Introduction
Chapter 1 — Overview
A — Social Action's Role in U.S. Experiment in Democracy B — US College Social Action C — Benefits of Social Action for Students Campuses, and Society D — The Vision: Bringing Social Action into the Classroom E — Overcoming Challenges of Teaching Social Action
Chapter 2 — Developing a Social Action Class
A — Academic Course vs Co-Curricular / B — Prerequisites C — Creating a Social Action Syllabus D — Teaching Style / E — Classroom Norms F — The Students G — Building Campus Allies and Community Partners H —The Role of Place / I —Each Semester vs Every Year (or Other Year) J — Maintaining Momentum
Chapter 3 — Launching Student Campaigns
A — On Your Mark: Preparing Students for the Road Ahead B — Students Choose Their Issue - GO! C — Group Dynamics, part 1-Setting the Tone (Get Set) D — Change Theory E — Building Power F — Social Action Campus Tour G — Research: Historical Overview, Power Mapping, & Target Analysis H — Group Dynamics, part 2 I — Strategy & Tactics J — Campaign Kickoff
Chapter 4 — Campaign Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation
A — Timeline & Campaign Plan B — Campaign Implementation: "Series of Actions" Begins C — Campaign Execution & Case Studies D — Campaign Evaluation E — Day of the Final: Campaign Notebook & Group Presentation
Chapter 5 — Where to Go From Here
A — Next Semester B — Mainstreaming Social Action C — Social Action Internship Program D — Pipeline to Jobs & Graduate School E — Status of Current Campaigns F — Impact of Social Action on Former Social Action Students
CHANGE! A Guide to Teaching Social Action
- Chapter 5D —Pipeline to Jobs & Graduate School (p. 140-141)
As discussed in the textbook, social action not only transforms lives, but it leads to jobs and to graduate school. Below are two examples.
Discussion
Jobs
Lucila Ortiz, a former social action student, is now a labor organizer for Working Partnerships in Silicon Valley. I just received a fundraising email from them, which focused on her story. In the below text, notice how Lucila cites what happened in her junior year as a transformational experience. What Lucila is referring to is her social action experience:
And here is the video of Lucila Ortiz, describing why we need to invest in training people to do social action.
Below is Lucila's Student Reflection describing her social action experience that I have my students read:
Lucila's student reflection, as well as other former social action students reflections, are here if you want to read and/or assign them. I use these student reflections to show that change is possible, as well as to learn from former social action students about change.
Graduate school
Rochelle Jackson Smarr was a social action student in the spring of 2006. She has worked as a labor organizer, a staff member in many service-learning offices, and is now the Director of Experiential Education at University of California at San Diego. And in November of 2023, she received her doctorate! Below is Dr. Smarr discussing her doctoral reseaarch.
Course Development Questions
- Who are the non-profit and political leaders in the community that you can connect students to for jobs?
- What are some of the best graduate programs in the students’ field of interest who are interested in this engaged learning model?