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Dissertation
Examining 21st-century skill acquisition as a result of Democratic engagement within a side-by-side community-based learning course
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Drexel University
07 Oct 2015
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/etd-6643
Abstract
Institutions of higher education have a longstanding commitment to democratic engagement and civic learning. This commitment is most apparent in institutional missions, visions, and strategic plans as well as cocurricular programs that emphasize civic engagement, experience with diverse populations, a responsiveness to globalization, and transferrable skills. According to a national report published by the American Association of Colleges & Universities (2012), educators need to ensure all students are qualified with the skills to succeed in work and life in the global economy. As part of Drexel University's commitment to democratic engagement, civic learning, and 21st-century skills, the university introduced the Side-by-Side community-based learning format in 2012. This high-impact course format brings together traditional Drexel students and disenfranchised community students from the surrounding West Philadelphia neighborhood as equal participants in postsecondary courses. Although the courses have received high course evaluations, there has been no formal research on this course format. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the acquisition of essential 21st-century skills as a result of the Side-by-Side course format. A study of the National Student Survey of Engagement (NSSE) and a priori code analysis of student pair interviews and course presentation videos combine into a convergent mixed-methods study to examine the acquisition of 21st-century skills as a result of this unique learning model. The skill and engagement composite scores did not demonstrate any significant change; however, responses to 12 individual questions registered statistically significant change from the beginning to the end of the course. Students who completed the Introduction to Civic Engagement course demonstrated an increase in global perspective and greater engagement. Additionally, of all four 21st-century skills and engagement were prominent throughout the video and interview data. Implications of this study include the value of the NSSE instrument in the evaluation of community-based learning courses and 21st-century skills, as well as empirical support for providing scaffolding for civic learning. Evidence from the study may support the growth of a national Side-by-Side course pedagogy, which serves as an instructional model that democratically engages students across disciplines.
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Details
- Title
- Examining 21st-century skill acquisition as a result of Democratic engagement within a side-by-side community-based learning course
- Creators
- Cyndi Reed Rickards - DU
- Contributors
- Kristen Betts (Advisor) - Drexel University (1970-)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- vii, 219 pages
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- School of Education (1997-2026); Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 6643; 991014632422304721