The American Democracy Project (ADP) and the Cross Chair in Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) host a documentary premiere for the film Civic Engagement at ISU: Case Studies and Student Reflection. Tuesday, Nov. 13, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Prairie Room at the Bone Student Center.
The event is free and open to all. A reception with light refreshments will start at 6:30 p.m. The screening of the documentary will run from 7:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. An open discussion will follow the film.
The documentary investigates the student experience of participating in civic engagement at Illinois State University. It explores both the experience of activity in civic engagement projects as well as the student’s perspectives on how the experience impacted their learning.
The School of Communication Assistant Professor Maria A. Moore led the production team as producer. “As faculty and administrators, we presume that civic engagement in the community and in the classroom is an empowering and transformative experience for students who are able to participate, deeply, in civic engagement projects,” said Moore. “With this documentary, we will hear directly from students as they describe and reflect on their practical experiences.”
Cross Chair in SoTL and Sociology Professor Kathleen McKinney was the executive producer for the documentary. She states “promoting civic engagement is one of Illinois State University’s core values in our strategic plan, Educating Illinois. Therefore, it is essential that we evaluate learning outcomes from such experiences and this research documentary is one way to do that.”
The production team documented four civic engagement projects including the interdisciplinary Habitat for Humanity project, the Women of Lockerbie clothing drive with the School of Theatre and Dance, an interdisciplinary Social Issues Fair, and a Be the Change documentary project created through the interdisciplinary Civic Engagement & Responsibility minor. The film also highlights students reflecting upon their experiences throughout their journey.
