Exploring the New West:
Community Conversations -- Citizenship through Place-Based Learning
Course Policies
Spring 2008 Course Syllabus: This is the PDF version of the course syllabus. 
Course Description
This innovative 1-credit course evolved from the Sewall Academic Program's collaboration with CU's nationally recognized Center of the American West, an outreach organization that has promoted civic engagement and informed citizenship among Westerners since its founding in 1989. Community Conversations offers Sewall students an opportunity to explore the concepts of community and citizenship through place-based learning and volunteering. The course incorporates theoretical considerations of citizenship and place with hands-on experience. Working in small groups, each under the guidance of a Sewall faculty mentor, students discuss course readings and choose a local community organization to work with as they put citizenship into practice and develop a stronger sense of place. Guided by their readings, students will learn about their community partner, become actively involved in its programs, and present their work at a culminating symposium open to the public. Community Conversations provides students with a foundation for understanding the role that individual citizens play in addressing key local and regional issues. By asking participants to collaborate with local organizations, and then to reflect on their experiences in a final symposium, this course also introduces students to the Center of the American West's mission of fostering the respectful exchange of differing perspectives in order to “point the way towards solutions” to the region's difficulties.
Requirements
- Attend all of the scheduled class meetings listed on the syllabus below. Dates at a glance: Tues. Jan. 15; Tues. Jan. 29; Tues. Feb. 12; Wed. Feb. 27; Wed. March 12; Tues. March 18.
- Do the assigned reading; write out answers to the discussion questions and hand them in.
- Complete at least 3 hours of participation with your chosen community organization.
- Get a signed affidavit from your community organization indicating your participation.
- With the other members of your group, complete a final professional poster about your community organization.
- Present your professional poster at the final symposium on March 18.
Grading
This is a pass/fail course. To pass the course, you must satisfactorily complete all of the requirements listed above.
Attendance
There are only six scheduled meeting dates and no absences are allowed. If you miss one of the scheduled class meetings, you will automatically fail the course . If you must miss a class meeting due to an emergency , please contact your faculty mentor to discuss your absence.
Syllabus
Tues. January 15, 4-5:30 pm: Course Introduction
Location: UMC 235
Class Plan:
At this first class meeting you learn about the class, meet the faculty mentors and assisting RAs, and choose a community organization to work with over the semester.
After an inspirational discussion with community activists Dorothy Rupert and Dan Grossman, you will have the opportunity to mill around the room, learn about the various community organizations interested in working with Sewall students, and meet other Sewall students who share your interests. By the end of the class period you will be asked to choose a community organization to work with over the semester.
Note: You will not be allowed to change your choice of community organization after this class meeting.
Tues. January 29, 4-5:30 pm: Group Meeting #1
Location: The location of your group's meeting will be posted outside of the Sewall main office and will be sent to you via your CU e-mail account. CHECK YOUR E-MAIL!!!
Preparation:
• Read Assigned Readings #1, (available at http://www.colorado.edu/Sewall/conver.htm ).
• Read Discussion Preparation Questions for Readings #1
THE PASSWORD IS: sewl2020. Print out the readings so you can bring them to class and refer to them during class discussion.
• Write out answers to discussion questions posted on line to hand in at the beginning of group meeting.
Class Plan:
This will be your first meeting with a group of other Sewall students who share similar community interests. You'll be working with this team of about 10 students through the rest of the semester. You will meet your faculty mentor, learn more about the organization you'll be working with, and decide how to divide up work with that organization. You will also participate in a discussion based on the assigned reading and consider what makes up a “community,” what “civic engagement” means, and what impact civic engagement has on individuals as well as communities. Please Note: You must write out answers to the discussion preparation questions and hand them in to your faculty mentor at the beginning of class in order to receive a passing grade for the course.
Tues. February 12, 4-5:30 pm: Group Meeting #2
Location: As announced in e-mail message
Preparation:
• Read Assigned Readings #2 (available at http://www.colorado.edu/Sewall/conver.htm ). THE PASSWORD IS: sewl2020. Print out the readings so you can bring them to class and refer to them during class discussion.
• Read Discussion Preparation Questions for Readings #2
• Write out answers to discussion questions posted on line to hand in at the beginning of group meeting.
Class Plan:
At this class meeting you will continue to share your volunteer experiences and work towards the production of your poster. Your faculty mentor will lead a discussion over the assigned readings and ask you to relate the readings to your own experiences with your community organization. Please Note: You must write out answers to the discussion preparation questions and hand them in to your faculty mentor at the beginning of class in order to receive a passing grade for the course.
Wed. February 27 , 7-8 pm: Group Meeting #3
Location: As announced in e-mail message
Class Plan:
This class will be led by your assisting RA. It is a time to share your volunteer experiences to date, brainstorm your team's poster preparation (so you can win!!), assign tasks for the poster, and address any problems or concerns.
Wed. March 12, 7-8 pm: Group Meeting #4
Location: As announced in e-mail message
Preparation: As assigned on February 27. Bring your assigned section of the poster.
• This is the final date to have completed your 3 hours of participation with your community organization.
Class Plan:
This class will be led by your assisting RA. It is a chance to get together with your group to finish work on your poster and to plan your presentation at the Symposium next week.
Tues. March 18, 4-5:30: Final Symposium
Location: There will be two poster sessions held concurrently in Sewall Hall – one in Bigelow classroom/hallway and one in Harding Lounge. You will be assigned to one of these locations.
Preparation: Your group's poster and presentation of it.
Class Plan:
This concluding class is your chance to present your work and learning to other Sewall students, faculty, and members of the wider public, and learn about the work other students have completed. There will be people from the community organizations who will be very interested in seeing your reflection of their organization! You will have the opportunity to present your poster and see/discuss other students' posters as well.
A set of four judges will visit all the posters and judge them based on the quality and extent of information displayed, organization, creativity, and enthusiasm. The class will conclude with rewards given to the top
