CT State Middlesex professors Rebecca Loew, Ph.D., and Ashley Raithel are collaborating on a paired course this fall. Dr. Loew, a behavioral sciences professor, is teaching Principles of Sociology (SOC 1001), while Prof. Raithel teaches English 1010. Although the classes meet separately, they share the same group of students, who earn credit for both courses. The curriculum is unified by a shared focus on civic engagement with the themes of poverty and food insecurity.
“This pairing encourages the integration of learning across courses and involves students with a ‘big question,’ such as food insecurity, that matters beyond the classroom,” explained Dr. Loew. “Students take our courses as a group and work closely with one another to explore a common topic and common readings through the lenses of different disciplines.”
The learning outcomes are the same as they have always been for both courses, but students connect with civic engagement through readings, speakers and projects. They are given related writing assignments and shared reading, including the book, Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay and a Mother’s Will to Survive by Stephanie Land. The memoir is also featured in a Netflix miniseries.
The students are also required to participate in community-engaged learning projects. With food insecurity as the civic theme, the students work with community partners such as St. Vincent de Paul Amazing Grace Food Pantry in Middletown and Middlesex’s own Magic Food Bus pantry.
In September, the students visited the St. Vincent de Paul pantry, exposing them to an organization working to address food insecurity and food insecure clients. They met with the executive director, went on a tour and asked questions.
Community-engaged learning can have great impact on the students and on the community, said the professors. In both courses, field-based “experiential learning” with community partners is an instructional strategy. The idea is to give students direct experience with issues they are studying in the curriculum and with ongoing efforts to analyze and solve problems in the community.
“A key element in these programs is the opportunity students have to both apply what they are learning in real-world settings and reflect in a classroom setting on their service experiences,” added Dr. Loew.
Another benefit to the paired courses is the shared student experiences.
“Evidence shows that students who are enrolled in a cohort have a higher incidence of retention. We hope that students in these courses feel more connected to each other, the school and the community,” said Prof. Raithel, who is also the coordinator of the Center for Civic Engagement at Middlesex.
In October, the students hosted a Courageous Conversation about food insecurity in the Middlesex library. These campus-wide conversations feature inspirational and thought-provoking topics each month. During the session, a student said this course “got me to understand the depth of food insecurity and how many people don’t have access. I didn’t think about it until I came here.”
Several students recognized the depth of food insecurity and the challenges faced by individuals earning minimum wage. While some can access food assistance, the cost of childcare remains a significant barrier. Even the Middlesex campus could be considered a food desert due to the lack of a full-service cafeteria.
Building on their hands-on community engagement efforts, the students assisted at the St. Vincent de Paul soup kitchen by setting up, serving and distributing lunch in November.
This paired course is currently only offered at CT State Middlesex. Future pairings may offer a different theme.
November 2024
