?an: Text and Recitation (1/29)
   Read the Entire Qur?an (not an easy read). Nelson (2001).
   Recommended: Sells (2005) (he has specific sura translated with commentary and the sound of performance on a cd in the back of the book) Cook (2000).
3. Islam in the United States (2/5)
   Required: Haddad and Smith (2002); Recommended Haddad and Adair (1987), Qureshi, 1991; Muhammed (1991).
4. Music and Islam (1): Music in the Islamic World (2/12)
   Shiloah (1995), Excerpts: Qureshi (1997)
5. Popular/World Music and Islam (2): Sufism and Hip Hop (2/19)
   Miyakawa (Pt. One), Chittick (2005), Excerpts: Erguner (2005)

B. Musical Ethnography: Theory and Practice


6. Participant Observation (2/26)
   Theory Reflections on entering the Quba community.
   Practice Spickard et al. (Journal Entry posted to BB by midnight Monday 2/18)
7. Fieldnotes (3/4)
   Theory Required: Emerson et al., Recommended: Sanjek (1990)
   Practice Fieldnotes from attending Friday service, a Quba class, or related event (posted to BB by midnight 2/21)

MODIFIED with change in seminar

Read: Emerson et al., Writing ethnographic fieldnotes, read 1-107; Spickard et al, Personal Knowledge and Beyond: Reshaping the Ethnography of Religion, Read parts one and two. This is for next week.

Post: thick descriptions of fieldwork, participant observation (up to four single spaced pages) onto BB discussion Board by Tuesday at 5 am. I will copy and bring into class for discussion. We will decide on the project for the following week at next week's seminar.

Then: Modification to original syllabus as the project with Quba develops: Quba asks Penn students to each Quba students, give them a sense of what college learning is about, a kind of college prep experience, so we change the projects from here on out.

PART ONE: ETHNOGRAPHIC FIELD NOTES

• For next week, do the project just on your own (and talking with other students about what event they cover will be helpful so at least two of you write independently about the same event).
• For following week (Glenn and Vanessa you still need to complete and post the fieldnotes assignment that Christine and Emily did).
• I want you to write (after you have finished reading the Writing Fieldnotes Book) ethnographic description of Quba as an institution–the physical setting, of getting to there from Penn; then describe it as a community–first as a school, second as a masjid. Then describe the students and the leaders/adminstrators/teachers. And then focus on one single event. This must be ethnographic description–pay careful attention to detail, make sure you evoke images in the reader's mindseye through the kind of language you use. You must have read the guidelines for this kind of writing BEFORE you begin (up to the end of chapter four).
• ALL this must be posted before noon on Tuesday, so I can read and copy before the seminar. We will workshop this material.
• I have put copies of the Quba forms for mentoring in your mailboxes, I suggest you plan your proposals around the questions they have created. USE THESE TO WRITE YOUR PLANS. OK?

PART TWO: ETHNOGRAPHIC FIELD NOTES

• The second part of the ethnographic field note writing is this, and this you have spring break plus to complete: work with Quba student partners to do the same writing project. You will have to teach them what is expected i.e., teach them what field note writing is all about, then get them to do some descriptive writing about the building, the community, individuals within, and let us do some comparative reading–what are the priorites of Quba students over what you have seen. In other words, how differently do we see the "same things"?
• In ABCS terms this would be "learning by teaching"–so you will learn from the seminar, and in turn teach Quba students.

SPRING BREAK (3/11)

8. Visual Documents: Photo Essay (3/18)
   Quba Partners Visit and learn Photoshop and iPhoto for storage, categorization, and enhancing the visual images.

   Theory Sontag (1977[1973]) Recommended: Warren (2003), Peterson (2003), Kelby (2008), Grill and Scanlon (1990).

   Practice Photo Essay with accompanying written narrative. Imagine you are doing a photographic essay for a magazine or website?post to webpage. Tell a story through the sequencing of your images, remember to use a variety of angles, close-ups and wide angle shots. Think about what you are trying to communicate about your subject to the viewer.

9. Ethnographic Interview (3/25)
   Theory Spradley (if you need it).
   Practice Complete Interview Transcription, select highlights of interview for discussion. Posted to your webpage and in hardcopy. Recorded and edited for NPR style presentation.
10. Recording Music Events (4/8)
    Quba Students Visit Penn
    Learn how to edit using Audacity software, taught by Jesse Kudler in Music Lab.
    Note: You must have a recording to work with.

    Theory Given by Eugene Lew (earlier in the semester!)
    Practice Recording of (1) entire event which is then edited into a coherent narrative (combination of verbal/written narrative with selected audio clips to create a short radio clip (maximum of 10 minutes), posted to webpage. Take a good look at Sells book and accompanying CD, the Erguner book and CD, and Qureshi (1997) with CD.

11. Presentation and Peer Review of Ethnographic Interview and Musical Event Documentaries (4/15)
    
    Come with both projects near completion (or complete) for presentation and peer review.
    Instructor will introduce idea of Video Storyboarding, as a useful starting point for video production.
12. Visual Documents: Video Clips (4/22)
    Theory Heider (1976: chs. 1 and 3), Baily (World of Music, Ethnomusicological Filmmaking)
    You must have some video field material to work with in this seminar. You will practice editing a segment of your video of an entire event which is then edited into a coherent narrative (combination of verbal/written narrative with selected audio clips to create a short television clip (maximum of 5 minutes). Think of how this might form a substantial part of your final video.
13. Video: Rough Cut (4/29)
    Theory?reflection in journals and completing videos
    Practice: Bring the goods for comment and assistance

C. Culminating Event May 4, 5PM in Rose Recital Hall, FB Building.

Website and Journals
Projects

Keep weekly records in personal journals, 1-2 single spaced pages posted to BB weekly, by Tuesday at midnight PRIOR to each seminar. These included responses to readings, field notes, other relevant questions, issues, ideas pertaining to the class. Submit final journals TYPED only.

The Interview/Event

• Your preparation for the interview/Event?background reading, what you read where you found it, what you learnt basically
• Description of the interview/event itself
• Evaluation of the interview/event itself?what you expected, what happened, what was unexpected
• Evaluation of the interview/event content once transcribed ?how you selected the important moments for the audio files, what you would ask if you could do a follow up interview?remembering the ethnographic cycle

The Research Process as a Form of Learning

• Reflect on what your expectations of the project were, what actually happened, what you would like to have happened that didn?t and so forth
• What do you think about research like this as a form of learning as an undergraduate, what kinds of skills did you acquire through this kind of learning that you may not have acquired had you not taken a class like this
• Are there particular skills you have acquired in this kind of learning environment that will be useful for the rest of your life? What are they and how might you use them in other areas of work or human engagement?

Preparing your Website Material

• Remember that the website is best in a combination of visual, aural, and written materials. So don?t just rely on text
• This is a record of the class you have taken, the learning process that you want to share with a virtual and real public
• You are wanting to educate your website reader/viewer in a straightforward way
• Frame your ethnographic materials–videos, audio clips, tell the story of your interview/project, who the person is, why you interviewed the person, and why this person is significant in the reconstruction of Philly?s gospel history
• Be sure to have all the names of your group members in the page?if you want to put signatures on particular parts of the site that is fine too
• Label all pictures with people's names
• You must somewhere indicate that you have permission from individuals concerned to post this material (and say where the permission is housed?Van Pelt Library).
• If you have done extra reading around your subject you think would help your web readers, then put a list of relevant literature?journal article, journal date of publication, or even relevant websites etc
• If your interviewee pointed your to particular newspapers or archives or buildings, see if you can find weblinks to those and post them in ?related links? or embedded in the text you write.
• Use your imagination, if you are unsure of what to do, email or talk to me about possibilities.

Information for Quba Institute
www.qubainstitute.com
http://www.upenn.edu/ccp

Permission Form for Interviews and recordings: REQUIRED FOR ALL EVENTS YOU RECORD, where you will use materials generated.
A sample permission form is on BB. You can take the MS Word file and adjust it to suit the specific needs of your field research. Make sure all those videoed, interviewed have signed or we cannot use the material.

Final Projects and Culminating Event

Final Submission
**KEEP copies of everything, on your hard drive, on CD, until the projects are uploaded.
***SAVE SAVE SAVE every five minutes or so.

Fieldnotes and Reflections Document

• These are individual and group submissions
• Field notes can be just that: notes that talk about prior to the interview, the interview itself, the place, the conversation, reflections on the interview, how it went, what you would ask again and so forth. Also what kinds of preparation you did, what you read, how it was helpful.
• Reflections can be about the interview, but also about this research process? what do you think about this particular project. You may have had a ?wow? moment or a difficult moment in the interview that you felt individually or as a group. This could be included. There are many unknowns in ethnographic research, you learn as you go, with this in mind, talk about what you learnt, including about the uncertainties that are germaine to this kind of learning (as perhaps equipping you for real life?where there are just as many uncertainties and changes). And so forth.
• Finally, you might want to use all or parts of this document in the narrative you create in your webpage. See below.

Your Web Materials

• As you give shape to your web materials remember that these projects were made in the context of a class, so you should construct your page to reflect that context i.e., you are not the mysterious producer putting everything together behind the scenes, but were actively involved in shaping the project from its early stages through to the final product.
• Remember too to think about the web as a kind of archive?one in which you are depositing primary source materials generated from the ethnographic interview. So think of what you might have wanted to know about your interviewee before you conducted the interview, to help some in the future who might similarly be interested in that person?s narrative.
• So you might want to shape your documents according to the idea of the ethnographic cycle we talked about in class?map out the steps in the research, editing, and presentation stages. In other words the fieldnotes and reflections in your journals.
• Be sure to put your names on the web materials?unless someone has particular reasons not to do so, you are not obligated to put your names on the page, this is more to ensure you get the credit for the work done.
• You should create a list of ?relevant resources? that might include texts you have read, newspapers or magazines that were cited by your interviewees, with possible links to them. Remember though if you insert a series of related links, please explain to the viewer the reason for inserting each link, why it might be helpful for the viewer and enhance the project. Try to use links that have some kind of longevity and public credibility so that they don?t become defunct too quickly.
• Label all images?who is in the picture, where, when, why, even who took the picture. If you have images that were given to you by your interviewee and you don?t have much information about the images, just say you asked but the interviewee was vague about details, or couldn?t recall specifically, it is important that you tried to find out the information.
• Think about how you want to represent your interviewee, and how he/she might feel looking at your project.
• Frame your audio/video clips: make sure they will make sense to your viewer. You could put them in some kind of narrative frame that makes sense to the life story of your interviewee, or that make sense in terms of the research experience, or in terms of a story about the relationship between music and spirituality. You decide how to do it. Just make sure there is a clear logic to your selection and presentation of these particular links.
• It would really strengthen the sense that you were in partnership through the interview, if you talk about a particular highpoint in the interview process, either in terms of an extraordinary piece of information given, a particular story told, or in terms of your own expectation of what you would get versus what you discovered.

Submitting Research Materials
Submit two copies of recorded interview, photo essay, performance event, and video, plus all your original media, in a box or large envelope, marked with your names and your partner names, plus all permission forms in a box marked Music 650 in Rm 202 on May 7, 2008.

To be submitted in the basket/box marked Music 650-250-Muller in Rm 202 by Mary 7th 2008.

• Permission Forms?with all information intact for the person/people you interviewed. Make sure you have signed the permission form yourself–for putting your work online on a Penn website. See Course Assignments?find the correct permission form, printout and sign.
• All originals of tapes, mini discs, digital video tape, in an envelope, CLEARLY MARKED, or with an extra sheet of paper that notes the class?Music 650 Spring 2006, who conducted the interview, with whom, when, where, what is on the tape, how long the tape is. These will be deposited in Van Pelt for further consultation by communities engaged.

PLEASE NOTE:
The project as a whole must include:

• Audio clip files of your interview as you have edited them?as MP3 files
• The original interview tapes/mini discs/cds should be put into the box in Rm 202 CLEARLY MARKED
• The full transcription of your interview (or the portions of the interviews, if you did more than one) i.e., we need an electronic copy of the transcription for archiving. Submit in MS WORD, or if you don?t have MS Word, then as a PDF file.
• The portions of the transcriptions that connect to the audio clips you are posting?CLEARLY MARK the connections.
• Reflections on field work and field notes?the 10-12 paged assignment that you submit as a group. (See discussion above for clarification on how this should be written up).
• Any images you have used, CLEARLY MARKED (as above)
• The video clips (if you used video) you want posted (the original tapes go in Rm 202 in the box marked Music 650?Muller).
• A DVD with the video. Name the folder and where I can find it. BUT keep a dvd copy of the material in case something goes wrong with the computers.
• If you can think of anything else, email me and ask if it is required.

Culminating Event
May 4, 2008
5PM Rose Recital Hall

• Everyone must be at this event to briefly present their webpages and videos. It is unlikely these will be uploaded to the website at this point, so we will have them available for you to give a five minute presentation each.
• This would also be the time to return materials, either ones you have produced or those borrowed from your interviewees to them. This must bring closure to the project.

Communities & Physicians Together (CPT) is a three-year training program for resident physicians in pediatrics, family practice and internal medicine at the University of California, Davis. CPT?s mission is to ?give all individuals a healthy present and future by teaching physicians, both in training and in practice, how to make a difference thorough active community partnerships.?

The training program relies heavily on strong, reciprocal partnerships formed with accomplished community partners who serve as ?community faculty,? and is designed to be completed during one ?block? or ?rotation? in each year of residency. CPT?s theoretical framework is based on the Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) approach to grassroots organizing, placing special emphasis on the positive gifts in a community rather than using traditional needs-based models.

Year One

Purpose:

To introduce residents to their partner communities; to provide opportunities for immersion into the daily life and culture of the partner community; to begin building relationships with community partners; to gain a basic understanding of the Asset-Based Community Development approach.

Objectives:

Following their first-year rotation in their partner communities, residents will be able to:

1. Describe the Asset-Based Community Development approach and understand the difference between Individual, Associational and Institutional assets
2. Recognize the physical boundaries of their partner community
3. Identify different assets in their partner community, including individuals, associations and institutions
4. Identify local health- and wellness-related concerns as recognized by community members

Requirements:

1. Assigned reading materials
   • Chapter One in: Brendenuehl, MPA, Marlane, Elizabeth Sterba, MS and Richard Pan, MD, MPH. 2007. Communities & Physicians Together Resident Project Workbook. UC Davis: Sacramento, CA.
   • Kretzmann, John P. and John L. McKnight. 1997. Building Communities from the Inside Out: A Path Toward Finding and Mobilizing a Community?s Assets. ACTA Publications: Chicago, IL.
   • McKnight, John L. and Carol A. Pandak. 1999. New Community Tools for Improving Child Health: A Pediatrician?s Guide to Local Associations. American Academy of Pediatrics: Elk Grove Village, IL.
2. Assigned activities
   • Community Asset Map (in the Resident Project Workbook)
   • Windshield Survey (in the Resident Project Workbook)
   • Concept Mapping (in the Resident Project Workbook)
   • Day in the Life activity
   • Attend and participate in community meetings & events as assigned by community faculty
   • Daily Journaling (in the Resident Project Workbook)

Years Two and Three

Purpose:
To utilize community connections and local assets in the creation and implementation of a community health project.

Objectives:

Following their first-year rotation in their partner communities, residents will be able to:

1. Use the Logic Model to plan projects and interventions
2. Inventory and mobilize local assets as part of their community project
3. Make connections in their partner community

Requirements:

1. Assigned reading materials
   • Chapters Two and Three in: Brendenuehl, MPA, Marlane, Elizabeth Sterba, MS and Richard Pan, MD, MPH. 2007. Communities & Physicians Together Resident Project Workbook. UC Davis: Sacramento, CA.
2. Assigned activities
   • Project Planning activities (Pages 34-37 in the Resident Project Workbook)
   • Logic Modeling activity (Pages 38-41 in the Resident Project Workbook)
   • Identifying Partners activity (Pages 42-43 in the Resident Project Workbook)
   • Evaluation planning activities (Pages 44-45 in the Resident Project Workbook)
   • All discussion and reflection activities in the Resident Project Workbook)
   • Daily Journaling (in the Resident Project Workbook)

Additional Reading & Resources

• Kawachi, I., B.P. Kennedy and R. Glass. 1999. ?Social capital and self-rated health: a contextual analysis.? American Journal of Public Health: 89(8), 1187-1193.
• Kretzmann, John. P., John L. McKnight and Deborah Puntenney. 1996. A Guide to Mapping and Mobilizing the Economic Capacities of Local Residents. ACTA Publications: Chicago, IL
• Kulkarni, J.D., Manjusha. 2006. The Guide to Medi-Cal Programs: A Description of Medi-Cal Programs, Aid Codes and Eligibility Groups, Third Edition. California HealthCare Foundation: California.
• Pan, Richard J., Diane Littlefield, Sara G. Valladolid, Peggy Tapping and Daniel C. West. 2005. ?Building Healthier Communities for Children and Families: Applying Asset-Based Community Development to Community Pediatrics.? Pediatrics: 115(4), 1185-1187.
• Paterniti, PhD, Debora A., Richard Pan, MD, MPH, Ligaya F. Smith, Nora M. Horan and Daniel C. West, MD. 2006. ?From Physician-Centered to Community-Oriented Perspectives on Health Care: Assessing the Efficacy of Community-Based Training.? Academic Medicine: 81(4), 347-353.
• Turner, Nicol, John L. McKnight and John P. Kretzmann. 1999. A Guide to Mapping and Mobilizing the Associations in Local Neighborhoods. ACTA Publications: Chicago, IL.

Evaluation

Residents? evaluation will be completed by their community faculty member, also called a ?Collaborative Coordinator,? with specific attention to: professionalism, knowledge and cultural sensitivity. Trainees will be expected to maintain frequent and open communication with community faculty and community members; take an open-minded, assets-focused approach to learning about their partner community, its members and resources; and arrive at all scheduled meetings and events promptly. Given the reciprocal nature of the CPT program, residents will be asked to evaluate their experience as well, based on these same criteria.

ES201 Fall 2002 – Graduate Seminar Description

SUSTAINABILITY
Professor Harold Ward

Policies to improve or maintain the quality of the environment are often cast in terms of "sustainability." While we may find a precise definition of sustainability elusive, the general concept is appealing and its invocation sufficiently pervasive that it is worth our effort to investigate. Indeed, as this class begins, the World Summit on Sustainable Development is just concluding < http://www.johannesburgsummit.ory/ >, unfortunately, with only token participation by the U.S. In order to keep our enquiry grounded, we will attempt to apply the sustainability concept by working as partners with the Policy Office of the Rhode Island Senate to develop policies for Rhode Island to reduce greenhouse gas emissions arising from transportation. Rhode Island has just completed Phase I of its Greenhouse Gas Action Plan, and we will take as our study area the transportation policies identified in that plan.

3 September

In the first class we will discuss the Preface and Chapter One of Newman and Kenworthy's book: Sustainability and Cities: Overcoming Automobile Dependence (available at the Brown Bookstore). You should have read that selection and be prepared to discuss it. Please bring to class a list of two or three issues raised in this reading that you think should be discussed these could arise from questions for clarification of challenging concepts, a disagreement with the authors' analysis, or an interest in applying or extending their ideas.

5 September

We will discuss the transportation priorities identified in the Phase I Action Plan. Excerpts from the Plan are attached to this course description, and the entire final Phase I report and appendices can be found at: http://righg.raabassociates.org. We will focus particularly on Options 18 21 (which are discussed in the appendices starting at page 61). 1 suggest that you browse through the appendices, just to see what is there, and for an opportunity to brush up on your understanding of climate change issues. Again, bring to class a list of issues you would like to discuss.

9 and 10 September

At 4 pro on 9 September, Robert Kates will present a seminar on Sustainability Science, which you should all plan to attend. Bob will be in class with us on 10 September, and you should be prepared to discuss his talk with him and to seek his advice on the options for state level efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

12 September

We will return to a discussion of Options 18 21, with a goal to reach a level of understanding that will allow you to send me by e mail attachment by noon of 15 September a ranking of the options you would like to work on during the semester, as part of a team of two or three class members. I would prefer that you prepare this ranking as individuals, rather than as groups. You should explain your reasoning in forming your ranking with a short paragraph for each option. Ken Payne and Townsend Goddard from the RI Senate's Policy Office will join us for this class.

17 September

Before this class, I will prepare some suggested team assignments, and we will review them in that class. I will not attempt to plan subsequent classes now, because my experience is that we will better know what is needed after we have worked together for a couple of weeks. However, I anticipate that one of the classes in the week of 23 September will be devoted to team presentations of a work plan for their project.

My role in the latter part of the course will be to meet with you individually and in teams, to serve as a consultant, to help you identify sources of information and to provide introductions. I do not expect you to know anything about the transportation issues in RI when you begin the course, and will do my best to help you get up to speed quickly in the area you select. Dan Weitz will assist in this class. He is in the second year of our Master's program, and having had the course last year, will be able to provide useful suggestions for how to approach a project course.

It is important that you understand from the beginning that this is a true seminar a place where we come together to learn from each other and from our readings and discussions not a class where you expect to receive information passively from a professor's lecture. What I have written here, the book I have selected and the websites I have identified will serve only as initial guides for our explorations. You are responsible for discovering materials more directly relevant to your own project and for sharing with others relevant information that you discover.

Communicating Throughout the Course

Since this seminar meets only twice each week, we will certainly need to communicate between class meetings we often cannot afford to wait several days for the answers to questions, and we will want to share results on a frequent basis. For that purpose, we will use e mail; you should check your mail at least daily, and preferably more frequently. My address is the standard Brown format: Harold_Ward {at} brown(.)edu. Dan may be reached at Daniel_Weitz {at} brown(.)edu.

Class Deliverables
I will ask you for team progress reports periodically through the semester. Until we know more about the conclusions you will reach and the recommendations you will make, it is premature to define the format of your final report. I can tell you that past classes have prepared Powerpoint presentations, websites and conventional hard copy reports. We will decide together what format best conveys your work to your audiences.

Evaluation

It is my responsibility to evaluate your performance in the course. To provide you with a rough guide for this evaluation, I will count approximately equally 1) your level of effort (including group efforts and assistance you have given to other class members), 2) your participation in class (judging both quality and quantity) and 3) the quality of your final products. In order for you to be evaluated fairly, you need to make certain that I am aware of efforts in category 1), since I will not always be able to observe these events directly. At the end of the semester, you will be asked for a self evaluation and for a candid evaluation of your team partner's work.

I have a half time appointment for this semester, and may not be at Brown on many Mondays and Fridays. I check e mail frequently, so feel free to write me at any time. I will have office hours each week, which will be posted in advance on my office door. I am pleased to talk or correspond with you about any aspect of the course, or of our graduate program.

Instructor: Prof. Lynne Bond
Psychology 295, Fall 2001 Office: 334 John Dewey Hall
Tues & Thurs 11 12:15 Office hours: Tues. 1:30 2:30; Wed. 11 12 or by appointment
Phone: 656 1341 || Email: lynne.bond {at} uvm(.)edu

What is Community Psychology?
Community psychology is the branch of psychology concerned with person environment interactions and the ways society affects individual and community functioning. Community psychology focuses on social issues, social institutions, and other settings that influence individuals, groups, and organizations. Community psychology as a science seeks to understand relationships between environmental conditions and the development of health and well being of all members of a community. The practice of community psychology is directed towards the design and evaluation of ways to facilitate psychological competence and empowerment, prevent disorder, and promote constructive social change. The goal is to optimize the wellbeing of individuals and communities with innovative and alternative interventions designed in collaboration with affected community members and with other related disciplines inside and outside of psychology.

The Society for Community Research & Action (SCRA; Division 27 of the American Psychological Assoc.):
an international organization devoted to advancing theory, research, and social action. Its members are committed to promoting health and empowerment and to preventing problems in communities, groups, and individuals. Four broad principles guide SCRA:

(1) Community research and action requires explicit attention to and respect for diversity among peoples and settings;
(2) Human competencies and problems are best understood by viewing people within their social, cultural, economic, geographic, and historical contexts;
(3) Community research and action is an active collaboration among researchers, practitioners, and community members that uses multiple methodologies;
(4) Change strategies are needed at multiple levels in order to foster settings that promote competence and well being.

SCRA Goals:
(1) To promote the use of social and behavioral science to enhance the well being of people and their communities and to prevent harmful outcomes;
(2) To promote theory development and research that increases our understanding of human behavior in context;
(3) To encourage the exchange of knowledge and skills in community research and action among those in academic and applied settings;
(4) To engage in action, research, and practice committed to liberating oppressed peoples and respecting all cultures;
(5) To promote the development of careers in community research and action in both academic and applied settings.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course will provide an introduction to the field of community psychology. We will review the background and history of the field; and we will examine and apply key concepts, theories, and research methodologies of the discipline. Class members will develop their understanding of these issues through: (a) reading primary and secondary sources, (b) participating in class discussions, (c) attending presentations of community residents, specialists, and leaders, and (d) participating approximately two hours per week as community psychologists in a local field setting. It is anticipated that class members will:

• develop an understanding of the values, goals, and intervention and research methods of community psychologists, including the ways in which these are distinguished from those of related disciplines such as community mental health, clinical, developmental, and social psychology;
• achieve an understanding of the effects of societal, cultural, and environmental influences on psychological and community well being;
• examine multiple levels of contexts in which people grow and develop, as well as strategies for fostering contexts that promote healthy development;
• consider ways to assess and be responsive to the needs of people with diverse socio cultural, educational, and ethnic backgrounds, and varying abilities, goals, and experiences;
• be able to apply theory, concepts and research strategies to a problem in the local community;
• develop skills in collaborating with community residents, community organizations, and community specialists in identifying, designing, and implementing, and interpreting community based research;
• become knowledgeable of the profession of community psychology.

COURSE EXPECTATIONS

A. Class Participation and Contributions
This seminar course will focus on discussion of assigned readings, activities, community field work, and other relevant material that class members bring forth for consideration. Your active and thoughtful participation is critical to shaping the quality and quantity of your own learning experiences as well as those of others in the seminar. Therefore, you are expected to attend every class and to be an active participant in both guiding and engaging in the discussion (if you must miss a class, please inform me beforehand). Before coming to class, be certain to identify those issues that you feel are most important and relevant for discussion, debate, questioning, and integration. In addition, please take responsibility for creating a constructive dialogue in class by responding to, building on, and helping to develop the ideas of others as well as your own ideas. This means that, when relevant, you:

(a) ask for clarification and elaboration by others (e.g., "Can you say more about that?" "Would you give some examples of what you mean?" "How are you using the term 'x' when you say that?" "I don't think I fully understand; do you mean to say …" "How does your perspective relate to Student X's comment [or the community members' reactions, or the article we read]?")

(b) Ask good questions of one another that will foster constructive and collaborative thinking, critical reflection, and problem solving (e.g., "Why do you think that there's so much [or so little] consensus among us on this?" "How does your personal experience [or theory x] fit with what the readings were saying?" "Could we build on one another's perspectives to try to make sense of this question?")

Your class participation and contributions will comprise 20% of your overall course grade.

B. Written Reflection and Discussion Questions
Each week, you will be asked to write approximately 2 (single spaced) pages that include analytical/critical reflection and discussion questions

Analytical/critical reflection
In some instances, I will ask you to focus your paper upon a specific assignment or activity. Otherwise, these brief papers are to focus specifically upon the week's reading assignment and its relation to our community field work, other readings, and personal experience and observations of yours. Your goal is not to summarize the readings. Rather, you should analyze and critically reflect upon a couple significant issues raised in the readings. To reiterate, ideally you will critically reflect upon those readings by linking them with other material we have covered in our course (readings, discussion), community field work you have done, and other aspects of your experience and knowledge (e.g., personal history, issues observed in the media, other courses, etc.). We will discuss and practice "reflection" activities in class at the beginning of the semester to help you feel more comfortable and prepared for these reflection papers.

Discussion questions
Following the analytical/critical reflection, write several (2-3) discussion questions that you would like us to address in class. Craft these questions so that they engage us to discuss, for example, key themes, questions, similarities and/or disagreements within and across the readings with a particular effort to relate these to your community field experiences both community experiences associated with the course and those you may have had apart from this course. Construct your questions in a way that will help all of us in the class to clarify and develop our thinking. That is, the discussion questions should also engage critical/analytic reflection. You might pose the questions in a manner that helps to integrate the readings with your community work in a meaningful way. In addition, you might try to identify relationships between some aspect(s) of the reading and current or historical events, life experiences, diverse groups of peoples, previous class discussions, other readings (e.g., assigned this week or for a previous class). For each question, begin your own discussion of different ways of looking at this issue, perhaps even arguing with yourself or offering different ways of approaching and/or thinking about the matter at hand. Be clear why this question or issue is interesting and complex!

Your Reflection/Discussion Question Papers will be evaluated weekly. Together, they will comprise 30% of your overall course grade.

C. Community Based Field Work
We will work as a group to complete a community based field work project in collaboration with Burlington's Community & Economic Development Office (CEDO) and residents of Burlington. We will all collaborate with community stakeholders on one or more aspects of the project to define the goals, methods, data gathering, analyses, and interpretation, and to disseminate our findings to relevant audiences. A portion of our class time will be devoted to various phases of this work, but much will take place out of class time (approximately 2-3 hours a week of field work, once the project is in full swing). This project will serve as a field site in which to cultivate as well as apply skills and knowledge that we are working to develop within the course. We will be meeting with CEDO staff and community residents throughout the semester to plan and implement this project. Your community based field work will comprise 20% of your overall course grade.

D. Design a Community Based Intervention
As your take home final exam, you will be asked to work individually or in pairs to design a community based intervention that would effectively address an existing need in the local community that was identified by residents during your community field work. You'll be expected to clearly define the need, the population to be served, the intervention design, and the goals and desired outcomes. Be certain that you provide a strong rationale for each aspect of your proposal. The purpose of this activity is to apply the theory, research, and methods we have examined to a real world need. As we progress through the semester, we will work together to develop more explicit guidelines for this project. Your take home final will comprise 30% of your overall course grade.

E. Course Evaluation
Both in the middle and at the end of the semester, I will ask you to provide me with written feedback on your own course related progress and performance to date. I will also ask you to evaluate the strengths of the course and ways in which it could be improved (we'll use the mid semester feedback to try to make mid semester improvements!). At both the middle and end of the semester, I will also provide you with a written narrative regarding my sense of your progress and performance in the course.

At the end of the semester you will receive a course grade that will be determined in the following way:
Class participation & contributions: 20%
Weekly writing assignments: 30%
Take home final designing a community intervention: 30%
Community based field work: 20%

COURSE TEXTBOOK

Dalton, J. H., Elias, M. J., & Wandersman, A. (2001). Community Psychology: Linking individuals and communities. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

COURSE SCHEDULE

Assignments are noted under the dates on which they are due. When two dates are listed, readings should be done by the first date.

August 28: What is Community Psychology?

Review of the course and syllabus
Introduction to local community priorities and our service learning project
Introduction to community based action research
Introduce yourself and your own community affiliations

August 30: Introducing Community Psychology

Dalton et al., Chapters 1 (pp. 1 25)
Julian, D. (1997). Advancing the goals of the Society for Community Research and Action: A definition of applied community psychology [handout]

September 4: Introducing Community Psychology (cont.)

Dalton et al., Chapters 2 (pp. 26 56)
Discussion and selection of community based action service learning project
Service learning project: GUEST: Ms. Cara Gleason, Burlington Economic and Community Development Office: pressing issues in Burlington's neighborhoods & service learning project possibilities

September 6: The Aims of Community Research & The Methods of Community Research

Dalton et al., Chapter 3, The Aims of Community Research
Service learning project: GUEST: Ms. Colleen Purcell, Americorps*VISTA for Burlington (service learning project) to discuss Burlington's resident based Public Safety Project

September 11: The Aims of Community Research & The Methods of Community Research (cont)

Dalton et al., Chapter 4, The Methods of Community Research
Service learning project: Review ongoing community based neighborhood association research in Burlington [GUEST: Amy Carmola, community researcher, UVM/Burlington COPC]

September 13: Getting to Know the Burlington Community

Complete walking tour of Burlington's Old North End
Service learning project: Meet with community residents to discuss factors influencing neighborhood quality of life and the King Street area of Burlington

September 18: Communities in Ecological Context

Dalton et al., Chapter 5, Understanding Ecology

September 20: Communities in Ecological Context (cont.)

Service learning project: Analyze factors at different ecological levels that may contribute to neighborhood quality of life, as well as strategies at different levels that may be used to improve neighborhood quality of life
Participatory Action Research

September 25 & 27: Understanding Sense of Community

Dalton et al., Chapter 7
Service learning project: Complete Sense of Community scales; how do these instruments relate to concerns raised by community leaders and neighborhood residents in Burlington?
Service learning project: drawing from readings and sample instruments, draft questions for gathering residents' beliefs about neighborhood quality of life and affects of Block Associations

October 2 & 4: Citizen Participation and Empowerment

Dalton et al., Chapter 12
Service learning project: Spradley (1979). The ethnographic interview (Asking descriptive questions, pp. 78 91). NY: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Analyze affects of different research strategies upon citizen empowerment
Service learning project: Conduct walking tour and environmental/architectural/interactionaI analysis of King St. area
Service learning project: Amy Carmola, COPC researcher: strategies for effective neighborhood canvassing & interviewing
Service learning project: GUESTS: Colleen Purcell (A*VISTA) and community stakeholders to refine data gathering instrument

October 9 & 11: Organizing for Community and Social Change

Dalton et al., Chapter 13
Service learning project: analysis of strategies for community change in context of city government and residents' concerns with community organizing and neighborhood quality of life
Service learning project: practice interviewing & canvassing strategies with three community members
Service learning project: GUEST Aaron Masi, Youth Coordinator at the King Street Youth Center to discuss (a) careers in community organizing; and (b) strategies for supporting youth development at the King Street Youth Center

October 16 & 18: Program Evaluation and Program Development

Dalton et al., Chapter 14
Film: "Holding Ground" (community organizing and grassroots action in Boston)
Service learning project: Begin community canvassing!!

October 23 & 25: Understanding Human Diversity

Dalton et al., Chapter 6
Service learning project: review Burlington Participation & Diversity Study (racially and ethnically diverse residents speak about their civic engagement and strategies for increasing engagement)
Service learning project: continue community canvassing
Service learning project: group synthesis of what we are learning to date from process and content of community interviews; revisiting our project plan

October 30 & November 1: Coping and Social Support

Dalton et al., Chapter 8
Service learning project: GUEST, Gall Shampnois, UVM City Relations to discuss UVM Community programs for promoting effective relations and student civic engagement

November 6 & 8: Prevention and Promotion: Key Concepts

Dalton et al., Chapter 9
ATTEND/PARTICIPATE IN: Neighborhood Improvement Night in your own Neighborhood Planning Assembly; complete analysis of factors enhancing and impeding participation in community meetings
Service learning project: complete neighborhood canvassing
Service learning project: begin class analysis of interview data

November 13 & 15: Prevention and Promotion: Current and Future Applications

Dalton et al., Chapter 10
Service learning project: continue analysis of interview data
Service learning project: analyze implications of neighborhood data for prevention & promotion programming

November 20 & 27: Prevention and Promotion: Implementing Programs

Dalton et al., Chapter 11
Service learning project: complete analyses of neighborhood data
Service learning project: GUEST Colleen Purcell, A*VISTA and neighborhood members join class for interpreting neighborhood data; implications of data for community action; and planning dissemination

November 29: Looking Back, Looking Ahead

Dalton et al., Chapter 15
Service learning project:
Service learning project: sharing neighborhood data with residents and supporting relevant community action

December 4: Wrapping Up

Service learning project: create a brochure for residents that summarizes neighborhood data
Service learning project: what have we learned about our own and others civic engagement

Community Assessment and Analysis

Course Description:
This is an advanced course in the theory and practice of community assessment in public health. Community assessment focuses on measuring a community's health status and its determinants. It also focuses on assessing a community's capacity to improve health. To be able to conduct assessment, students must have a working understanding of the determinants of health, as well as the "anatomy and physiology" of community. Qualitative and quantitative methods will be introduced. Applying what is learned in this course yield the information needed for community based planning and evaluation, the topics of the next course in the series, CPH 542.

Prerequisites: CPH/EPI 573 recommended.

Instructor Information

Mark A. Veazie, Dr.P.H., M.P.H., R.E.H.S.
Course Director and Assistant Professor
Public Health University of Arizona College of Public Health
P.O. Box 210228 1145 N. Campbell, Tucson, Arizona, 85721 0228
520-318-7270, extension 18
orveazie {at} u.mizona(.)edu
pager: 489-1210

Wayne Peate, M.D., M.P.H.
Community Lab Director Associate Professor
Public Health University of Arizona College of Public Health
520-882-5852, extension 13.

Course Objectives

1. Define community based public health practice and identify the role of community assessment within this framework.
2. Identify and evaluate measures of the health and function of populations, organizations, partnerships, systems, and communities.
3. Evaluate the relevance and utility of community assessment data to the objectives of community health improvement.
4. Compare the underlying assumptions, objectives, and methods of various community assessment frameworks, such as public health surveillance, comprehensive needs assessments, and community assets mapping.
5. Critically analyze how current theories relating culture, community, and organization to health inform the approach and methods to be used for community assessment in different settings.
6. In collaboration with community partners, conduct a community assessment or develop a community assessment plan, and communicate the results to community partners.

Readings and Textbooks

Teutsch S.M. and Churchill R.E. (2000) Principles and Practice of Public Health Surveillance (Second Edition). Oxford University Press, New York REQUIRED

Patton(2001) Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods (Third Edition). Sage Publications, Ind., Thousand Oaks, California. REQUIRED

The Milagro Beanfield War, the movie

Introduction

This learning experience is designed to promote critical thinking, collaborative learning, and communication skills. It includes the following strategies: small group discussions of literature or class presentations; worksheets and other short assignments to promote critical thinking; class exercises; presentations that build continuity and context; a take home midterm requiring students to analyze and communicate community health improvement options; and small group work with community based organizations; and student portfolios to document and promote learning.

Assignments

Group Community Assessment Project
Report
Presentation
Summary of Credits
Time Sheet

Assignments Kept in Portfolio
Maintenance of Portfolio
Homework Assignments
Midterm Paper
Midterm Paper Presentation
Reflective Essays

Class Participation
Attendance
Participation in Discussion

Schedule of Classes and Topics

January 27 – Introductions by Veazie
What is Assessment?
Core Function of Public Health
Assessment vs. Evaluation
Focusing an Assessment
Course Requirements, Prerequisite Knowledge & Optional Tutorial
Determinants of Health An exercise.
Introduction to Community Partners

February 3 – Public Health Surveillance, Surveys and Information Systems – Veazie
Specific Challenges: Small Areas, Trends and Rate Adjustment.
Demographic Data.
Conflicting Paradigms? Positivism, Constructivism and Realism

February 10 – The class re visits the town of Milagro – Veazie
What is Community?
Community Capacity I

February 17 – Designing a collaborative community health assessment on the U.S. Mexico – Veazie
Border role play
Values Inquiry in Assessment Design.
Understanding community as a complex, open system.

February 24 – Practical Data Management 101 Can you concatenate? – Veazie
Epi Info Demonstration with Group Homework Assignment

March 3 – Presentation of Group Assignments in Epi Info & Survey Design – McGorray & Rogan
Mapping Health and Demographic Information: A Demonstration.

March 10 – Qualitative Methods 1: Eisenburg
Why use qualitative methods?
Strategies: Theory development strategy, e.g., demography, grounded theory.
Data gathering methods: in depth interview, key informant interview, group interview methods.
Community Capacity 11: Assessing Needs for the Development of Meister Leadership and Human Resources in communities, agencies and associations.

March 17 – Spring Break

March 24 – Community Capacity III: Network Analysis and Partnership Assessment – Provan
Community Assessment Projects: Co Consulting.

March 31 – Presentation of Assessment Options to Ficticia Board of Health: A Students comparison of MAPP, PHCRT, Healthy People 2010 Toolkit, and CHIP.

April 7 – Beyond Morbidity and Mortality: Health Related Quality of Life – Veazie
Qualitative Methods 11: Analysis of Qualitative Data using NVIVO – Stephan Hunter

April 14 – Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance – Veazie
Environmental Hazard, Exposure, Effect and Risk PACE EH – Peate

April 21 – Economics and Measurement of Disparities – Veazie
Surveillance of Social Indicators Project A Critical Appraisal – Harris

April 28 – Health Services: access, utilization and need

May 5 – Surveillance of Hunger: An Application of Principles – Taren
Course Wrap Up – Veazie

May 14 – Oral Final Exams: Presentation of Group Projects. 2-4 PM – All

Reflective Student Portfolio

The use of student portfolios in higher education is on the rise. A portfolio is a record of student work and a tool to promote learning and application. The Community Health Practice faculty has discussed the use of a portfolio for students to document their progress in meeting public health competencies and personal learning objectives. In the future, a portfolio can be carried from course to course and project to project. We will use a portfolio for CPH541 to promote student learning and to document progress on public health competencies and personal learning objectives.

In a portfolio, students will:

• Keep all of their assignments, papers and group work in the portfolio.
• Maintain reflective essays on how this course is improving their knowledge and skills in basic public health competencies as well as their own learning objectives.
• Turn in their portfolios for grading and feedback at least three times during the semester as requested.
• Keep an electronic copy of all documents in the portfolio as a backup.
• Maintain the portfolio in accordance with a standard table of contents.

The Contents of the Portfolio will be:

• Title Page
• Table of Contents
• Personal Learning Objectives
• Homework Assignments (order by due date).
• Midterm Paper
• Policy Briefing Memo
• PowerPoint Slides
• Reflective Essays
• First Essay on Competencies
• First Essay on Personal Learning Objectives
• Last Essay on Competencies
• Last Essay on Personal Learning Objectives
• Community Assessment Project:
  
  • Report
  • Slides
  • Personal Activity Tracking Sheet (Time Sheet)
• Notes (optional)
• Course Handouts (optional)
• Bibliography (optional)
• Webliography (optional)

Community Assessment Project

Community Lab Director Wayne Peate, N4D, MPH
peate {at} u.arizona(.)edu
419-7032

Description

Teams of students will engage in service learning with one community based agency for both CPH541 (Community Assessment and Analysis) and the next course in the series, CPH542 (Community Health Program Planning and Evaluation). In CPH541, they will be asked to collaborate with the community either to design an assessment or conduct a portion of an assessment. In CPH542, students will follow through with the agency to translate the assessment into action. They will be asked to collaborate with the agency to write a grant, develop a program plan, or evaluate a portion of an existing program.

Steps

The student team along with a faculty member will be meet with the community representatives and negotiate a realistic project. Students will then collaborate with each other and the community to complete the project. This will entail a minimum of 4 meetings with community colleagues. Students usually find that additional field trips are necessary, depending on what is being done. At the end of the semester, student will summarize their methods, results and findings in a brief written report and present these findings as their final exam at the scheduled time. Community members will be invited to attend the presentation. They may also request a presentation in the community.

The class will negotiate the criteria for evaluating the project. The instructor, a community representative, and the students will then rate the project on three to five criteria, probably using a Likert scale. The instructor response, the combined student response, and the community member's response will be averaged to obtain a project grade.

The individual's grade will be calculated as the project grade weighted by the individual's contribution to the project. The individual's contribution to the project will be rated by the two instructors based on the following information:

1) A timesheet kept by students documenting their activities and time spent in the project. This timesheet is to be included in the student portfolio.

2) The Project's summary of credits. As a group, the team will include in their report a summary of credits briefly describing the contribution of each student to the project. The students will not be put in the position of evaluating each other's performance, merely agreeing on who did what. This is similar to an acknowledgements statement in a book.

You can score higher or lower on the community assessment project by working a percentage of hours more or less than the median number of hours worked on the project among students in your team (see t). However, these hours are weighted by the extent to which the average hour listed is rated as having made a meaningful contribution to the project (see q). If you work the same number of hours as the median, you can also score higher or lower based on the extent to which the average hour listed is rated as having made a meaningful contribution to the project. You cannot gain or lose more than 30 points out of 100 with this adjustment to the project score.