The impact of social action courses is felt by students, campuses, and in the communities where they focus their energy.
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.
- develops the students’ 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:
“The student answered the inquiry about the benefits of TSA as, ' yeah, I'm not afraid of speaking anymore. This transformed my fear of public speaking.' And so that was an unexpected outcome from what we were doing. It can transform the students themselves.”
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:
“Before this class, I did not think of myself as a change maker. This course shifted my fixed perception, allowing me to push beyond what I had initially believed to be impossible. I was introduced to concepts that inspired me and my fellow classmates. I am proud of the person I am today and the impact that I can have in this world.”
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:
"I knew change was possible, but I never really had my own experience making change like that. It always felt really out of reach for me personally. But this course gave me a digestible, easy to follow formula and showed us how to build something like this that would have felt so intimidating without it. As someone who is trans and disabled, I've felt incredibly disenfranchised by every system that's ever engaged with me. This campaign really showed me that no matter how I feel on a large scale, I can always find a place I belong and build something really nice and positive and beautiful on a community level."
Here are three San Jose State students talking about how their social action course impacted their lives:
Scott Myers-Lipton developed the following Learning Outcomes for this Sociology 164 Social Action course.
Campus Outcomes
Campuses are animated by student energy and idealism. Students engaged in social action create—along with campus leaders—a discursive space for the ideas raised by the students 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 a 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.