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We seek to construct an electronic infrastructure to expand and strengthen community-based learning, service, research, and networking among students, and campus and community-based faculty. North Carolina's communities are quickly becoming the classrooms of the future, with significant and increasingly competitive demands for student field experience by institutions of higher learning across the state. However, neither UNC faculty nor students are aware of other disciplines' field placements, losing a valuable opportunity for interdisciplinary collaboration. Further students are often ill-prepared for entry in the community. Our proposal addresses the faculty's struggle to improve UNC's coordination and placement of students and students' preparation for their community experience.
This project will a) develop and implement a database of faculty and relevant course characteristics offered in four counties: Chatham, Durham, Orange, and Wake; b) develop and implement a listserv for faculty, students, and community discussion; c) develop an on-demand electronic community orientation, including maps, demographics, audio/video clips, an inventory of prior student projects and needs assessments, and specific community resources and directories; and d) develop and refine course "linkages." An interdisciplinary ad hoc committee from Health and Academic Affairs will direct the project. Outcomes expected are the specific products outlined above and the ability to transfer this application to other University-community partnerships across the state. The server will measure frequency of use of the online orientation and the listserv. A Faculty Forum will assess the utility of the data base and the electronic orientation. |
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