Community Education Proposal Summary

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CEDU Proposal Final Draft

Community Education Proposal Summary

The Social Foundations (SOFD) program in the Teacher EducationDepartment at Eastern Michigan Universityproposesrevising its name to Social Foundations and Community Education (SFCE) and offering anundergraduate,non-certificationcommunity-education degree. Careers in community education are projected to increase both nationally and at the state level, and while a few community education degrees have been established across the country, Eastern Michigan University has the opportunity to offer the first community education degree of this kind in the state of Michigan. Evidence indicates that many students have varying interests in education, child and family issues, and community engagement but may not want to teach in public schools or formal educational settings. The CommunityEducation (CEDU) degree will attract students who possess these interests and will prepare them for career positions within youth work, literacy programs, and adult and community education.

The CEDUdegree focuses on democratic theory and practice related to non-formal education across the lifespan. The program’s coursework, internship, and culminating capstone project will develop students’ capacity to engage with members of diverse communities as facilitators and advocates in a wide range of organizational settings. Four pillars providing the framework for the degree are drawn from a community-centered perspective of education and are the foundation of the program’s unique learning goals and objectives: Community Capacity Building, Democratic Education, Reflection and Responsiveness, and Sustainability. Students who complete the CEDU undergraduate degree requirements will enter the community as knowledgeable educators and reflective practitioners with the skills and knowledgefor entry-level jobs in the field of community education or for further study in a range of graduate programs.

Community Education (CEDU) Description

The Social Foundations and Community Education program and the Department of Teacher Education recognize that many students have varying interests in education, child and family issues, and community engagement, but may not want to teach in public schools or formal educational settings. Since students seeking careers in non-school settings will benefit from the essential knowledge and skills associated with the field of education, the Social Foundations and Community Education program’s undergraduate CEDUmajor and minor will prepare students to work as advocates, researchers, and future leaders in diverse communities. Graduates are well informed about human development, educational theory and practice, and methods of inquiry. Community learning encompasses all occupations that are concerned with planning development programs within local communities; therefore, the CommunityEducation major or minor can supplement a wide range of interests including but not limited to the arts, sport, recreational activities, business, health, environmental sciences and other forms of social engagement.

Graduates gain a versatile degree that qualifies them for a variety of career paths working with nonprofit, humanitarian or government agencies, private educational or recreational settings, museums or other cultural institutions, and in workforce development. Roles in these settings may include entry-level positions as community educators, advocates, researchers, policy makers, trainers, or youth workers. The degree will also prepare graduates for further study and a wide range of graduate programs.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

1. Community Capacity Building: Students will be able to strengthen and create structures for people to come together and influence action in their local areas.

• Students will be able to identify assets within the community and recognize the strengths of its individual members and groups.
• Students will be able to critically analyze the historical, political, economic, social, and ecological context of the community.
• Students will be able to practice a leadership model that promotes inclusion and fosters empowerment.
• Students will be able to recognize the unique challenges of some groups and individuals and create supports to overcome barriers that limit participation.
• All students will be able to act as leaders, facilitators, and advocates where appropriate.
• Students will be able to challenge dominant discourses that reinforce injustices.

1. Democratic Education: Students will be able to create learning opportunities that stimulate both personal and community change.

• Students will be able to identify the tenets of democratic education and create programs rooted in those principles.
• Students will be able to develop learner-centered educational programs that respond to the needs and wants of community members.
• Students will identify the learning styles and educational needs of a diverse population.
• Students will be able to employ appropriate teachingstrategies in a variety of community settings.
• Students will be able to foster collaboration, mediate conflict, and encourage shared decision-making.
• Students will be able to use technology to create learning opportunities, solve problems, and enable participation.

1. Reflection and Responsiveness: Students will be able to listen, learn, and respond to the needs of a community.

• Students will be able to imagine/envision communities that are just and sustainable and the necessary aims of education to reach such a goal.
• Students will be able to create a resource map of the community, including human capital, facilities, technology, and funding
• Students will utilize research methods that appropriately capture the experiences of a diverse population.
• Students will be able to use a participative framework to evaluate programs and inform practice.
• Students will be able to collect, interpret, and present evidence, findings, and testimonies to a diverse audience.
• Students will be able to use technology as an effective communication tool that fosters community inclusiveness.

1. Sustainability: Students will understand sustainability to mean the ability of a community to protect the regenerative capacities of living systems, as these are connected to larger global, social, political and economic forces.

• Students will recognize the inseparability of social and ecological justice.
• Students will be able to analyze the operation and effects of dominant cultural discourses that reinforce intersecting social and ecological injustices.
• Students will be able to identify aspects of diverse cultural and environmental commons that support healthy human and more than human communities.
• Students will be able to identify strategies that reduce the negative impact of humans on larger ecological communities.
• Students will be able to analyze the critical relationship among cultural, linguistic and biological diversity.
• Students will be able to set goals and plan initiatives that recognize and strengthen the interconnectedness of social, economic, political and ecological elements.

Program of Study

The Community Education (CEDU) degree will be offered as both a major and minor. In addition, there are two major options. Students can chose to complete 33-34required credits and select a minor to complement the SFCE major. The self-contained major option allows students to select a concentration. The program culminates with a community-based internship and capstone project. To minor in SFCE, students complete 21-22 credits from the required SFCE course list.

Social Foundations and Community Education Courses

Rationale and Justification

Non-traditional education pathways and community service careers are projected to increase both nationally and in the state of Michigan. While most of the universities and colleges in the state offer education degrees, these traditional degrees primarily prepare graduates for pathways specific to the public (and private) school sector and do not prepare students with the skills and capacities required to work in community education. There is considerable evidence that students, who possess dispositions towards education and community areas of study, are not selecting those degrees or are not sure of career pathways.[1] Eastern Michigan University has the opportunity to be on the forefront of meeting marketplace needs as well as connecting students with fulfilling careers that service our communities.

Some public and private universities across the country offer non-certification, undergraduate education degrees. Some universities call the major Educational Foundations or Educational Studies. Frequently, these degrees do not offer unique programs or course selections separate from certification programs. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is considered the exemplar in the field of community education and offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees,[2] and Arizona State University has recently unveiled a unique (in North America) graduate degree in social pedagogy.[3]There are a growing number of universities that offer unique community education degrees across the country, but there are no institutions offering pure community education degrees and this is a particularly important consideration when considering the potential pool of EMU students and offerings available in Michigan.

Community Education Programs in Michigan

An audit of Michigan colleges and universities was conducted. Included in the search were Wayne State University, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, University of Michigan-Flint, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Central Michigan University, Adrian College, University of Detroit Mercy, Concordia University, Madonna University, Andrews University, Olivet College, Northern Michigan University, Grand Valley State, Ferris State, and University of Toledo.[4] There are no public universities that offer specified community education majors in close proximity to Eastern Michigan University. Alma College offers a major and minor in Educational Studies. Michigan State University and Albion College do offer minors in Educational Studies, and Western Michigan University offers majors in both Family Studies and Health Education-Community Focus through their Department of Education and Human Development.While these degrees[5] are non-certification education degrees, their programs do not examine the breadth of community institutionsor the spheres of families, workplace, social groups, or social movements in an educational context. A Community Education degree from Eastern Michigan University would prepare students for careers in a range of community organizations and workplace settings in an educator capacity and tap a clear interest among potential students.

Student Interests and Dispositions

Many young adults entering university have varying interests in education, child and family issues, and community engagement but may not choose degrees that lead to careers in education or community service. In 2013, nearly 1.8million of American high school graduates sat the ACT as well as completed the accompanying interest survey.[6] Ten percent of Michigan students selected Education and Community, Family and Personal Services as degree areas of interest. Eleven percent of students nationwide also selected these degree areas, but students showing interest in degrees in these areas are still seeking guidance with specific career pathways.[7] Over half of students that elected these areas also declared needing assistance with selecting a specific major and careers counseling. In addition, 21% of students (20% of Michigan students) did not declare a major or declared undecided, and 14% of undecided majors and 12% who did not select a major area were found to have education as a “best-fitting” major field of study. Twelve percent of undecided students and 10% of those who did not select an area of study, were matched to the Community, Family and Personal Studies areas of study. In sum, there is evidence of a large pool of students who show a disposition towards fields in the community sector but need additional degree options or support in selecting career pathways that match their interests.

The state of Michigan also has a large pool of university students who have shown an interest in careers in education but do not yet possess the content knowledge required by the state to become certified teachers. From August 2013 to July 2014, 3,323 Michigan students chose to take the Professional Readiness Exam (PRE).[8] Enrollment in a Michigan certification program is contingent on passing the PRE, and only 30.5% were found proficient to move forward to a certification course of study. After July 2014, there were nearly 3,000 students statewide exploring alternative majors and career opportunities.

CareerProjections

There is a projected growth in education and community careers both nationwide and locally. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, careers in the areas of education and community services will increase from 2012 to 2022.[9] Education, Training and Library Occupations are projected to increase by 11.1%, and Community and Social Service Occupations are projected to increase by 17.2%. According to Georgetown University’s June 2010 career projections, careers related to education requiring a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree and higher will increase by 38% and 40% by 2018. Specifically, positions in grant-making services and social advocacy organizations are expected to increase by 18.4% nationwide by 2022.[10]For the careers in community and social services, the job prospects with higher degrees are expected to increase by 39% and 33%.[11]

In Michigan’s HOT 50 (2018 Projections), three education careers outside of the sphere of traditional public school were in the top fifty.[12] The report claims a 21.4% increase need for Self-Enrichment Education Teachers. Human Resources, Training and Labor Relations Specialists are expected to increase 19.5%, and careers in Training and Development are projected to increase by 19.7% by 2018. More specifically, there are ranges of careers within the clusters that are expected to increase. Recreation workers, for example, are projected to increase by 8.6% and Community and Social Services Specialists are projected to surge by 102%. [13]According to the Condition of College and Career Readiness report produced by the ACT (2013),student-declared interest in education and community services careers was less the national career projections in these fields.[14] In sum, the career prospects for careers related to education and community are on the rise, but university bound students are not selecting majors being offered by traditional certification programs. By offering the CEDU degree, EMU would attract and retain students with these dispositions and interests to campus by offering a unique, engaging program with promising career prospects.

[1] ACT (2013) College choice report part 1: Preferences and prospects. Retrieved from

[2] UVM News. (2015, Jan. 7). Carnegie Foundation recognizes UWM for community engagement. Retrieved from

[3] ASU School of Social Transformation. Retrieved from

[4] University of Toledo was included in the comparison because residents of Monroe County, MI qualify for in-state tuition. Retrieved from

[5]UM-Dearborn is currently proposing anon-certification AB in Educational Studies, but that degree including the one new course (Learning and Classroom Assessment) still focuses on schools rather than community spaces.

[6] ACT (2013). The condition of college and career readiness. Retrieved from

[7] ACT (2013) College choice report part 1: Preferences and Prospects. Retrieved from

[8] Office of Professional Preparation Services. (2014). Michigan test for teacher certification annual legislation report for 2013-2014. Retrieved from

[9] Bureau of Labor Statistics of U.S. Department of Labor. (2013). Employment projections 2012-2022. Retrieved from

[10] Bureau of Labor Statistics of U.S. Department of Labor. (2013). Industry-occupation matrix, data, by occupation. Retrieved from

[11] Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N. & Strohl, J. (2010). Help wanted projections of jobs and education requirements through 2018. Retrieved from

[12] Department of Technology Management and Budget. (2008). Michigan’s hot 50: Tomorrow’s high-demand high-wage careers job outlook through 2018. Retrieved from

[13] Occupation in this specific area may require a graduate degree

[14] ACT (2013). The condition of college and career readiness. Retrieved from