Benefits of Social Action for Students, Campus, & Society

Introduction

Chapter 1 — Social Action: An Overview

Social Action and Its Role on Colleges

Benefits of Social Action

Chapter 2 — Developing a Social Action Class

Course vs Co-Curricular & Prerequisites 

Creating a Social Action Syllabus

Teaching Style & Classroom Norms

The Students

Building Allies

Role of Place & Each Semester v Every Year

Maintaining Momentum

Chapter 3 — Teaching Social Action (TSA) Model

On Your Mark

Students Choose Their Issue

Group Dynamics, part 1

Change Theory

Building Power

Campus Tour

Research

Group Dynamics, part 2

Strategy & Tactics

Campaign Kickoff

Campaign Plan & Timeline

Implementation & Execution

Campaign Evaluation

Binder & Presentation

Chapter 4 — Where Do We Go From Here?

Overcoming Challenges

Next Semester

Mainstreaming Social Action

Internships & Pipeline to Jobs

Status of Current Campaigns

Introduction

The impact of social action is felt by students, campus, and community. Students are transformed by this student-led model as they learn that social change is possible and that they can effect change. Importantly, the skills students develop during campaigns—problem solving, public speaking, how to work in a group, and project management—are transferable to the workplace. Additionally, campuses are energized by the students' enthusiasm and idealism, while communities benefit when students collaborate with local leaders to improve their neighborhoods—ultimately strengthening our democracy

Student Outcomes

This student-led transformative model develops critical thinking and democratic skills, and prepares students to be leaders in the non-profit, government, and business sectors. Students develop skills in analyzing issues, communicating in public forums, developing action plans, and working effectively in a team.

Students who participate in social action:

• increase their critical thinking skills
• develop a better understanding of how systems and structures work
• learn how to solve problems and overcome challenges
• develop a greater sense of social responsibility.
• develop leadership skills

Dr. Rosina Hassoun, Sociology professor from Saginaw Valley State University, had this to say about the impact of her teaching social action course:

In light of the challenge raised by anti-democratic forces in the United States and other democracies, these benefits have taken on even greater importance. Students develop their agency as they learn how to effectively make a difference in this world. Ella, a student at the University of Rochester, said this about how her social action course impacted her life:

In addition to providing students the opportunity to be change-makers, social action can also provide students with a sense of belonging. Here is Pastel, a Portland State University student, describing how their social action course impacted their life in this way:

Former students are eloquent in describing the impact of their social action course experience on their lives and careers. Below is a video from one of those students: Elisha St. Laurent. Elisha was a student leader of the minimum wage campaign, and who now works for the city of San Jose in the Housing Department. In the below video, Elisha credits social action for putting her on a path of civic engagement and professional work to uplift our community.

Also, here is Elisha speaking at a Smith-Carlos Legacy Event about how social action changed her perspective of herself in a democracy:

Elizabeth Marquez, a San Jose State student, discuses in the below video, how the social action course she took impacted her life:

And here is Mia Mcpherson, a student at Guilford College, talking about how her social action course supported her desire to make a difference in this world:

Campus Outcomes

Campuses are animated by student energy and idealism. Students engaged in social action create—along with campus leaders—a discursive space for ideas to be discussed and analyzed, and where multiple campus stakeholders can be exposed to the grievances raised.

Research shows that campuses that emphasize social action foster the larger student body to be more civically engaged. Importantly, the Administration response to the students’ social action helps the campus leaders define the values and commitments of the college, which will affect the students’ experience and their understanding of the college, and provides the administration the opportunity to demonstrate whether their approach to equity, diversity, and freedom are effective.

As Drs. Cassie Barnhardt and Kimberly Reyes reflect on the scholarship of college social action, they argue that the legitimacy of the university stems in part from its commitment to foster “excellence, integrity and a sense of community among their students” and that social action creates “a space for institutions to be thoughtful about enacting those very commitments”.

Societal Outcomes

Communities benefit when students align with local leaders to make change. Most periods of societal change from colonial times to today tell a complementary story that plays out on college campuses. Thus, college student social action provides the opportunity to work out in a positive fashion some of the political dynamics of the country, but in a local and focused setting.

Here is Scott speaking about the the benefits of a social action course on the students, campus, and society:

There is a group of TSA faculty who are interested in doing research on the impact of social action on the lives and careers of the students, but nothing yet has been done. If you are interested in doing this research, please contact Scott at scott@teachingsocialaction.org.

Questions:

1. Which benefit of social action do you find the most compelling for the students: (a) increase in critical thinking, (b) becoming a problem solver and overcoming challenges, (c) improving leadership skills, and/or (d) learning how to do democracy?
2. Does your campus currently provide a "discursive space for the ideas raised by students to be discussed an analyzed, and where multiple campus stakeholders can be exposed to the grievances raised"? Can you envision social action class providing that "discursive space" on your campus, and if so, how?

Bring Social Action into the Classroom

The vision of Teaching Social Action is to bring this powerful pedagogical and curriculum into the classroom. Watch this 2-minute video to Scott explaining this vision of having a social action course on every college campus every semester:

Questions:

1. What is your reaction to the vision of mainstreaming social action across the nation so that on every campus, every semester there is a social action class?
2. How can this vision strengthen our democracy, and help to solve some of our intractable social problems?

Continue to Chapter 2: Developing a Social Action Class