Practicing applied sociology on the ground, rather than in the tower: Exploring the legacy of community-engaged learning (CEL) course experiences

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dc.contributor.authorSexton, Reanna
dc.contributor.supervisorRavelli, Bruce
dc.date.accessioned2024-08-27T20:51:53Z
dc.date.available2024-08-27T20:51:53Z
dc.date.issued2024
dc.degree.departmentDepartment of Sociology
dc.degree.levelMaster of Arts MA
dc.description.abstractThis exploratory qualitative study investigates the legacy of taking a singular community-engaged learning (CEL) course on alumni at the University of Victoria (UVic). Thirteen participant interviews with CEL alumni capture a range of lived experiences since course completion, from 1 month to 5 years with respect to their course deliverables (2018 to 2023). This research reveals the long-term impacts of CEL post-course by exploring alumni’s reflections. Informed by previous research and literature, this thesis is guided by the following questions: How do sociology students describe their CEL experiences after course completion; what impacts, if any, does a CEL-applied sociology seminar course have on students post-course; to what degree do alumni CEL experiences change in relation to time since course completion; and, according to alumni, how effectively does CEL teach applied sociology? The research findings reveal that as a method for teaching applied sociology, a CEL course impacts how alumni practice sociology post-course and how they use, or apply, their sociology as a tool and perspective as they navigate and understand social realities. The data explores how and why CEL alumni continue to make meaning out of their experiences after course completion. Findings suggest that alumni feel that their CEL experiences enhance their critical and relational thinking skills, inspire reflexivity, and increase feelings of self-efficacy. The research reveals that alumni feel more competent in their understanding of sociology and ability to apply sociology post-CEL due to courses’ engaged scholarship and experiential learning pedagogy. Overall, this study suggests that understanding the legacies of CEL on alumni could impact how sociology is taught and practiced within and beyond academia.
dc.description.scholarlevelGraduate
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1828/20315
dc.languageEnglisheng
dc.language.isoen
dc.rightsAvailable to the World Wide Web
dc.subjectlearning
dc.subjectcommunity
dc.subjectengaged
dc.subjectapplied sociology
dc.subjectsociology
dc.subjectrelational
dc.subjectreflexive
dc.subjectalumni
dc.subjectreflective
dc.subjectconversation
dc.subjectbridge
dc.subjecteducation
dc.subjecteducational sociology
dc.subjectconnective
dc.subjectpotential
dc.subjectqualitative
dc.subjectResearch exploring the legacy of a community engaged learning course on sociology alumni
dc.titlePracticing applied sociology on the ground, rather than in the tower: Exploring the legacy of community-engaged learning (CEL) course experiences
dc.typeThesis

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