Community-Based Learning and Research

Providing programs, guidance and support to the Dartmouth community to bridge the gap between academics and service...

Overview

The Tucker Foundation offers assistance to faculty and community members interested in incorporating service and community-based research into courses.  Dartmouth faculty incorporate service and community-based research into their courses in order to:

• Engage learners and deepen student learning
• Make a difference in the community
• Make use of the innovative features of the Dartmouth Plan
• Further the Dartmouth College mission of preparing students for a lifetime of learning and responsible leadership

"Designing a playground for children who may not have as much as others was hugely important for me. I learned all the same engineering principles that I would have in another course, but I got to consult the clients (three-year-olds) and to test the theory against real life experience. I learned a lot about the community in the process…and about working with kids!" -Engineering Community-Based Learning Student

Resources at the Tucker Foundation

• Consultation with program officers regarding overall course planning, specific community needs and interests, best practices on assignments, grading and course assessment, community-based research
• Community-Based Learning and Research Small Grant Program (up to $1000/term for one course)
• Educational seminars through Dartmouth Center for the Advancement of Learning (DCAL), Vermont Campus Compact, and New Hampshire Campus Compact
• Community-Based Learning sessions at DCAL, including introductory and faculty and staff peer and colleague sessions
• Opportunities to network with colleagues doing similar work at other colleges/in communities

Students in a Community-Based Learning course hold a performance in front of the Collis Center. Community-Based Learning can be a component of many different different types of courses.

Community-Based Learning & Research Resources