An Interdisciplinary Approach to Engaging Students in Active Citizenship and Community Service by Investigating Issues in Food and Agriculture

Greg D.
Introduction
The Core Program at Queens is a three-year interdisciplinary sequence of four courses designed to develop critical and civic thinking skills necessary to lead noble lives, pursue productive careers, and become responsibly active citizens in a global context. Over the last four years faculty from psychology, religion, English and environmental science have developed CORE 122 Modern Citizenship, which encourages civic engagement and community service through the study of current issues in one of the following areas: education, communication (media), the environment, cultural diversity, or food and agriculture. The purpose of this study was to determine if these current issues, particularly those in food and agriculture, could be used as a tool to positively influence student attitudes towards civic and community engagement.

1, Pillar

Jessica

1 Braswell

and Melinda S.

2 Harper

1Department

of Environmental Science, 2Department of Psychology Results

After completing CORE 122, civic engagement, as measured by the citizenship survey, increased significantly for all topic areas in all years. In 2009, mean survey scores increased from 51.1 (precourse) to 53.6 (post-course) (t=4.15, df=136, p=0.0001). Although the effect was not significant, survey scores increased by a greater margin in Food for Thought sections than in other sections (2.8 points and 2.2 points, respectively). In 2010, mean survey scores increased from 49.3 (pre-course) to 52.0 (post-course) (t=4.60, df=226, p<0.0001). Again, survey scores increased by a greater margin in Food for Thought sections than in other sections, but in 2010 the effect was significant. Survey scores increased by 5.1 points in Food for Thought sections but by only 1.7 points in the other sections (t=3.03, df=70, p=0.0034). In 2011, mean survey scores increased from 49.3 (pre-course) to 52.3 (post-course) (t=5.63, t=236, p<0.0001). Food for Thought mean survey scores increased by a smaller, but statistically indistinguishable, margin than other sections scores (t=0.63, df=55).
8 7 6

Food Sections Other Sections

Difference

5 4 3 2 1 0

Course Structure
Over a three year period (2008 2011), 15 to 17 sections (yearly) of CORE 122 Modern Citizenship were offered at Queens University of Charlotte. The course was divided into three distinct parts (Table 1). The first (3 4 weeks), Modern Citizenship and third (4 5 weeks), Citizens Forum followed a common schedule and syllabus, giving the students in all sections a common experience. The second portion (6 8 weeks) allowed each section to explore what it means to be an active and responsible citizen in the modern world by focusing on issues in their sub-topic. Table 1. Schedule and Structure of CORE 122 Modern Citizenship. The schedule given below is for the sections, titled Food for Thought, that focused on issues in food and agriculture. Part One: Modern Citizenship Questions discussed and answered in this section include: Week 1: How have the definition and cultural meaning of citizenship changed over time? Week 2: What are the rights and responsibilities of American citizenship? Week 3: How do we extend and protect our rights? Week 4: How have the economic, technological and globalizing transitions of the modern era challenged the modern practice of citizenship? Week 5: How can we remain active American citizens in a rapidly changing and expanding society? Part Two: Food for Thought (sub-unit exploration) Topics and issues discussed include: Week 6: What the World Eats (Food Culture) Week 7: Where Does Our Food Come From? Conventional and Organic Farming Systems Week 8: Health and Nutrition (School Lunch & Hunger) Week 9: Genetically Modified Food and Biotechnology Week 10: Food Safety Week 11: Government and Food: Food Policy Week 12: The Environment & Global Climate Change Part Three: Citizens Forum Weeks 13 15: Students practice modern citizenship by participating in a model Congress known as the Citizens Forum.

2009

2010

2011

Year
Figure 1. Increase in citizenship survey scores after completing CORE 122. Increases in mean scores are shown separately for Food and non-Food(education, environment, diversity and media) sections. * Significant at p = 0.01 using paired t-tests.

Student performance on the Service Learning paper was assessed by rubric in 4 categories: definition of a problem related to the topic area, discussion of options for addressing the problem through civic engagement, description of the service learning project undertaken, and evaluation of the impact of the service learning project. Food for Thought students performed similarly to students from other sections in 3 of 4 categories assessed by rubric, but significantly fewer Food for Thought students scored 3 or higher in defining a problem (2=14.32, df=1, p=0.0002).
100 Food Sections Other Sections

Percent Socring 3 or Higher on Rubric

80

60

40

20

0 A (Problem) B (Options) C (Description) D (Impact)

Rubric Category
Figure 2. Results from the application of the Service Learning Paper rubric on papers from sections of CORE 122 Modern Citizenship devoted to topics in food and non-food (education, environment, diversity and media). * Significant at p = 0.001 using Chi Square test

Conclusions
Based on a validated citizenship survey (Figure 1), the study and discussion of issues in food and agriculture helps students understand the importance of civic and community engagement in a healthy society. Assessment data from the service learning paper (Figure 2) indicates that students may have some difficulty connecting the issues discussed in class with the service learning project. Significantly fewer students in the Food for Thought units were able to connect a specific problem or issue with a service project. Survey results and assessment of written work indicate that discussion and analysis of issues in food and agriculture can be used to stimulate civic and community engagement as effectively as issues in other areas. Further research and study is needed to determine if student attitudes, self-efficacy, comprehension and general understanding of the issues discussed change and/or improve over the course of the semester.

Assessment Methods
A number of assignments and assessment tools involving experiential and service learning were developed and used to assess student learning. To determine if topics in food and agriculture influenced student attitudes towards civic and community engagement a validated citizenship survey and a service learning project (with paper) were administered and assessed. Citizenship Survey Students completed a 17 question validated survey to determine their attitude towards civic and community engagement. The survey was administered on the first and last day of the semester to determine changes in student attitudes towards civic and community engagement. Service Learning Project Students were asked to identify an issue or problem within their topic area that needed to be addressed. As a class students then developed, proposed and carried out a service project that addressed the problem. After the project, students wrote a short paper reflecting on their experience and drawing conclusions about citizens responsibility to participate actively in their communities. A rubric was used to evaluate the level of engagement and civic and critical thinking exhibited in the project and paper.