Higher education focuses too much on workforce preparation and training at the expense of civic learning, which in today’s globally competitive world is essential, according to a new federally funded report.
The report by the National Task Force for Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement called on colleges and universities to re-think civic learning and make it a requirement for all students. It added that colleges should shed the dated view of civic education as just basic information about U.S. history and how government works. It can serve as a tool to provide students with hands-on, problem-solving experiences that would be invaluable to communities as well as employers.
The 11-member task force—which included Brian Murphy, president of De Anza College in California—noted that community colleges in particular are well positioned to tap a larger number of students. Public two-year colleges reach such an array of students—who often may not have had an opportunity previously to engage in civic learning—that they are crucial to re-invigorate civic education on a broader scale, according to the report.
“Since the majority of these students do not transfer beyond the community college, it is all the more important that civic learning be integrated into the curriculum, including career training programs,” the report said.
Improved student success
Although career and job preparation is important, it has dominated policy discussions to a fault, the report said. Too often, policymakers focus on developing curricula and research to address labor market needs, it said. The panel even took a swipe at a national focus to increase the number of college graduates, saying it amounts to asking a “factory to produce more cars or coats.”
“Suggesting that an institution must choose between graduation rates or education for citizenship is as erroneous as suggesting that an institution must choose between jobs or education for citizenship,” the report added.
Research Brief: Linking Service Learning and Civic Engagement in Community College StudentsThe panel cited data that indicate greater involvement in civic learning improves student success. The report noted that service learning has particularly bloomed at community colleges, with about 60 percent of public two-year colleges offering service learning.
At Kapi’olani Community College in Hawaii, the persistence rate among 660 students who completed service learning assignments in 2010-11 was 20 percent higher than for all students. It mirrored similar results among service learning students in 2009-10.
Research Brief: Improving Student Learning Outcomes with Service Learning
Later this year, the American Association of Community Colleges will produce and disseminate a series of free online video training modules on civic engagement in higher education. Based on AACC’s A Practical Guide for Integrating Civic Responsibility into the Curriculum, the six-module series will be designed to make civic responsibility and engaged learning a more thoughtful and intentional part of college course work.
Paying for it
With many colleges facing another tough budget year, the task force report suggested ways that institutions can leverage resources to develop civic learning. For example, colleges can tap federally funded programs aimed at helping underrepresented college students succeed in college—such as TRIO and GEAR UP—to expand civic learning and hands-on problem-solving. Colleges can also examine similar state-funded programs.
In addition, higher education institutions can better promote student loan forgiveness programs, which significantly reduce the cost of higher education for students who pursue courses and careers in the public service sector.
A Crucible Moment: College Learning and Democracy’s Future was developed with input from a series of national roundtables that included leaders from higher education and civics renewal communities.