STUDENTS LEARNING WITH COMMUNITIES
The DIT Programme for Students Learning With Communities supports DIT staff and/or students working with underserved community partners (local groups, not-for-profit organisations, etc) to develop real-life, course-based collaborative projects. This is known as community- based learning, community-based research, and also service-learning. Learning comes alive for students working on these projects with real clients, applying their specialist subject skills, and receiving course credits for their work. The community becomes part of the teaching process and the students’ work furthers the community’s goals. These projects give all participants the opportunity to engage in critical thinking and to develop their social awareness. The Programme for Students Learning With Communities ultimately aims to energise participants to work for social change.
Benefits for students:
- Develop communication, group work, problem-solving, critical thinking and time management skills
- Learn to put theoretical subject knowledge into practice
- Learn from and with community groups, see how collaboration can further the community’s goals, and develop knowledge of the community and voluntary sector as possible employers
- Develop social awareness and become a more active citizen
- Receive course credits for this work, as all projects are built into modules
Facts and figures:
- Over 1,300 DIT students were involved in Students Learning With Communities projects in 2011/12
- Well over 100 community partners are involved
- Students on 45 programmes, undergraduate and postgraduate, across all 4 DIT Colleges were involved in 2011/12 – approximately 1 in 3 undergraduate programmes.
Contact:
Students Learning With Communities,
DIT Access and Civic Engagement Office,
Grangegorman Lower,
Dublin 7
T: 01 402 7616
E: slwc@dit.ie
