University Social Responsibility as Civic Learning: Outcomes Assessment and Community Partnership

Abstract

This chapter addresses the challenges and opportunities regarding student civic learning frameworks, outcomes, and assessment tools in the context of university civic renewal, engagement, and partnership. Recently, a wide variety of conceptualizations of civic learning and corresponding student learning outcomes and assessments have been created, offering colleges and universities both the challenge and opportunity of choosing from a plethora of avenues through which to actualize student civic learning as part of their civic missions. Largely missing from this advance is the pedagogy of teaching and realizing authentic, mutually beneficial community partnership as essential for civic learning, and then assessing the outcomes of such pedagogy. An exploration of civic learning frameworks and a case study of Washington University in St. Louis bring into conversation a partnership-focused strategy for civic renewal with other civic engagement literature within the diverse landscape of student civic learning assessment. Grounding the ongoing development of civic learning frameworks and outcomes in the practice of partnership provides the opportunity to build the capacity of students to engage intentionally in the forms of partnership that can transform civic life.