Community-Based Learning

Community-based learning, or service learning, is a way for students to actively connect their academic work with direct experience in the community. By combining hands-on work in the community with the academic framework provided by course work across the curriculum, students gain a rich experience of social issues. Students learn about the workings of community, encounter differences related to race, class and privilege, gain a deeper understanding about social justice, and are able to do work that is beneficial to others. They also gain a greater understanding of themselves. Community-based learning emphasizes academic rigor, reflection, and developing ongoing community partnerships. Community-based learning can be part of any discipline and any academic division: humanities, social sciences, sciences and the arts.

At Goucher, community-based learning is part of a growing number of academic courses, many of which are listed below. Many but not all of our programs are connected to central Baltimore, the historic home of Goucher College, and new partnerships are being created locally in Baltimore County.

Professors

Michael Curry, France-Merrick Professor in Service Learning