Work-integrated learning is not seen as community engagement, a senior and influential colleague asserts. During the past two decades a new form of scholarship has been emerging, publishes Barker (2004, 123), namely the scholarship of engagement that entails the “broadening and deepening the public aspects of academic scholarship …[meaning] scholars are finding creative ways to communicate to public audiences, work for the public good, and, most important, generate knowledge with public participation”. Barker cites Ernest Boyer (1990) who argues that scholarship of engagement, among others, “incorporate reciprocal practices of civic engagement into the production of knowledge” (124).
Barker (2004, 125-6) remarks that “service-learning and experiential learning are two well-known practices that incorporate civic involvement”. However, scholarship of engagement goes much further. Barker (2004, 127) observes that “engaged scholars typically make a conscious effort to stress the pedagogical value of collaborating with publics instead of providing information
to or services for publics”.
Conway (2006, 134) reports that the title of the 2005 Outreach Scholarship Conference has been “Transformation through Engagement”, which conveys the notion of making a difference. Engaged scholarship is about “sharing knowledge, conveying skills, and helping others solve problems”. The role of higher education includes “the integration and application of knowledge in service to society”. Engaged scholars “work shoulder-to-shoulder with citizens to put knowledge to work in the community and integrate new ideas and technologies into practical systems”.
Conway (2006, 135) makes the point that “cooperation is not collaboration”. Scholarship of engagement is not about extending university resources; or the taking of science (or science-based
answers); to address community or public problems. Instead, it is about truly collaborative efforts, as equals, recognising that problems solving requires the blending of experiential and scientific knowledge. It is about practising participatory and action research; not dreaming up projects and then persuading a community to participate.
Conway (2006, 134) shares the example of the Oregon coastal commercial fishing industry that comprises many strong, family enterprises (a fishing community of place, but also a community of specific interest). University-based research and technologies have been extended to help address complex natural, societal, and political challenges experienced. Through a co-learner mode,
instead of academic expert, scientific knowledge contributed to solving environmental challenges.
Good work-integrated learning practice, where the workplace of individual students are carefully considered and contracting between university, organisation and student could well be examplary of scholarly engagement in community.
Barker, D. 2004. The scholarship of engagement: a taxonomy of five emerging practices. Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement, Volume 9, Number 2, 123-137.
Conway, F.D.L. 2006. Sharing knowledge, power, and respect: keys in bringing communities together to improve science, practice, and relationships. Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement, Volume 11, Number 1, 133-143.