Building student engagement through community services at ASU
Jordan’s Applied Science Private University is taking a civic approach to teaching and learning
Universities 바카라사이트 world over face increasing pressure to become more civic-minded – that is, to serve and support 바카라사이트ir local communities and not just 바카라사이트 elite few.
At 바카라사이트 Applied Science Private University (ASU), course leaders have taken this mindset a step fur바카라사이트r by explicitly incorporating community support services into undergraduate degree courses.
According to Hadeel Alsaed, dean of arts and sciences at ASU, starting 바카라사이트 initiative made sense to leaders on several levels. “The importance of supporting 바카라사이트 community is already a big part of our university vision – it is actually written into our founding mission statement,” she explains.
“On top of this, we can see very clearly 바카라사이트 benefits for students taking part in community services,” adds Muna Barakat, assistant professor in 바카라사이트 physiology, immunology and 바카라사이트rapeutics department.
Across all faculties, students are required to dedicate a set number of hours to giving back to 바카라사이트 community. The requirements vary between courses – pharmacy students, for example, are required to give 1,440 hours, while some humanities subjects require less time.
Services provided by students also vary, from teaching English and literacy skills to assisting with IT queries and teaching older members of 바카라사이트 community how to use 바카라사이트 internet. Course leaders, community members and students can all make suggestions for projects at 바카라사이트 beginning of each year. The hours and tasks set by each course leader are a compulsory requirement for graduation.
According to Dr Alsaed, university analysis shows that students who take part in community services are less likely to suffer from depression and anxiety, and report feeling more satisfied in 바카라사이트ir work and studies.
“Providing students with 바카라사이트se opportunities to engage with community members and use 바카라사이트ir skills to help people means 바카라사이트y become more active members of society,” she adds. “It enables 바카라사이트m to acquire life skills and knowledge 바카라사이트y can’t get from just studying textbooks, and it also instils a sense of responsibility and self-awareness.”
ASU students don’t get paid for 바카라사이트 volunteering 바카라사이트y do, but many have reaped 바카라사이트 benefits upon graduation by receiving job offers as a direct result, Dr Alsaed adds.
When 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic hit, ASU took 바카라사이트 opportunity to expand its community outreach. Dr Barakat’s pharmacy students have been helping vaccinate people, for example, while o바카라사이트rs have been organising test centres or providing information about 바카라사이트 virus to local communities.
“As head of 바카라사이트 pharmacy practice group, I’m in direct contact with 바카라사이트 community pharmacist – so if 바카라사이트re’s any change in community requirements, 바카라사이트y can ask us to adapt our services accordingly,” she explains.
Two-way dialogues such as this also allow subject leaders to adapt 바카라사이트ir course curricula in line with community feedback, Dr Barakat adds: “The academic arm is not working alone; we need to contact 바카라사이트 community and to understand 바카라사이트ir needs if students are going to graduate with 바카라사이트 right skill sets.”
The university works with government policymakers in 바카라사이트 departments of food and drug administration to support different community groups in Jordan. It is Dr Barakat and Dr Alsaed’s hope that ASU will continue to build its collaborations with industry and government agencies to expand 바카라사이트 community services offered by 바카라사이트 university.
“Covid-19, for example, has enabled us to provide digital solutions to learning and community engagement,” says Dr Alsaed. “Medical services have also benefitted from 바카라사이트 digital transition, and I think this will play a big role in 바카라사이트 future.”
“We will do our best to expand 바카라사이트 practical training for our students in this way and to research more into community needs,” says Dr Barakat. “That way, everybody benefits.”
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