The+unbearable+lightness+of+measuring+civic+being

Download a copy of this page



** The unbearable lightness of measuring civic being ** Julia van der Ryn, Director, Service-Learning, Assistant Professor; Dominican University of California [julia.vanderryn@dominican.edu]

Bonnie Howe, Associate Adjunct Professor, Dominican University of California [bonnie.howe@dominican.edu]


 * Keywords**: Case study, professional ethics, healthcare, civic professionalism, assessment


 * Conference track**: Higher education student outcomes


 * Format**: Poster presentation

In order to design courses that deliver civic value enhancement and engagement, it is essential that we identify measurable student learning outcomes genuinely tied to those values and modes of action and, in turn, design assessment tools that capture these traits and, thereby, inform how we continue to enhance this type of learning. Using a case study, we explore the enduring questions of teaching and assessing democratic values and action.
 * Summary**

Our three-semester project sought to assess whether the integration of service-learning (SL) pedagogy within an Ethics in Healthcare course required for students pursuing majors in helping professions would increase (a) students’ sense of meaning and purpose and (b) their ability to integrate ethical concepts in both academic, professional, and personal situations. We proposed that a more integrative approach provides students the forum to cultivate meaningful connections and a greater capacity to become more wholly present for themselves and others. (Benner et al.,1994, 2009; Matthias et al., 2010; Tresolini, 1994). We developed tools to assess how the students in an integrated course and a control course engaged in their coursework. Our assessment methods included an adapted version of the Association of American Colleges and Universities (2012) Bringing Theory to Practice Toolkit.

The overarching finding from this research and ensuing dialogues with healthcare faculty is that teaching professional ethics is insufficient. There is increasing awareness of the need for civic professionalism that promotes value development not in a bubble, but in relation to a student’s major/career goal and in relation to their overall worldview and relationships with others.

The investigators will share assessment challenges and difficulties as well as the surprisingly clear and useful results from their research project. A focus will be on the process of critical reflection the investigators and participants engaged in regarding methodology and their own civic practice.

Association of American Colleges and Universities. (2012). Bringing theory to practice. Retrieved from http://www.aacu.org/bringing_theory/
 * References**

Benner, P. (1984). //From novice to expert: Excellence and power in clinical nursing//. Menlo Park, CA: Addison-Wesley.

Benner, P., Sutphen, M., Leonard, V., & Day. L (2009). //Educating nurses: A call for radical transformation//. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Mehl, M. R., Vazire, S., Holleran, S. E., & Clark, C. (2010). Eavesdropping on happiness: Well-being is related to having less small talk and more substantive conversations. //Psychological Science, 21//(4), 539–541.

Pew-Fetzer Task Force on Advancing Psychosocial Health Education. (1994). //Health professions education and relationship-centered care//. San Francisco, CA: Pew Health Professions Commission.


 * To access materials from this session please click on the file link(s) below:**

include component="comments" page="The unbearable lightness of measuring civic being" limit="50"