Putting Learning to Work
Committee Report
June 30, 2000
Participating Committee Members
Rebecca Burch, Jim Coates, Brent Hussin, John Katers, Peter Kellogg, Anne Kok, KarenLacey
Dan Mitchell, Linda Peacock-Landrum (subcommittee chair), Denise Scheberle (committee
chair and subcommittee chair), Jan Thornton
Committee Charge
The Putting Learning to Work Committee was asked to develop and detail aspects of
Recommendation X and Recommendation XI in the Report of the Task Force on the Compelling
Idea. The committee was assigned responsibility for developing guidelines for the units to
follow in order to tailor these recommendations to the needs of students.
Recommendation X outlines an expectation that all students will have a professional learning
experience. Recommendation XI outlines an expectation that all students will have a citizenship
experience as part of their learning. Recommendations X and XI appear as appendices to this
report.
Committee Process
The committee met as a whole to identify the goals for each of the two recommendations and to
establish the characteristics of successful professional learning and citizenship programs. This
work occupied meetings during the month of April and the first part of May. After agreement
was reached on the goals and characteristics of successful programs, the committee divided into
two subcommittees. Each subcommittee was charged with the responsibility of translating this
initial work into specific guidelines for one recommendation. The committee met as a whole in
May and June to provide feedback to the subcommittees. This report is the culmination of the
work that was done.
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Committee's Proposed Plan for the Professional Practice Experience
Purpose
The purpose of this experience is to engage students in hands-on professional practice in a
workplace environment that promotes personal and professional development by linking
academic knowledge with professional skills.
To accomplish this purpose, students will complete a professional practice equivalent to a three
credit course which includes participation in a seminar. Although professional practices will
vary, all professional practices should contain the characteristics listed below.
Educational Characteristics of a Professional Practice Experience
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It engages students in hands-on professional practice in a workplace environment.
It closely corresponds to skills needed by a professional in that area.
It contributes to student learning, links to a student's learning plan and is reflected in the
portfolio.
It enhances the student=s understanding of a profession/career.
It includes structured time for the student to reflect on his/her experience and structured
sharing of the experience with the university community by way of the seminar.
It recognizes that evaluations are essential and should be shared with the student.
It offers on-going feedback to the student by someone who has professional expertise
(faculty liaison or faculty coordinator and/or site supervisor).
Rationale
The standards for the professional practice are the first four bullets in the educational
characteristics listed above. These standards will drive the outcomes for students completing the
professional practice. The proposed model will provide an experience for all students that will
aid in developing graduates who will be productive members of society. This model strongly
supports the UW-Green Bay Idea of an educated person by providing an opportunity to explore
depth and breadth of knowledge in the experience, to develop skills and tools, to have
commitment and engagement with a site and to develop insight and understanding of workplace
issues.
In developing a model for professional practice, it was important to have a model that is:
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assessed and evaluated by the University community and participants
flexible: not a one-size fits all approach that allows for a wide variety of options for
students as well as student-generated experiences
easily coordinated and administered on campus
provides support systems on campus for students and hosts to address problems
communicates simple and clear expectations and responsibilities for students and
participating organizations
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occurs during a student's final four semesters
based upon a learning agreement
provides a mutually beneficial experience for students and for the organization
Challenges of a Professional Practice Program
Clearly any program that involves students in a professional practice prior to graduation will
have challenges that need to be addressed for the program to be successful. In developing a
model for the professional practice, programmatic challenges were reviewed and discussed at
length. The model that is proposed addresses the following challenges:
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creating enough professional learning experiences to meet student demand
coordinating these experiences across campus
disseminating information about these experiences
dealing with transfer students who may have already had these experiences
creating sufficient incentives for organizations to participate
creating appropriate documentation
accommodating students who are not developmental prepared, unmotivated or poorlyperforming
acquiring sufficient resources at the budgetary unit and institutional level to accomplish
the work
Incorporating existing programs and experiences into professional practice experience;
these existing experiences would serve as a professional practice as long as the criteria
were met.
Model for Professional Practice
Learning Outcomes of Professional Practice
In order to provide the entire student body at UW-Green Bay with a meaningful professional
practice, core learning outcomes are essential. This ensures fairness and equity for students
participating and completing professional practices. Core learning outcomes will also allow for
evaluation and assessment of the program university-wide in order to modify and adapt the
program to provide the best possible experience for students. These outcomes were determined
by reviewing the top ten skills important to all majors at UW-Green Bay (as compiled by
Assessment and Testing for BASE feedback sessions). Recognizing that students have different
interests, goals and abilities, the learning outcomes reflect the flexibility to allow for learning
tailored to the individual students. In addition each professional practice may not address all
areas listed in the seven categories, but it is expected that any meaningful professional practices
would provide opportunity for development in the seven areas.
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Learning Outcomes for a student in a professional practice would be:
I.
Application of Learning in the Profession
Demonstrates a genuine interest and enthusiasm for the profession. Ability to
understand the connection between academic knowledge and practical work in the
field. Looks for new responsibilities and takes initiative. Demonstrates active
desire to learn from and contribute to the organization.
II.
Decision Making and Problem Solving
Able to assimilate appropriate information as part of problem solving and
decision making. Asks appropriate questions that demonstrate critical thinking.
Shows judgment about when to seek further guidance and when to be self-reliant.
III.
Organization and Planning Skills
Uses time productively and efficiently. Demonstrates the ability to be flexible
and adaptable. Follows through on assigned duties and tasks. Able to plan an
implement a special project well. Demonstrates independence in the completion
of projects and assignments.
IV.
Communication Skills (interpersonal, oral, written and listening)
Interacts positively with peers and staff. Adjusts to a variety of new
circumstances, expectations and people. Communicates verbally in a clear,
understandable manner. Uses appropriate language when communicating with
professionals, clients/customers and the public. Writes in a neat, clear and
concise manner. Listens carefully to diverse points of view.
V.
Professional Behaviors (attendance, ethics and confidentiality)
Has respect for other people's different skills and life experiences. Dresses
appropriately for the profession. Respects the time constraints and the job
responsibilities of the site supervisor.
VI.
Professional and Personal Development
Demonstrates ability to accept corrective feedback and suggestions for
improvement. Shows openness to self-evaluation and identifies personal goals.
Has tolerance for ambiguity. Understands difference and strikes balance between
roles of worker/student and between organization goals/own goals. Accepts
responsibility and consequences for own actions and decisions.
VII.
Other Skills and Behaviors
In consultation with the cluster coordinator, faculty liaison and site supervisor the
student may identify additional skills and behaviors specific to the profession
and/or student career goals.
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Overview of the Professional Practice Experience
In order for the professional practice to be meaningful for students, there must be some minimal
standards that are established and there must be some consistent manner to ensure that students
have completed it. The expectation would be that all students would pass the professional
practice because of structured support and on-going evaluation that would be at the core of the
program.
Core Elements of the Professional Practice
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3 credit, repeatable pass/no-credit experience with a seminar
Minimum of 120 hours completed with 10 hours class/advising time in the
Seminar for the semester (the committee acknowledges a need for a minimum
number of hours completed for fairness and that this number may need to be
adjusted)
Interim progress report/evaluation completed to ensure student success
Students would register for practice/seminar to track completion/participation
To be eligible student must have junior standing and have declared major
Students would complete this experience during one of the last four semesters
prior to graduation
Internships, student teaching, fieldwork in social work and other existing
experiences could meet the criteria for professional practice
Criteria/competencies would allow for evaluation of prior experience for nontraditional students and accepting transfer credit for transfer students
Sites would have the option to have input into the student selected to serve a
professional practice. Professional practices may be competitive requiring that
students participate in an interview and selection process at the site
Efforts would be made to identify and document opportunities that exist currently
and that could be developed on campus for professional practice
It is important to acknowledge that students will be assisted and supported in completing this
experience. For students engaged in a professional practice this support and assistance will be in
the form of the seminar, the interim progress report/evaluation, the site visit/consultation by
university and the support provided by the site supervisor. For Pre-Practice Students, support
and assistance will be critical as well. Therefore the following elements would be important
Support for Pre-Practice Students
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Required meeting with Cluster Coordinator and/or Faculty Coordinator in
advance
Required attendance at a professional practice seminar in advance to help with
decision making
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Would complete a self-assessment along with review of the learning plan to
provide information to a Cluster Coordinator about what type of professional
practice would be appropriate
Good communication would need to exist between Cluster Coordinator and
student's adviser in order to link with learning plan
It should be noted that the opportunity exists for students to not take a professional practice
seriously. Conversely, the opportunity exists for a site to not offer the expected type of
professional practice. A procedure would need to be implemented to remove a student from a
professional practice should the need arise for either reason.
With numerous quality experiences already documented and engaging students, departments
may choose to substitute the professional practice experience for existing experiential programs.
The Professional Practice Seminar
Currently some professional programs (social work and education) have seminars that allow
students in the field to meet regularly to review experiences, learn from others' experiences and
receive on-going professional development. Other units, such as PEA, have internship forums at
the conclusion of field experiences. Students regularly voice their support for sessions as a way
to bring closure to an experience, as an avenue for on-going support and as an opportunity to
learn from their peers. If departments such as Social Work and Education have currently existing
seminars, students would not need to co-enroll in two seminars but would participate in the
department's individual seminar for professional practice students. Units and departments could
collaborate with other units/departments to provide seminars for students.
Core Elements of the Professional Practice Seminar
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Students attend one two-hour seminar per month.
Seminars are facilitated by Cluster Coordinator or Faculty Coordinators.
Students would discuss and share experiences with peers.
Seminars would include topics such as organizational culture, professional ethics,
current employment trends, various leadership and management styles,
organizational communication and design, conflict resolution, etc.
Seminars would be interdisciplinary, unless sponsored by a budgetary unit.
Seminars offered by clusters or majors (depending on the model) and students
enroll in a specific seminar based upon their practice site.
Maximum enrollment of 20 students per seminar.
Benefits of the Professional Practice Seminar
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It is interdisciplinary
Students have the opportunity to share experiences and learn from peers.
It provides a support structure for students in the experience that is regular and
constant.
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Students can receive regular feedback on issues that arise during their experience.
It provides an opportunity for structured reflection on the experience.
Sites for Professional Practice Experiences
Based upon data from the Graduating Senior Survey for 1998, approximately 46% of the
respondents participated in an internship, field experience or practicum. In addition, data from
Institutional Research was obtained that examined registration for the internship 497 course by
major. It is approximated that an additional two hundred experiences may need to be identified
for a given semester and that on average 400 students per semester would be participating in the
professional practice. As stated previously, sites would have the option to select the students
completing a professional practice within their organization. This may involve a competitive
process of resume submission and interviews.
Recognizing that site involvement and support is critical to the success of this program, some
incentives for sites/organizations to participate would be important. A unit/department
(professional practice program office) should be responsible for overall public relations and
recognition of site support. Some incentives for organizations to participate may include:
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Recognition of site participation and support --such as a large thank you ad in the
newspaper each semester acknowledging placements and campus recognition in
the Log.
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Students could nominate individual/organization for "best" site/mentor.
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Certificates presented to site mentors for their efforts in creating meaningful
professional practice experiences.
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Continued excellent communication between coordinators and sites.
Substantial effort needs to be devoted to developing sites for professional practice and
maintaining quality relationships with site coordinators. Good relationships with site
coordinators will influence the quality of experiences that students have. In order for a site to
provide a meaningful professional practice experience, these general guidelines should be met.
We anticipate that more detailed written guidelines for site coordinators would be developed in
the implementation phase of this recommendation.
Guidelines for Professional Practice Experience Site Coordinators
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Regular supervision on site by an appropriate employee
Working relationships that encourage student to excel
Assistance provided in developing competencies
Orientation of student to the site including communicating of workplace policies,
rules, operational hours, etc.
Completion of learning agreement, interim and final progress reports
Recognition that student needs to make a contribution to the organization
Review/acceptance of guidelines for professional practice program
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Evaluation Methods
While developing an evaluation instrument was beyond the scope of the committee, we suggest
that professional practice experience evaluations contain these elements:
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Student evaluates self, site, program, seminar and instructor.
Site coordinator evaluates the student and the program
Professional Practice Office/University will evaluate student (depending on the
administrative model and which individuals are facilitating the seminars and the
student practices)
Interim progress report would be completed for the student
Materials Needed for Implementing Professional Practice Experience
In the implementation phase of the Learning Experience, our committee identified the following
materials that would be needed for the professional practice program. These items are:
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Learning agreement
Student guide/handbook
Seminar structure, syllabus
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Site/supervisor handbook
Evaluations - student, site, supervisor
Site/Practice Database
Administrative/Organization Model for the Professional Practice Program
We recommended that a "professional practice program office" be established to provide some
centralization to the program and eliminate duplication of effort among budgetary units. It is
proposed that the Professional Practice Program Office:
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Merge with an existing administrative department (such as Career Services)
Coordinate public relations and contacts with sites associated with the
professional practice program
Track students and handle all necessary paperwork in administering the program
Serve as starting point for students and works with students
Develop sites in the community and keeps database of existing opportunities
Assumes other responsibilities for professional practice
Two models for implementing the Professional Practice Program appear in Table One. The
proposed models are different with regard to the role of faculty and the role of the Professional
Practice Program Office. Regardless of which model is selected, strong consideration needs to
be given to our students and the procedures that are in place for them. The professional practice
does not need to be tainted because of lack of consistency, inability for the students to access
information or the lack of support for students in a practice experience. The current state of
internships across campus - different departmental requirements, different departmental
procedures, varying levels of departmental support and assistance and confusion for
organizations in the community - should be a clear indication that a different model needs to be
selected for the professional practice program.
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Table One: Staffing/Organizational/Operational Models for Professional Practice
Professional Practice is centralized
4 or 5 Cluster Coordinators (CC)
1 - Program Assistant
Staff merge with existing administrative office
to add support. Faculty Liaisons in each
department.
Professional Practice is at unit level
13 Unit Faculty Coordinators
2 Professional Practice Coordinators (PPC) in
an Administrative Office with a .5 FTE
Program Assistant. Some administrative
support would be at the unit level to handle
evaluations.
Faculty Coordinators facilitate the seminars
and conduct site visits. PPCs would handle
learning agreements, public relations, site
development, and centralization of
information.
Cluster Coordinators facilitate the seminars
and conduct site visits. The entire program
would be administered out of a single office.
Faculty Liaisons in each department would act
as resources for students and staff. A close,
working relationship would exist between CCs
and faculty.
Experiences for students clustered by career
clusters, such as Science/Technology,
Communication/Arts, Business Services,
Healthcare/Human Services, and
Government/Nonprofit. May need to look at
standard industry classification codes (SIC) in
order to do this effectively
Characteristics of this model:
Interdisciplinary by the clusters - any major
could be represented in the cluster seminars
Provides more options for students
More flexible to accommodate individual
student needs with seminar schedules, timing
of practice, etc.
Consistent with organizational views/needs
with centralization
Equity in resource allocation - unit with
less/more students than average
Provides for continuity, accountability and
consistency
Allows for program to continue in summer
without additional costs
Communication between program office and
departments:
Attending department meetings
Hosting/organizing forum of students
conducting professional practice
Faculty could accompany CC on site visits
Experiences for students are grouped by
unit/major.
Characteristics of this model:
Tied to the major
Facilitates faculty and community interaction
Increased departmental integration
Administratively more challenging
Allows for administrative support with
Professional Practice Office
Each unit would have one Coordinator regardless of the number of majors or
department could choose to provide more
release time for faculty.
Communication between program office and
departments:
What sites are available/taken
Keeping records of evaluations of site
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Discussion
In the centralized model, the professional practice program is located in an existing
administrative office. The office provides cluster coordinators to work with students and faculty
to find professional practice experiences. Cluster coordinators, in conjunction with faculty
liaisons from budgetary units, facilitate the professional practice seminars. Budgetary units
could choose to conduct seminars for their majors in lieu of participating in the cluster seminars.
However, the existence of the cluster seminars would alleviate the need for departments to
design their own programs.
Under the second model, the professional practice program responsibility rests with the
budgetary units. Budgetary units would create seminars, conduct site visits and have primary
responsibility for locating and maintaining meaningful professional practice experiences. A
smaller administrative unit would provide support in this effort, and facilitate information
exchange among various budgetary units and the community.
The committee feels either model will work to achieve the goals of the Learning Experience.
However, the committee believes that the centralized model is the strongest model. It provides
more structure and centralization for students and sponsoring site supervisors – the two major
constituents in the professional practice. This model places fewer demands on budgetary units
that do not have active professional practice programs currently in place. Faculty members
remain an integral part of the centralized model. They would be involved in the seminars, could
participate in site visits, and would act as a resource for students in their programs. Several
successful models currently exist which parallel the proposed centralized model, including St.
Norbert College.
At the same time, budgetary units could opt to retain control over their own professional
programs as long as those programs met the campus guidelines. The result would be a support
structure that would not preempt existing professional practice programs, but would provide a
sound foundation for solid professional practice experiences for all UW-Green Bay students.
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Committee's Proposed Plan for the Citizenship Experience
Purpose
The purpose of this experience is to educate students about their role as citizens in a democracy,
to engage them in public service and to instill in them a desire to continue to be active citizens
and to "give back" to their community.
To accomplish this purpose, students will complete a citizenship learning experience equivalent
to a three-credit course. This learning experience can be fulfilled either by taking a course that is
designated as a citizenship experience course, or through an independent study or internship.
Some departments may become very involved in the citizenship experience, while others may be
less involved. However, it is hoped that all departments will look for innovative ways to create
citizenship experiences for students. Although citizenship experiences will vary, all experiences
should contain the characteristics listed below.
Model for the Citizenship Experience
Educational Characteristics of a Citizenship Experience
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It engages students in an experience that instills a sense of service to community and
appreciation for his/her role as a citizen.
It makes a meaningful contribution to a local, regional, state, national or global
community.
It develops an appreciation for civic/social responsibility.
It provides opportunities for students to interact with each other, with members of a
community and with faculty to reflect on citizenship.
It provides an opportunity for students to formally share the experience with members of
the university community, in class and during the Citizenship Day.
It contains at least 90 hours of student engagement, which includes preparation for the
experience, direct contact with the community or organization, analysis of the work, and
reflection about the experience.
It is closely related to the students' personal learning outcomes.
It is assessed by the instructor of a course or a faculty coordinator.
Evaluations by the faculty coordinator or instructor are shared with the student.
It results in some tangible material that is placed in the student portfolio
Administrative Details of a Citizenship Experience
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The citizenship experience requirement is met by taking a course of at least three credits that
is designated as a citizenship experience course. Citizenship experience credits may also be
earned as independent study, senior honor's project distinction in the major, or internship
credits, provided the student is enrolled for at least three credits and that the experience meets
the educational characteristics outlined in the previous section.
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Citizenship experience courses will appear with a CE designation in the timetable, much like
writing emphasis courses have a WE designation. Independent studies, internships or honor's
projects will be designated as meeting the CE requirement by the faculty member supervising
the student's work.
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A course will be designated as Citizenship Experience (CE) course after three requirements
are met:
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The instructor of the course attends a workshop that highlights the goals and
parameters of the citizenship experience.
The instructor provides evidence (such as course syllabi) that illustrates the course
meets those goals and parameters.
The appropriate academic dean or associate dean, in consultation with the faculty
committee, approves the course for CE designation as part of the Form A or Form A
Addendum process.
Criteria for successful completion of the citizenship experience are communicated simply
and clearly to students and at least four times during a student's tenure at UW-Green Bay.
(See discussion below.)
CE courses will be evaluated by the academic dean and faculty advisory committee for
continued consistency with the goals of the citizenship experience.
CE courses will have enrollment caps of 30 students. In consultation with the appropriate
academic dean, the cap may be lowered.
Courses with WE designations are not precluded from having CE designations. Similarly,
courses that fill other university requirements, such as general education, or that fill
requirements for the major are not precluded from CE designation.
A faculty advisory committee, which may be part of or affiliated with the General Education
Council, will provide guidance to the citizenship experience program.
Rationale for the Citizenship Experience Program Design
The committee spent considerable time discussing various models of achieving a meaningful
citizenship experience for all students. We discussed letting students conduct their own
citizenship activities and then documenting those activities in a portfolio. This would not add to
a student's credit requirement, and would not entail the use of additional resources. However, it
also minimizes the interaction between students and faculty members and places the
responsibility of finding citizenship activities on students. Moreover, such a model does not
provide opportunities for interactions among students in a classroom setting.
The committee then reviewed citizenship models at other universities. That review indicated that
universities often link citizenship experiences to a classroom setting. Often, students were given
a short list of courses that satisfy the citizenship requirement. However, the model of just a few
courses seemed very limiting to the committee. More important, it would demand significantly
more resources.
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We believe that the model of CE designated courses offers the most flexibility for the campus
and for students. It also helps to ensure a level of consistency among citizenship experiences,
optimally producing valuable experiences for all students. Continued programmatic review and
administration support will provide guidance and encouragement for instructors of CE courses.
Challenges of a Citizenship Experience Program
Clearly any program that involves students in a citizenship experience prior to graduation will
have challenges that need to be addressed for the program to be successful. In developing a
model for the citizenship experience, programmatic challenges were reviewed and discussed at
length. The model that is proposed addresses the following challenges:
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creating enough citizenship experiences to meet student demand
coordinating these experiences across campus
disseminating information about these experiences
dealing with transfer students who may have already had these experiences
creating sufficient incentives for faculty members to participate
creating appropriate documentation
accommodating students who have pressing constraints on their time
acquiring sufficient resources at the budgetary unit and institutional level to accomplish
the work
Incorporating existing programs and experiences into the citizenship experience
Resource Needs for Establishing Citizenship Experience Courses
We anticipate that during the initial implementation phase of the citizenship experience that 75%
of UW-Green Bay students would opt for meeting their citizenship requirement in an organized
classroom setting. Remaining students would choose to meet the requirement independently,
through an independent study, internship, field experience or honor's project. If we admit 1,000
students per year, and if our assumptions are correct, that means that UW-Green Bay would need
to accommodate the needs of 750 students per year interested in taking CE courses, and 250
students per year interested in pursuing independent studies or internships.
Assuming an enrollment cap of 30 students for each CE course, the university would need to
offer a minimum of 25 CE courses each year. Added demand for independent studies,
internships and honor's projects could require 12 reassignments within budgetary units (based
upon one reassignment for 20 individual instruction activities).
Taken together, the committee estimates that this would require roughly 6 full-time equivalent
(FTE) faculty. However, based upon a 1998 campus assessment of service-learning courses and
the Community Service Research Report finished this year, it appears that some existing courses
already contain service-learning components. These courses could likely be modified to meet
the CE designation criteria. We anticipate that over half of the CE course needs could be met
through existing courses, leaving a resource need of three faculty FTE.
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Additional resources would be needed beside those associated directly with the delivery of CE
courses. We believe that 1.0 FTE of an academic staff or faculty member would be needed.
This staff member would help to coordinate citizenship experiences across CE courses; would be
a liaison between communities and the university; would direct the Citizenship Days described
below; and, would work with the faculty advisory committee to provide an initiation workshop
for CE instructors.
Many potential synergies exist between the citizenship and the professional practice experiences.
We would suggest that during the implementation phase of these experiences, careful attention
be paid to optimizing resources. Most notably, the office that coordinates the professional
practice experience would most likely be the best choice to coordinate the citizenship experience
as well.
The university must acknowledge that faculty members who incorporate these citizenship
experiences in their courses will need some support to accomplish this course redesign. We hope
that the university will provide additional funds to the Faculty Development Council to award
Teaching and Learning Enhancement Grants of up to $1,000 to faculty who are willing to initiate
a CE course. After this initial phase, faculty will be "compensated" for CE courses as they are
with WE courses--by reduced class size.
Evaluation Methods
While developing an evaluation instrument was beyond the scope of the committee, we suggest
that citizenship experience evaluations contain these elements:
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Student evaluates self, citizenship experience and instructor. The self and
experience evaluations become part of the student's portfolio and provide an
opportunity for reflection about civic engagement.
Faculty supervisor or CE course instructor evaluates the student and the program.
Student evaluations are included as part of the grade for the course; programmatic
evaluations are designed to enhance the quality of CE courses.
Academic Dean coordinates a university-wide review of the citizenship program.
Materials Needed for Implementing the Citizenship Experience
In the implementation phase of the Learning Experience, our committee identified the following
materials that would be needed for the citizenship experience. These items are:
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Student guide
Evaluation forms
Community outreach materials
CE course guidelines for instructors
Citizenship Day materials
Charge to the new faculty advisory committee
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Examples of Potential Citizenship Experiences
Citizenship experiences on this campus are already common. Forty-six percent of the
respondents to the 1998 Senior Survey indicated that they participated in community service
independently or as a part of a class. The Community Service Report indicates a wide range of
current activities that are likely candidates for the citizenship experience. These examples
provide a brief sample of activities that are underway at UW-Green Bay that could be translated
into CE courses:
 Mentoring programs in Green Bay area high schools are in place on this campus. Education
majors perform 100 hours of field experience. Students have been counselors at YMCA
programs, tutors at local schools and with high-risk students.
 Accounting students currently assist elderly and low-income citizens in completing tax
forms as part of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program.
 The Art Agency organizes Empty Bowls, a fundraiser that benefits selected community
organizations each year and encourages students to participate in "The Day Without Art,"
which commemorates people who suffer with AIDS.
 The Public and Environmental Affairs student organization sponsored environmental
education programs in local grades schools as part of Earth Week.
 Student Life conducts many community outreach programs that could be incorporated
within a course.
 Through the Graphic Communication Practicum, graphic design students produce the
Voyager magazine for the Brown County Historical Society.
 The Middle Childhood and Adolescence course provides a community service option for
students to work in churches, schools, the Volunteer Center, the Boys and Girls Club or
other non-profit agencies.
 Public Administration and political science majors serve as volunteer on political campaigns
and as interns in local governments.
 Budgetary units including Public and Environmental Affairs, Human Development, Social
Change and Development, Urban and Regional Planning, and Social Work are involved in
sponsoring student internship experiences located in non-profit, community service
organizations.
 Business students develop web pages for non-profit agencies as part of a course.
This list is not inclusive, but provides an indication of the work that is already underway to
promote civic engagement. Citizenship activities reviewed from other universities offer more
possibilities we could pursue on this campus. For example, students majoring in environmental
science could do water quality sampling or wetland delineation for a community and report the
results of their research back to the community as a way of satisfying their citizenship experience
requirement. CE classes could participate in the national "Make a Difference Day" and use that
activity as a foundation to more fully assist the community. The point is that these experiences
create a sense among students of the importance of "giving back" to their communities. There are
many ways to "give back" to communities, and we envision a wide array of possibilities.
We also believe that nearly every budgetary unit could eventually have at least one course that
would count for CE credit.
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Recognizing Citizenship Experiences through Citizenship Day and Citizenship Awards
The Citizenship Day provides a forum for the university to communicate to students and to the
public the goals of the citizenship experience. It offers a chance for students to talk to others
about their experiences. It also provides a great opportunity for students who have not yet taken
a citizenship experience to think about which experiences may be right for them.
During one Friday afternoon before the end of classes in each semester, the university would
sponsor a Citizenship Day in the University Union. The day would feature welcomes from the
Chancellor, Vice Chancellor and/or deans; keynote addresses from elected officials or other
individuals; and, a series of forums that would highlight some of the citizenship experiences
done that year. Students from CE courses could also report the results of their experiences by
displaying their work at tables located around the main room.
Members of the Brown County and other communities would join students in discussing the
meaning of civic engagement and community involvement. The event would be designed as both
an opportunity for information exchange, as well as a way to stimulate a broader conversation
about citizenship.
In conjunction with the Citizenship Day, awards to students for notable citizenship experiences
should be given. We anticipate that one individual award and one class award be given every
semester during the Citizenship Day, and that the awards also be noted during commencement.
Additionally, we recommend that CE instructors who have provided particularly innovative
and/or significant citizenship experiences also receive recognition during Citizenship Day. The
faculty committee overseeing the Citizenship Experience could make the award determinations.
We would hope that the university would coordinate with local media so that this day could
receive press coverage and that these achievements could become part of the local media's efforts
to recognize community volunteers.
Communication and Motivation Challenges
Communicating the value of the citizenship experience, the requirements of the citizenship
experience and the range of CE courses to students and to faculty will be a challenge. This
communication should occur at least four times during the student's tenure at the university:
1. during the new student seminar
2. during the Citizenship Day
3. during the advising period when a student chooses a major/minor
4. every time the student visits the Learning Experience website
Establishing sufficient opportunities for all students is an issue, because it is predicated on
faculty members willingness to engage in course redesign. Providing flexibility with CE
designated courses, and creating opportunities for students to pursue an individual citizenship
experience as part of an internship or independent study is essential. Especially important will
be ensuring that many budgetary units provide citizenship experience opportunities for students.
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Successful implementation of this recommendation will also require a few CE courses available
with no prerequisite that students from any major can take.
Discussion and Overall Rationale for the Citizenship Experience Recommendation
We believe that the CE course design provides opportunities for maximum participation by all
budgetary units. The array of possibilities that meet the educational characteristics and purpose
of the citizenship experience is wide. The 90 hour requirement for citizenship experience
activities includes all of the preparatory work for the experience, the in-class and out-of-class
reflection on the experience, as well as the experience itself. Thus, while the citizenship
experience is a major part of the course, it is not the only part of the course. Instructors will be
able to incorporate substantive material into the course in addition to the citizenship experience.
We trust that this will encourage faculty to be early-adopters of the CE designation for their
courses.
We also believe that this recommendation is timely. Recent reports on student attitudes indicate
a growing apathy toward civic responsibilities and engaged citizenship. Even though
volunteerism has increased in recent years, especially in high schools (including the Green Bay
School District), studies show that students are not connecting these activities with a greater
sense of community or with democratic behaviors such as voting or shaping public policy.
Students need more than forced volunteerism--they need to be engaged in community service in
such a way that they are able to connect what they learn in the classroom to real-world
conditions. Moreover, they need to feel efficacious--that they can make a difference in their
community and that their contributions are meaningful, even essential, to society.
Faculty and administrators at institutions of higher education around the country are making
commitments to engage students in citizenship experiences. Over 400 university and college
top-level administrators have signed the President's Declaration on the Civic Responsibility of
Higher Education. UW-Green Bay has an opportunity to be part of this movement to put higher
education in the forefront of civic engagement.
Concluding Comments
The Putting Learning to Work Committee believes that while the professional practice and
citizenship experience models may not be perfect, they represent solid advances in implementing
Recommendations X and XI. Further, we believe that many of the elements of these models lend
themselves to coordinated effort between the two recommendations. Most important, the models
build upon the professional practices and citizenship experiences already underway in many
budgetary units. We look forward to your comments.
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Appendix A
Recommendation X from the 1999 Report of the Task Force on the Compelling Idea
Expect every student to have professional practice experience as part of his or her learning.
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Professional practice is the application of learning in a "workplace" environment.
A "workplace" setting can be off campus (as in practice teaching) or on campus (as in
ensemble concerts on campus).
Professional practice experience should be structured and guided.
Professional practice should be integrated into every major program.
As we prepare students to become professional practitioners, it is absolutely essential that some
form of professional practice experience be incorporated into every student’s personal learning
plan. It is important to note that this component of the learning plan will most likely "not" be
specifically identified until the student has reached an advanced level of study.
By definition, "professional practice" is the application of learning in a workplace environment.
A workplace environment may exist in both on-campus and off-campus venues. This is most
easily understood in the guise of internship experiences or formal "practice" courses; however,
we also imagine that significant presentations for local agencies, public school systems or other
civic organizations might also be options.
We emphasize the integration of engagement in learning and citizenship. When on campus, the
professional practice experience must include some form of public presentation in workshop or
conference situations, performances, campus internships or professional product development. It
is also essential that each professional practice experience be carefully supervised and guided.
To this end, it will be necessary for every major program to develop an array of possible
professional practice opportunities. Although it will be each program’s responsibility to insure
that every student is afforded such an opportunity, students should be encouraged to seek out
particular opportunities attuned to their individual learning plans.
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Appendix B
Recommendation XI from the Report of the Task Force on the Compelling Idea
Expect every student to have a citizenship experience as part of her or his learning.
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Experiences may have a campus, community, regional, national or global focus
There are many options to satisfy the requirement; a catalog will be created
Students may design their own citizenship experience
The University might consider more formal link to organizations such as the Volunteer
Center or EarthWatch as avenues for fulfillment
Citizenship should be a part of each students’ learning plan
To prepare our students for lives and careers as engaged citizens, we need to cultivate such
inclinations, experiences and activities through the UW-Green Bay learning experience.
Comprehending citizenship broadly, we imagine a universe of vehicles through service — but
also through research and teaching — activities. These might address campus, local, regional,
national or global communities. Moreover, we feel strongly that the citizenship requirement
should be defined so as to encourage students to engage the world in ways that intimately and
clearly express their respective personal learning plans and interests. In other words, we do not
believe "one model fits all." We want our students to see such activities not simply in terms of
fulfilling a requirement, but as opportunities for exploration, learning, growth and contribution.
Whenever possible, we think it best for students to design their own citizenship experiences.
Many UW-Green Bay students already have established significant records of citizenship
activities, achieved through a variety of community service and independent study projects. We
believe all our students are capable of doing so with the proper guidance and encouragement.
In the area of service, some relationships already exist and might be further developed — the
United Way, Volunteer Center and Habitat for Humanity for example. Others — EarthWatch for
example — might be pursued. Other organizational leadership opportunities exist on campus.
Given the increase in such activity through this new and meaningful requirement, we recommend
establishing a campus catalog of options for students to consider as they develop their
individualized learning plans. Academic programs may well be interested in developing other
options for students that may more closely integrate with their curricula.
It is envisioned that these citizenship opportunities will be documented in each student’s
portfolio. A variety of options can be discussed and explored in the "learning how to learn"
seminar during a student’s first semester. It may be possible to identify certain activities at that
time; however, through continued consultation with peer groups and program advisers, students
may bring a more cohesive focus to these activities. Important work lies ahead in establishing
general guidelines or standards for acceptable citizenship practice and in the identification of a
campus office responsible for coordinating these efforts.
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Preparation for engaged citizenship requires knowledge of the public realm. Thus, we believe
our general education program and curriculum should critically incorporate and address
questions of American citizenship and civil society.
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