Service Learning Curriculum Design Series
Experienced service learning faculty facilitate curriculum development workshops and provide individual consultation to assist interested faculty in developing new or revising existing courses to integrate service learning.
Curriculum Development Funds of up to $1,000 will be made available to faculty who complete a successful redesign of their course syllabus and teach the Service Learning course in the following Academic Year with the intention to teach the Service Learning course in future semesters.
Completed courses will be reviewed for compliance with the CSULB Policy on Service Learning (#19-13).
- Syllabus revision
- Developing learning objectives for service-learning activities
- Guided critical reflection
- Developing appropriate community partnerships
- Managing risk
- CSULB Policy on Service Learning and certifying your service learning course
Are you a tenured/tenure-track faculty or a full time lecturer interested in incorporating Service Learning into one of your courses? We are now accepting applications for the Spring 2022 Service Learning Curriculum Design workshop series. You should apply if you:
- Want to incorporate Service Learning into an existing or new course that you will be teaching in the following Academic Year;
- Have a general idea of how Service Learning would fit within your course;
- Have identified potential community partner sites or types of sites appropriate for the course;
- Have the support of your chair to teach the course in the future; and
- Are able to attend all four curriculum workshops and complete workshop homework.
- Obtain a letter of support from your department chair that can be uploaded with the online application
- Have a recent syllabus or SCO that can be uploaded with the online application (this is optional)
- Go to the SL Curriculum Design Series Application.
We are happy to announce that we certified two new courses this spring semester as part of our Service Learning Curriculum Design grant program. Our faculty, trained in innovative educational practices, have developed these courses to highlight our commitment to experiential learning and community engagement.
Professor Zakiya Atkinson
Department: Dance
Course: New Study Abroad Course in Arts Education and Social Practice
We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Zakiya Atkinson from the Dance Department has been awarded a Service Learning Curriculum Design grant to create an innovative study abroad course. This course will immerse students in South African communities, offering an experiential learning experience that combines arts education with social practice. Dr. Atkinson's course will explore interdisciplinary approaches, integrating artistic, cultural, and inclusive practices. Students will gain a deep understanding of South Africa’s history and sociocultural norms while learning how arts-based engagement can drive social change. They will collaborate with NGOs, local artists, and community members to create arts-based workshops, fostering meaningful relationships and ethical community engagement. This course promises to be an enriching journey, bridging performing arts, visual arts, liberal studies, and education pathways. This course will be offered in Summer 2025.
Professor Ann Thuy-Ling Tran
Department: Asian & Asian American Studies
Course: ASAM 121: Contemporary Issues in Asian America: Intergenerational Trauma and Community Healing
Dr. Ann Thuy-Ling Tran from the Asian American Studies Department has received a Service Learning Curriculum Design grant for the course ASAM 121: Contemporary Issues in Asian America: Intergenerational Trauma and Community Healing. Dr. Tran has designed a course focusing on contemporary issues within Asian American communities in Orange County and Los Angeles County. Specifically, students will explore how mental health issues, such as behavioral and drug addictions—often invisible obstacles experienced by Asian American youth—result from ethnic stratification and U.S. racialization processes.
Students will engage in service learning with local nonprofit organizations that serve Asian American youth to understand how historical marginalization, model minority stereotypes, and the triangulation of Asian Americans pervade interpersonal, familial, and community relationships. They will learn about how these issues are addressed by community organizations and resources and gain experience working directly with community members and organizations through observational hours, interviews with community organizers, and event programming with community organizations. This course will be offered in Spring 2025.
Top Left to bottom left (Mitra Baghdadi, Dr. Kara Miller, Dr. Scott Wilson, and Dr. Karen Quintiliani)
The Department of Anthropology developed four new Service Learning (SL) courses this academic year!
These courses are designed not only to impart knowledge but also to inspire action and community engagement. By weaving community involvement throughout the curriculum, the Department of Anthropology is not only educating the minds of its students but also nurturing compassionate citizens committed to positive societal change. These courses reflect a commitment to academic excellence and community betterment, and we can't wait to see the transformative experiences they offer to students and the impact and success stories that emerge from these pioneering courses.
ANTH 155: Medical Technologies & Human Bodies
Dr. Kara Miller
Medical Technologies & Human Bodies takes students on a holistic exploration of the intricate relationship between medical technologies and the human body. The instructor guides students through the complex web of social, political, and historical factors that shape medical dilemmas and breakthroughs. Rooted in a commitment to social justice and equity, this course equips students to champion human welfare. Structured service projects provide hands-on experience, allowing students to address real-world health disparities and local challenges while collaborating with organizations dedicated to making a difference.
ANTH 416/516: Urban Anthropology
Dr. Karen Quintiliani
Urban enthusiasts will find their passion ignited in ANTH 416/516. This course charts the evolution of urban theory in the United States and around the world. It delves deep into the symbolic and cultural construction of urban spaces, examining the profound sense of place cultivated through community activities and social interactions. To enrich their understanding, students engage directly with local community partners and organizations.
ANTH 428/528: Historical Ethnography
Dr. Karen Quintiliani
Historical Ethnography introduces students to historical ethnography—an interdisciplinary research approach that combines participant observation, interviews, and archival analysis. It traces the rise of historical ethnography as a specialized field, equipping students with key theoretical and methodological tools for documenting cultural change processes. Students collaborate with Long Beach community partners on research projects that construct inclusive community narratives.
ANTH 431/531: New Media Ethnography
Dr. Scott Wilson
New Media Ethnography is a bridge between anthropology, film, and human-centered design. This course challenges students to leverage cutting-edge technologies to address community-identified needs. Through collaboration with community groups and organizations, students are empowered to tackle pressing social issues and drive positive change. This course also offers hands-on training in applied visual anthropology, enabling students to create media products that contribute to community betterment.
