Chapter 1 — Social Action: An Overview

Introduction

Chapter 1 — Social Action: An Overview

A & B —Social Action’s Role & US College Social Action

C & D — Benefits & Bring Into Class

E — Overcoming Challenges

Chapter 2 — Developing a Social Action Class

A & B — Course vs Co-Curricular & Prerequisites 

C — Creating a Social Action Syllabus

D & E — Teaching Style & Norms

F — The Students

G — Building Allies

H & I — Role of Place & Each Semester v Every Year

J — Maintaining Momentum

Chapter 3 — Launching Student Campaigns

A — On Your Mark

B — Students Choose Their Issue

C — Group Dynamics, part 1

D — Change Theory

E — Building Power

F — Campus Tour

G — Research

H — Group Dynamics, part 2

I — Strategy & Tactics

J — Campaign Kickoff

Chapter 4 — Planning, Implementation, & Evaluation

A — Campaign Plan & Timeline B & C — Implementation & Execution D — Campaign Evaluation E — Finals: Binder & Presentation

Chapter 5 — Where Do We Go From Here?

A & B — Next Semester & Mainstreaming TSA C & D — Internships & Pipeline to Jobs E — Status of Current Campaigns

CHANGE! A Guide to Teaching Social Action

• Chapter 1 — Social Action: An Overview, p. 1-23

This chapter defines social action, and then discusses the history of social action on campus, its benefits, and why Teaching Social Action (TSA) recommends bringing social action into the classroom. This chapter also discusses how to overcome and deal with the challenges of a teaching a social action course.

Central to social action is that we "teach and do social action". That is, we move away from a traditional way of teaching about change to an active-learning model that is transformative. The below mage, which used to be in the Institute but was removed because of time constraints, breaks out the difference between traditional and active learning:

If you want to view a basic introduction to social action, watch this video presentation that Bobby Hackett, President of the Bonner Foundation, and Scott did for Campus Compact National Webinar Series:

TSA is in the process of training the trainers so professors around the nation and world can teach social action. Faculty complete an Institute, teach social action, and then if they want, they can host an Institute. Here is Andreas Richter, Research Associate for the German Institute for Community Organizing (DICO) at the Catholic University of Applied Sciences Berlin (KHSB), explaining the TSA model, and encouraging faculty to apply to the European Institute on Teaching Social Action in September of 2027, which he is hosting. To listen in English, click on settings, then Audio Track, and then check the English box.

Questions

1. Why does social action interest you?
2. How do you think social action will enhance your teaching?
3. What course (or co-curricular experience) will you be teaching social action in?

Continue to Ch. 1A & 1B — Social Action’s Role & U.S. College Social Action