Abstract Manager

Workshop

WE1-2

Accept

no

General Call (Workshop, Oral Presentation, Poster Presentation)

Workshop

Responsive Action: The Process of Engaging Community Partners in Evaluating a Service Learning Program for Undergraduate Medical Students and Applying the Results

Student experiences of educational initiatives are important sources of information to evaluate and improve education programs. In regards to Service Learning, while student perspectives about the program provide valuable insights into quality improvement, community partners who work with students also have unique and highly valuable perspectives to share. However, formalized mechanisms to collect feedback about educational programs from community partners often are not in place. Receiving and responding to community partner feedback is imperative to inform ongoing Service Learning program improvements, and to ensure collaborative educational initiatives are reciprocally beneficial for both community and university partners.

This workshop will be developed and delivered collaboratively between university and community partners involved with Service Learning experiences for undergraduate medical students. Following a brief presentation of results from a recent survey of 36 community partner organizations involved in Service Learning, whole group and break out discussions will be used to address workshop learning objectives. Small group discussion topics may include: * Why is seeking community partner feedback about educational initiatives, such as Service Learning, an important action for universities to undertake? How does this action connect with concepts such as social accountability, health equity, and community engagement? * What are considerations that could both facilitate and/or impede universities engaging community partners in evaluation of educational programs? How might potential challenges/impediments be mitigated? * What are factors that could facilitate and/or impede universities being able to act upon the recommendations and feedback from community partners? How might these challenges be mitigated? * What is the role of "power" in community-university collaborations such as Service Learning? * In addition to engaging community partners in program evaluations, what are other ways universities could engage community partners in medical education initiatives such as Service Learning? (e.g., collaborations to develop learning objectives, assessment methods, sharing expertise as guest speakers, etc.).

Service Learning coordinators; faculty involved with Service Learning design, implementation and evaluation; community organizations involved in Service Learning.

1. Highlight and discuss the importance of seeking community partner feedback regarding Service Learning programs. 2. Identify important considerations when designing and implementing approaches to seek feedback about Service Learning from community partners. 3. Discuss how to apply and respond to feedback from community partners to improve Service Learning programs. 4. Explore and discuss how universities can build and strengthen reciprocal working relationships with community partners.

Mitchell, T. (2008). Traditional vs. critical service learning; Engaging the literature to differentiate two models. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 14(2), 50-65. Taylor, A., Butterwick, S., Raykov, M. et al. (2015). Community service learning in Canadian higher education. University of British Columbia, Faculty of Education Department of Educational Studies. https://events.decorporate.ca/CCME2021/abstract/submission.php Weerts, D. (2005). Facilitating knowledge flow in community-university partnerships. Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement, 10(3), 23-38.

Service Learning

Community Partners

Educational Program Improvement

Undergraduate

Other

Inter-professional Education

Undergraduate

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

yes