Diversity Workshop Series-Paul Flores, PhD.

Posted by: Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusive Excellence

Preparing Glocal Students of the 21st Century through Integrating Service Learning Projects into the Curriculum

Paul Flores, Ph.D., Director & Associate Professor, Liberal Studies/Undergraduate Education Program and Tolulope Noah, Ed. D., Assistant Professor Liberal Studies/Undergraduate Education Program/Service Learning Faculty Fellow

Through the stories of two dedicated professors and two Liberal Studies students, participants will hear how service learning opportunities can bring understanding and cultural competence to university students. Undergraduates in this program not only read about current issues such as the academic achievement gap related to socio-economics and ethnicity/race but engage in schools where they witness the challenges within the system. Combining their coursework and service learning experience, they are better able to grapple with solutions to address the complex challenges in the field through inquiry and engagement. Service learning as a pedagogical tool promotes critical thinking about the factors that exist and leads to problem solving. Participants in this session will be presented data representing the current state of academic achievement in public schools and have an opportunity to discuss it as well as the benefits of service learning in preparing 21st Century Glocal Students at APU.