Professor Kamellia Keo's GTCH 2003 is a combination of GTCH 1001’s Inquiry Approaches to Teaching and GTCH 1002’s Inquiry-based Lesson Design. In order to gain teaching experience, students in Professor Keo’s class first observe the workings of a middle school classroom, then take those observations and apply them to the creation of a lesson plan. These lesson plans are then utilized in the classroom, with GTCH 2003 students engaging in instruction using the plans and procedures informed by their observations.
Category: CES Courses
PT 8322: Management of the Aging Adult
Students in PT 8322: Management of the Aging Adult taught by Dr. Jason Dring partner with organizations like the Foggy Bottom West End Village to conduct community mobility screenings for older adults. These screenings provided valuable health information to community members while offering students hands-on experience in assessing and communicating with older patients.
The mobility screenings included a comprehensive set of tests to evaluate various aspects of health and function in older adults. Students assess:
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PT 8481 Interprofessional Community Practicum
In Dr. Erin Wentzell's "Interprofessional Community Practicum," small teams of physical therapy doctoral students collaborate with senior wellness centers and adaptive sports programs to help create spaces for all community members to be active and healthy.
Dr. Wentzell connects students to her long-standing partners, including Community of Hope, Catalyst Adaptive Sports, Our Stomping Ground, and the Foggy Bottom West End Senior Village, and the National Parks Service. These organizations identify appropriate projects to engage students with the communities they serve.
For information about Community Engaged Scholarship at GW: https://go.gwu.edu/cesc
Semester Reports
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PT 8311: Foundations of Examination
Students in PT 8311: Foundations of Examination taught by Dr. Rebecca Pinkus partner with organizations like the Foggy Bottom West End Village to conduct community mobility screenings for older adults.
In this course, Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students participate in community mobility screenings in partnership with the Foggy Bottom West End Village, an aging-in-place community organization. Students apply their classroom learning to conduct various assessments for older adults, including tests for fall risk, cardiovascular endurance, balance, frailty, and other aspects of health crucial for healthy aging.
PT 8320: Management of the Pediatric Client
Students in PT 8320: Management of the Pediatric Client taught by Marisa Birkmeier engage in community service projects with local organizations who serve youth and families.These projects provide valuable hands-on experience working with pediatric populations and families facing various challenges.
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PT 8318: Management of Neuromotor Dysfunction
Students in PT 8318: Management of Neuromotor Dysfunction taught by Dr. Karen Goodman work with MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital (NRH) Adaptive Sports and Fitness Program to develop skills in patient communication, transfer techniques, and adaptive equipment management while also learning about the importance of physical activity and sports in rehabilitation and community integration for people with disabilities. These experiences provided students with hands-on opportunities to work with individuals with various neuromotor dysfunctions, including spinal cord injuries, stroke, and other neurological conditions.
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GTCH 3103: Project Based Learning
Professor SuJin Choi's GTCH 3103 is a Project Based Learning community engaged class where students craft mathematics and science lesson plans for implementation in Washington DC schools. These lesson plans and their creation are informed by the students’ observations and assistance in middle and high school classrooms, and what they have learned in the GW Teach classroom. As future educators, students gain in-classroom teaching experience throughout the semester, as they implement their lesson plans. Students in Professor Choi’s GTCH 3103 Project-Based Learning, designed full units of connected lesson plans for STEM courses in Washington DC public schools. Students served at 6 different high schools in the District. At these schools, students assisted in and taught various different STEM subjects, including environmental science, algebra, physics, and Biology.
For information about Community Engaged Scholarship at GW:https://go.gwu.edu/cesc
UW 1020: Writing for Social Change
Professor Ryder highlights the importance of GW students and faculty engaging directly with the community, challenging their assumptions, and staying informed about contemporary issues and their evolving complexities. Over the years, Professor Ryder has partnered with more than 20 community organizations, including Life Pieces to Masterpieces, DC Central Kitchen, Free Minds Book Club, and the US Dream Academy, among many others. This engagement not only enriches students' learning experiences but also contributes to a deeper understanding of social issues and community dynamics.
Fall 2023
Professor: Phyllis Ryder
Students Reporting: 11
Time Reported: 175.67
What students learned:
- Practical application of language, writing, and communication skills in the context of social change
- Collaborative engagement with community organizations in D.C.
- Appreciation for the importance of community-building and collective action
- Research skills
- Exploration of real-world issues and perspectives within community settings.
Community Partners:
| Community Partner | # of students at the site |
| Ethiopian Community Development Council | 1 |
| DC Central Kitchen | 4 |
| DC YMCA Youth and Government | 2 |
| Filexcellence: A Filipino community mentorship and advocacy group | 1 |
| For Love of Children | 3 |
| Pathways to Housing | 1 |
| Thrive DC | 1 |
| Ward 2 Mutual Aid | 1 |
Student Comments:
"I engaged in direct service through Pathways to Housing, helping staff arrange their new office space and prepare for the year. The organization is in the process of relocating and expanding, and they needed help setting up for new team members who were joining. I had a lot of fun serving with a small group of volunteers and staff members, and the size of their space and how much there was to do really gave me an idea of how extensive some nonprofits are and how much they do for the community" - Student who served with Pathways to Housing.
"I am now an expert in chopping broccoli and peeling carrots ;)" - student who worked with D.C. Central Kitchen.
"Super informative session about how to serve, highly recommend their reading on serving vs helping: https://www.awakin.org/v2/read/view.php?tid=940"- Student Thrive DC.
SUST 3003: World on a Plate
In "World on a Plate" by Professor Tara Scully, students study food history and science, while examining food industry connections to social issues like immigration, labor standards, and public health. Students learn about local implications of food systems through service with food banks, food recovery programs, and farmer's markets. This course is taught by renowned chef and humanitarian, José Andrés in collaboration with the professor.
If you are interested in taking a Community Engaged Course check out this link here.
HSSJ 2177: Social Justice and Public Policy
In this course, taught by Dr Erica Walls, students analyze how nonprofits/groups organize in pursuit of social justice/impact/change, examine strategies and tactics of social movements, identify provisions and gaps in U.S. social policy, and more. Throughout the semester, the course covers relevant theory, history, and current events, and partnered with DC-area nonprofits to critically evaluate causes, effects, and potential solutions to poverty.
In teams, students serve with a DC-area nonprofit that combats an issue related to poverty. The project required teams to work with the organization staff to design and implement an action plan to help meet their goals, track their time and progress, and share learning/experiences with others. This work helped fulfill the course learning objectives and invited reflection on student's beliefs about civic responsibility and their sense of purpose in the world.
Students’ service informs a scholarly paper and presentation on the influences on social change, particularly with respect to addressing poverty. This work invites reflection on students’ beliefs about civic responsibility and sense of purpose in the world.
For information about Community Engaged Scholarship at GW: https://go.gwu.edu/cesc
Semester Reports...
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HSSJ 2172: Human Interactions Adult Development
This Human Interactions class by Professor Sangeeta Prasad observes human development from young adulthood through later stages of aging. Students study the dominant psychosocial, cognitive, and physical competencies; motivational changes; coping styles; and normative and non-normative behaviors of humans from young adulthood to old age. The course includes three hours per week of service-learning in an appropriate agency setting. Some common organizations that students collaborate with include: Community of Hope, Horton's Kids and Our Stomping Ground.
For information about Community Engaged Scholarship at GW: https://go.gwu.edu/cesc
Semester Reports...
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UW 1020 University Writing: Writing Science and Health: Women’s Health as Point of Inquiry
All entering first year and transfer undergraduate students are take UW 1020, which is a four-credit course. UW 1020 is designated as a pre-disciplinary course: the goal is to enable students to write effectively in various contexts, within the university and beyond. Dr. Barlow's course integrates the development of writing competencies in varying contexts with a direct or indirect service learning component centered around community based research and advocacy.
CIXD 3820: Engagement Lab
In "Engagement Lab," by Professors Kevin Patton and Angela Stepancic students address a challenge posed by a community organization using interaction design. Focusing on social, environmental, and community impact, students collaborate with community stakeholders to create tools, and design new systems. Students have worked with a range of organizations, including Roosevelt STAY Academy and the Library of Congress.
Each semester, the core of the IxD MA program takes place in the Engagement Lab. Students have opportunities to take their design skills into the world to practice design with a focus on social, environmental, and community impact. Students work with faculty to gain a systemic understanding of challenges and investigate the histories that have led to the current moment. The teams then engage community members as partners in the process of designing tools and systems that can address those challenges. Students will focus on prototyping responses while evaluating from an at-scale perspective based on goals and metrics identified in conversation with the community partner.
Professors: Angela Stepancic, Kevin Patton
For information about Community Engaged Scholarship at GW: https://go.gwu.edu/cesc
HSSJ 2200: Principles of Ethical Leadership
"Principles of Ethical Leadership" by Prof. Wendy Wagner uses the “case-in-point” approach to leadership development. Rather than studying leadership through hypothetical case studies, a team-based community engagement project IS the case. Students examine their own group dynamics and their own roles as the project unfolds throughout the semester. Students build their own leadership skills by examining information and research, and then learning to apply that to their own thinking and behavior in the community project.
The class emphasizes the responsibility leaders have to collaborate effectively in diverse groups, create a common vision based on shared values, and facilitate group dynamics both inclusive and empowering. Students are challenged to analyze their own biases, assumptions and understand the context of social issues.
Semester Reports...
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BISC 1008 Understanding Organisms
Tara Scully’s BISC 1008 course teaches students about the evolution of life on earth; the value of other organisms, their role in our world, and how humans can cause harm to this infrastructure. Serving in the local community in a variety of ways, students learn about D.C. and regional ecological issues, such as agricultural challenges related to other organisms, the role oysters play in cleaning the Cheseapeake Bay, or the impact of pollution on the local watershed.
Community Engaged Scholarship at GW
Spring 2023 Project: A Plastics Audit, working with Rock Creek Conservancy and the Kennedy Center
