Faculty Engagement Survey
Introduction
The Western Region Campus Compact Consortium (WRCCC)—comprising the California, Colorado, Hawaii Pacific Islands, Montana, Oregon, Utah, and Washington Campus Compacts—is a regional network of higher education faculty, administrators, and staff who strive to advance service-learning and community engagement on our campuses. With grant support from the Corporation for National & Community Service, the WRCCC conducted a survey exploring how higher education faculty bring involvement in their local communities to their work as educators and how this involvement affects them. The Faculty Engagement Survey was conducted on 47 campuses across the region between February and April 2009.
The WRCCC designed the Faculty Engagement Survey to explore two primary types of engagement: service-learning (SL) and community-based research (CBR). While SL is a national movement with varying definitions and approaches, for the purposes of this survey, the following definitions were used:
- Service-learning engages students in community service activities with intentional academic learning goals and opportunities for critical self-reflection that connect to their academic disciplines.
- Community-based research involves collaboration between trained researchers and community members in the design and implementation of research projects aimed at meeting community-identified needs (Cress, Collier, & Reitenaur, 2005).
All faculty at participating campuses were invited to participate in the Faculty Engagement Survey. Respondents who self-identified as faculty who use service-learning and/or community-based research in their courses were asked a set of questions about their experiences. Respondents who indicated that they did not currently use SL and/or CBR within their classes but were interested in exploring this option in the future were asked to identify the types of information and support that would help them take the first step.
Each individual campus with 20 or more responses can use the institution-specific and Western Region data to compare its own service-learning and community-based research practices with those across the region. These data are intended to support institutions as they prepare for accreditation, engage in strategic planning, and integrate effective service-learning and research methods.
Participating Campuses
These 47 campuses across the region participated in the WRCCC Faculty Engagement Survey:
- California: California State Polytechnic University, Pomona; California State University, Channel Islands; California State University, Dominguez Hills; California State University, Monterey Bay; California State University, Sacramento; Dominican University of California; Loyola Marymount University; Saint Mary’s College of California
- Colorado: Colorado College; Naropa University; Regis University; San Juan College (affiliated campus located in New Mexico); University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
- Hawaii: Hawaii Pacific University; Honolulu Community College; Kapiolani Community College; Kauai Community College; Leeward Community College; Maui Community College; University of Hawaii West Oahu; Windward Community College
- Idaho: Boise State University; Lewis-Clark State College; University of Idaho
- Oregon: University of Portland; Western Oregon University
- Utah: Southern Utah University; Utah Valley State College; Weber State University
- Washington: Antioch University Seattle; Cascadia Community College; Central Washington University; Clark College; Edmonds Community College; Everett Community College; Gonzaga University; Olympic College; Seattle Pacific University; Seattle University; Shoreline Community College; Saint Martin’s University; The Evergreen State College; Washington State University; Washington State University, Spokane; Washington State University, Vancouver; Western Washington University; Whitworth University
Key Findings
Who responded to this survey?
More than 2,500 faculty members and nearly 100 administrators responded to the survey. From adjunct to full professor, all faculty categories were well represented. Teaching was the primary function of most faculty respondents. There were about five women for every four men, and nearly nine out of ten were White. SL had been used by less than half, and not quite one-fourth were engaged in CBR. About three in ten wanted to learn more about service-learning, and almost four out of ten indicated an interest in learning how to do community-based research.
Where and when are faculty using service-learning?
A wide range of disciplines was reported, including social sciences, education, business, computer sciences, communications, humanities, science and math, health professions, and vocational/technology programs.
What community issues are being addressed?
The top three community issues addressed by both service-learning and community-based research were education/literacy, cultural awareness, and the environment.
Which reflection strategies are faculty using?
The two most popular reflection strategies were the same for both service-learning and community-based research faculty:
- student participation in structured group reflections/discussions; and
- written final reflection papers.
According to faculty, what student learning and development outcomes occur frequently?
- Course-specific: engagement with course content, application of course content, deeper understanding of course content, and knowledge of community issues
- Intrapersonal and developmental: maturity, adaptability, compassion, values/attitudes, and confidence
- Interpersonal: respect (giving and/or receiving), collaboration skills, and oral communication
- Cognitive and behavioral: critical thinking, problem solving, and reflective judgment
What impacts have service-learning faculty experienced?
- Professional impacts: “My awareness of the community has expanded,” “My relationship with the community has improved,” “My relationships with students have improved,” and “I have become a more effective educator.”
- Personal impacts: “I have experienced a sense of accomplishment,” “I have been inspired,” and “I feel personal satisfaction.”
How are faculty using SL and CBR as the scholarship of engaged pedagogy?
Respondents indicated that they chose specific service projects in order to engage students, and because the projects were relevant to the course/subject and academic objectives. The publication rate for community-based research respondents was more than twice that of the service-learning respondents; however, both were low, with community-based research faculty reporting about 35%. There was substantially greater involvement in presentations, with about one in three service-learning respondents and about one in two community-based research respondents reporting that they had presented at one or more conferences.
What major obstacles/challenges have faculty identified?
The top two problems identified by both service-learning and community-based research respondents were lack of time for faculty and lack of time for students. Community-based research respondents also indicated lack of funding as a major challenge.
What types of support have been most valuable for developing and implementing service-learning and community-based research?
The most valuable source of support for both service-learning and community-based research respondents was creating connections/networking in the community. Also mentioned as sources of support were networking on campus, exposure to best practices, and positive campus attitudes toward service-learning. Both groups said they would like increased support for grant writing and logistics.
Respondents who are not doing service-learning or community-based research, but would like to, indicated a need for basic written information, access to community contacts, and information about community needs.
Summary of Key Findings
- Faculty affirm that service-learning is effective pedagogy.
- While faculty in both service-learning and community-based research publish in the areas of community engagement and pedagogy, there is room for growth.
- To begin and to continue using engaged pedagogies such as service-learning and community-based research, faculty need logistical support.
- There is a high need for basic information and support for faculty who would like to start integrating service-learning and/or community-based research into their teaching, research, and scholarship.
