Engagement Project Research Articles

Testing a novel human-nature connection model with Halifax’s urban forest using a text-messaging engagement strategy

Urban nature has the capacity to enrich the lives of those experiencing it, yet research shows that fewer and fewer humans feel this connection. While experiences with nature continue to decline, engagement with personal technology is on the rise. To engage people with urban trees, we sought to apply this technology in a new way. Text-A-Tree served as a two-month engagement project in which visitors to the Halifax Public Gardens (Nova Scotia, Canada) could send text messages to fifteen selected trees. Trees had unique personalities which were maintained by volunteers who wrote messages in response. Interactions were managed behind-the-scenes using Zendesk, a web-based customer-service platform.Between July 7 and August 31, 2019, a total of 10,643 messages were received from 2,888 unique phone numbers. While values such as beauty and shade were expressed, qualitative analysis revealed what participants most valued about the exchange was the opportunity to develop a relationship with trees. Participants conducted themselves politely, often asking about the trees’ backstories, likes, interests, and wellbeing. Survey results showed that this sense of connection extended to trees beyond the gardens. Participants reported the greatest change in their connection to urban trees as stemming from the process of learning.

Community engagement in engineering education: A systematic literature review

AbstractBackgroundCommunity engagement has recently become a focus in engineering education. However, systematic reviews that catalog best practices and identify research patterns and gaps remain scarce.PurposeThe purpose of this systematic review is to generate insights and findings by reviewing studies focused on community engagement programs in engineering education from 1980 to 2019. This review offers new findings for practitioners and researchers with a menu of proven ideas and provides directions for community engagement practice and future research.MethodArticles were obtained via keyword searches for “Engineering” AND “service‐learning,” “community engagement” OR “civic engagement” using available databases. Search constraints included the year of publication, peer‐reviewed articles, and articles written in English. The content analysis method was used to categorize, summarize, and evaluate selected articles. A total of 120 articles have been reviewed.ResultsThis systematic review identified recent trends in engineering community engagement programs. Undergraduate students were the main program participants. The vast majority of projects took place in the United States. Overall, community engagement projects increasingly recruited multidisciplinary students. Factors such as logistics constraints, cultural barriers, and disconnect issues were reported as major challenges to the success of engineering community engagement programs. Qualitative research dominated community engagement studies. The community partner remains a less‐studied subject. Research focusing on engineering graduate students in community engagement was rare.ConclusionsTo obtain a holistic understanding of community engagement in engineering education, additional research should focus on community partners' perspectives, graduate students in engineering, diversity, and holistic assessments.

Accelerating the implementation of SDG 4: stakeholder perceptions towards initiation of sustainable community engagement projects by higher education institutions

Purpose This paper aims to present the results of an investigation on how a reciprocal relationship between the University of Mpumalanga (UMP) in South Africa and the surrounding communities can be used to accelerate the implementation of sustainable development goal 4 (SDG 4). The aim of this paper is to establish stakeholder perceptions on the role of higher education institutions (HEIs) in the development and implementation of sustainable community engagement (CE) projects geared towards the acceleration of SDG 4. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative methodology was adopted. This consisted of a presentation at UMP, an educational tour of the campus and discussion sessions with 3 education officials and 19 high schools representatives from Ehlanzeni District Municipality, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. Content and narrative analysis were used to analyse the data obtained during the discussions. Findings The key findings indicate that a reciprocal relationship between HEIs and their surrounding communities can be used to accelerate the implementation of SDG 4 by positioning HEIs to take the lead with initiatives and implementation of CE projects. Research limitations/implications For HEIs to be in a better position to take a leading role in CE, they must guide without imposing, else it may lead to stakeholders losing interest. Practical implications The importance of a mutual working relationship between HEIs and communities becomes paramount, as it may lead to the realisation and acceleration of SDG 4 through CE. It is suggested that HEIs prioritise CE and also involve communities from the conceptualisation of any project. Originality/value The paper raises awareness and demonstrates the importance and possibilities of using CE towards the acceleration of the implementation of SDG 4 by HEIs.

From the classroom to the field: developing cross-cultural skills in conservation

This article describes the chronological experience of an Indonesian conservator, a graduate of the University of Melbourne’s Master of Cultural Materials Conservation. It reviews the lessons learnt and the relevancy of classroom education in preparing him as a leader on two community engagement projects, as a supervisor on a disaster recovery project and as a cultural heritage conservator in the Bali Cultural Heritage Preservation Office. Given this experience the article focusses on the required ethics for Indonesian conservators working in the field, in particular when dealing with the conservation of living heritage and its community, as well as the cross-cultural work experience needed for the work. Moreover, it highlights an interesting case of a traditional (green) conservation practice that has been extensively promoted by the major conservation institution in Indonesia, Balai Konservasi Borobudur (Borobudur Conservation Office).

A Critical Approach to University-Community Partnerships: Reflecting on the Diverse Realities

Postapartheid South Africa has seen a greater focus on community engagement by universities, and its inclusion as one of the core focus areas of higher education in addition to teaching and research. This focus on engagement with the community was ignited by a requirement to enhance the university's social responsibility through establishing partnerships with the communities it serves. Higher education institutions have traditionally positioned themselves in engagement projects as the singular organisation that has knowledge to offer when compared to what the community can offer. In this paper, we propose a critical engagement process to enhance collaboration in engagement projects. Our qualitative study resides in a critical theory paradigm, and we used drawings as well as narrative free writing to reflect and explore our perceptions regarding community engagement. We used the collaborative self-study methodology because it provides opportunities for critical and self-critical reflection that could lead us to discovering valuable insights, as well as provide suggestions on how to enhance university community partnerships. Our findings suggest that, despite legislation and efforts to enhance university community engagement, this remains a contested space where power relations, inequality, and claims to knowledge ownership continue to pose challenges.

Teaching Self‐Regulated Learning in Combination with Sustainability and Community Engagement

AbstractThis article introduces an intermediate‐high to advanced topic‐based German course that teaches sustainability and self‐regulated learning and includes a community engagement project. The theoretical introduction illustrates why combining the three topics of sustainability, self‐regulated learning, and community engagement is desirable for German programs. Additionally, the article shows how a course can be designed in two scaffolding cycles to teach students these three topics. The first scaffolding cycle, an in‐class unit framed around the film Wackersdorf (Fliess, 2018), starts a conversation about sustainability and introduces six steps that will help students plan and conduct their community engagement project. In a second scaffolding cycle, students prepare and implement a community engagement project as their primary task. The article also reflects how the instructor can prepare and evaluate a community engagement project and how a portfolio assignment can be a valuable tool to monitor students' progress. Additionally, the article introduces two examples of successful community projects.

Virtual Patient (VIP) Engagement Studio: Using Technology to Engage Hard‐to‐Reach Patients

Research ObjectivePatient engagement in research involves patients and caregivers as experts and collaborators who impactfully contribute to the research continuum. Traditionally, most patient engagement activities were facilitated in‐person. Little is known about methods and effectiveness of virtual engagement. This project aims to build capacity for and implement a diabetes‐focused VIrtual Patient (VIP) Engagement Studio, with emphasis on geographically dispersed and hard‐to‐reach patients, to facilitate engagement efforts along the diabetes continuum of comparative effectiveness research and patient‐centered outcomes research (CER/PCOR).Study DesignThis engagement project realizes its objectives through: (1) Building a diverse network of geographically dispersed VIP Studio patient experts (VIPs) who can serve as experts with lived experiences of diabetes and can be meaningfully involved in the VIP Studio; (2) Training recruited VIPs and implement the VIP Studio activities by engaging VIPs in ongoing and new CER/PCOR research opportunities; (3) Evaluating the virtual experience and disseminate the capacity‐building plan to expand and replicate the VIP Studio among other PCOR partners.Population StudiedSouth Carolina (SC) ranks fifth highest in the US in the percentage of population with diabetes, with major racial & geographic disparities. While over one‐third of SC population are minorities or live in rural areas, engagement of patients and stakeholders from these communities in CER/PCOR remains limited partly because of transportation and other access issues. The VIP Studio can support efforts relating to the engagement of hard‐to‐reach population groups. VIP Expert eligibility includes being 18 years‐old or older, have diabetes or be the caregiver to someone with diabetes, and live in South Carolina, North Carolina, or Georgia.Principal Findings51 individuals attended (out of 93 who signed up) one of 23 informational sessions held over two months; of which, 46 completed the application for the 25 VIP spots available. The selection of VIPs was an iterative process that ensured diversity, in terms of gender, rurality, race and ethnicity, educational attainment, age, caregiver status, and county. Seven virtual training sessions were conducted to build trust, generate patient‐centered questions, and establish basic premises of research and how to partner in research. The sessions included training on virtual platforms used, an overview of the 10‐Step Framework of Continuous Patient Engagement, understanding diabetes, introduction to research with emphasis on CER/PCOR, formulating research “wonderings” into research questions, and communicating with researchers. Various trust‐building and team‐building activities were incorporated in all sessions. At least five research ‘review’ sessions are planned for the remainder of the project. The process, methods, key learnings and experiences from the VIP Studio will be presented.ConclusionsThe VIP Engagement Studio has potential to expand the participation of diverse patient groups, providing a patient perspective of health issues that is more representative of the patient population afflicted with diabetes.Implications for Policy or PracticeThis project demonstrates the feasibility of expanding the VIP Studio as an infrastructure model that can be scaled‐up to a regional and national levels. Ultimately, this virtual model can be useful in nation‐wide, multi‐site studies where each site may be enrolling patients from geographic areas that may have unique concerns to that region or area.Primary Funding SourcePatient‐Centered Outcomes Research Institute.

The Role of Higher Education Institutions in the Implementation of Circular Economy in Latin America

Circular economy (CE) describes a sustainable alternative approach to the current linear economy system. It is a growing topic among scholars, practitioners, and decisionmakers; it encompasses several concepts related to sustainability and requires the synergy of multiple actors for success, including higher education institutions (HEIs) as one of the most relevant ones. Current CE is based mostly on experiences in Global North developed countries, where the concept has gained great attention and has already influenced policies and strategies. However, CE in Latin American countries (LA countries) have not yet received such attention. Thus, some “unique problems” may remain unattended, and efforts to attain a CE are more likely to fail. Likewise, the study shows how the role of HEIs in CE in LA countries has not yet been fully explored, as the literature on this topic is scarce. This paper aims to address the main research question: what is the role of HEIs in the transition to a CE in Latin American countries? For this, a two-fold methodology was performed: (i) a systematic review which allows understanding of the trends of CE research in LA and the extent of the HEIs involvement; and (ii) a narrative review, which provides insights into the state of the art of CE research (gaps, drivers, and barriers) in LA countries and how this relates to HEIs. This approach drew implications for the role of HEIs in the implementation of CE in LA countries. HEIs are key actors in this transition, contributing in several ways to the CE by collaborating with industry, assisting policy makers, building human and intellectual capital, supporting community engagement projects, influencing campus culture, linking with international CE networks, and promoting an inclusive CE discourse. This research contributes to the CE body of knowledge from a Latin-American Global South perspective by discussing the factors that aim to define the role of HEIs in the CE transition in LA countries.

Empowering Teacher Candidates to Create Social Justice Curriculum Through Civic Engagement Projects

The purpose of this research is to examine how participating in a Civic Engagement Project (CEP) led teacher candidates (TCs) to develop and publish race and social justice curriculum. This article describes the CEP, a graduate level social studies methods course assignment for TCs who research community issues, select a class project, collaborate, create and publish resources for educators. This mixed-methods study examines the challenges, benefits and process of the CEP. TCs' reflections, digital curriculum and resourcesthey created, surveys and interviews with TCs after graduation were analyzed through six criteria of anti-racist curriculum, based on Racial Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Critical Race Theory. The intent of this longitudinal research is to analyze the long-term development of social studies teachers across their experiences with civic engagement as pre-service and subsequently in-service teachers.

HiSTEP: A Single-Arm Pilot Study of a Technology-Assisted HIV Self-testing Intervention in Kampala, Uganda.

We developed and pilot tested a 3-month HIV self-testing intervention called HiSTEP ("HIV Self-testing Engagement Project") among 95 adult (18+ years) at-risk (condomless sex < 3months) adults in Kampala, Uganda. HiSTEP leverages theoretically-grounded (in the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills model) text messages, a telehealth centre with live support, and "last-mile" HIV self-testing kit delivery to a location chosen by the participant. Nearly 94% of participants were retained at month 3. HIV self-testing was highly acceptable across age and gender groups (94% very satisfied), although older women had slightly lower acceptability ratings (92% very satisfied). Only 13% of participants used HIV self-testing prior to enrollment. Over the 3-month study period, 86% of participants ordered a total of 169 HIV self-testing kits (69% for participant use; 31% for use by others). Findings show that the intervention approach taken in HiSTEP may be particularly valuable for engaging at-risk Ugandan adults in HIV self-testing using a novel technology-assisted promotion and delivery method.

The Creators’ Game: A Conduit for Youth Development, Community Engagement, and American Indian Cultural Connections

ABSTRACT The Nebraska Panhandle Creators’ Game event (CG) was a grassroots-driven community engagement project for the Nebraska Panhandle region, a largely rural region with a vibrant American Indian (AI) population. The CG event explored the role social workers can play in leveraging a youth sport (lacrosse) as a convening platform for public health messaging and to embrace the fundamental fact that the AI people live with an intimate connection to their community, the land, and their people. This connection is pivotal for self-directed change in communities that actively comingle with American Indian people. A feasibility study was done to explore respondents’ perceptions of the impact of the event on youth development, community engagement, and cultural connections. The pilot data collected for this project supports the literature on participatory research as a key to engaging AI communities. Data trends are provided, and the implications of these findings are discussed.

Bridging Education and Engineering Students through a Wind Energy-Focused Community Engagement Project

Regional growth in offshore wind energy development, changes to the state’s K-12 science standards, and a desire to deepen undergraduate student learning coalesced to inspire an interdisciplinary community engagement project bridging university courses in engineering and education. The project consists of three main activities: a professional development event for local fourth grade teachers, five classroom lessons designed and taught by undergraduate engineering and education majors, and a final celebration event, all focused around the topics of wind energy and engineering design. This spring, the project was carried out for the third consecutive year, though each year’s implementation has been unique due to the timing of the onset of COVID-19. Analysis of responses from the Teaching Engineering Self-Efficacy Scale and an end-of-semester course survey demonstrate growth in student learning and transferrable skills from participating in the semester-long project. Additionally, exploration of students’ narrative work provides a richness to further understanding their growth and challenges they confronted. This interdisciplinary community engagement project will continue into future years, with improvements informed by the findings of this work, most notably with the hope of returning to a fully in-person delivery of lessons to fourth-graders.

Then &amp; Now Arts at Warwick Student Project

This article overviews the ‘Then &amp; Now: Arts at Warwick’ student-led research and public engagement project that took place at the University of Warwick from January to August 2020. It discusses the methods of student co-creation and student-led research that underpinned the project and provides a detailed description of the pedagogic practices employed. The value and challenges of student co-creation are examined alongside the experience of managing a complex project in the crisis situation of Covid-19. The project’s impact in building learning community and enhancing the student academic experience is evaluated, and critical commentary is provided on some aspects of the project’s design. This article demonstrates the benefits of utilising digital technology for the facilitation of student co-creation in the arenas of research and public engagement, and for the development of learning that enables students to participate in ‘real life’ academic activities and shape the pedagogic approaches that are used in their teaching.

Juggling Roles, Experiencing Dilemmas: The Challenges of SSH Scholars in Public Engagement

The progressive introduction of emerging technologies, such as nanotechnology, has created a true testing ground for public engagement initiatives. Widespread experimentation has taken place with public and stakeholder dialogue and inclusive approaches to research and innovation (R&I) more generally. Against this backdrop, Social Science and Humanities (SSH) scholars have started to manifest themselves differently. They have taken on new roles in the public engagement field, including more practical and policy-oriented ones that seek to actively open the R&I system to wider public scrutiny. With public engagement gaining prominence, there has been a call for increased reflexivity among SSH scholars about their role in this field. In this paper, we study our own roles and stakes as SSH scholars in a European-funded public engagement project on responsible nanotechnology. We introduce a general role landscape and outline five distinct roles (engaged academic, deliberative practitioner, change agent, dialogue capacity builder, and project worker) that we—as SSH scholars—inhabited throughout the project. We discuss the synergistic potential of combining these five roles and elaborate on several tensions within the roles that we needed to navigate. We argue that balancing many roles requires explicit role awareness, reflexivity, and new competencies that have not been examined much in the public engagement literature so far. Our role landscape and exemplification of how it can be used to reflexively study one’s own practices may be a useful starting point for scholars who are seeking to better understand, assess, or communicate about their position in the public engagement field.

“AMR Dialogues”: a public engagement initiative to shape policies and solutions on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Thailand

Background: The use of antimicrobials in Thailand has been reported as one of the highest in the world in both the human and animal sectors. The objectives of this project are: (1) to improve understanding of the issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among adult Thai communities and (2) to drive change through the national AMR policy to include context-specific and locally-driven solutions. Methods: The project contains two components conducted in parallel: the “AMR Dialogues” public engagement project and the embedded evaluation of the project. We will bring together AMR stakeholders and members of the public through a series of conversation events to co-create an AMR stakeholder map, engagement strategy, and context-specific solutions to reduce the burden of AMR. There will be a combination of regional in-person events (‘regional conversations’) and national online events (‘national conversations’) with members of the public. The conversations will follow this sequence: introduce and explore issues related to AMR, brainstorm solutions and finally propose promising/feasible solutions to take forward. Evaluation of the project will be conducted to assess if the AMR Dialogues objectives have been achieved using feedback forms and qualitative methods. Ethics: Approval of the evaluation component of the project has been obtained from the ethics committee of the Thailand Institute for the Development of Human Subject Protection (IHRP2021059) and the Oxford University Tropical Research Ethics Committee (OxTREC 529-21). Dissemination: The results of these conversation events will inform the next Thailand National Strategic Plan on AMR. The learning and outcomes will be disseminated to AMR policy makers, academic audiences, and participants of all the conversation events. Thaiclinicaltrials.org registration: TCTR20210528003 (28/05/2021)

A Study of the Soft X-Ray Emission Lines in NGC 4151. I. Kinematic Properties of the Plasma Wind

Abstract We present our analysis of the narrow emission lines produced in the plasma regions within the bright active galactic nucleus of NGC 4151, from an ORBYTS research-with-schools public engagement project. Our goal was to test whether the properties of these plasma regions changed between XMM-Newton observations spanning 15 yr from 2000 to 2015, by measuring the outflow velocities and distances. From this study, we found that NGC 4151 has at least two to three plasma regions. There is no evidence of the outflowing wind properties changing as the velocities and distances are consistent throughout the observations.

The benefits of an innovative community engagement model in dental undergraduate education

ABSTRACT Dental healthcare students at the Peninsula Dental School, University of Plymouth, UK undertake community engagement projects as a core part of their undergraduate curriculum. Students work with their peers to develop a student-led, evidence-based project working with target groups in the local community to address oral health needs. The aim of the programme is to further the students’ understanding of health inequalities and the health needs of different groups in the community, while developing skills that will help them deliver holistic dental care as part of their future professional practice. This report highlights our model of education delivery in collaboration with the community, the student-learning outcomes and discusses some of the benefits of this approach including examples of projects that have benefitted the community. We highlight the further work needed to evaluate the longer-term impacts on students of undertaking social accountability programmes.

Integrated STEM and poultry science curriculum to increase agricultural literacy

The shortage of graduates pursuing careers in the poultry industry is linked to a low awareness and lack of interest. Increasing agricultural literacy could promote engagement in future poultry science opportunities. We developed an integrated STEM curriculum within a poultry science context to assess the program's impact on students’ agricultural literacy development. The Elementary Education Gain Grow (E.G.G.) program consists of 5 online modules, an interactive notebook, a simulation game, and a team project. In fall 2019, 480 Indiana 4th and 5th grade students enrolled in the pilot program. A 14-point poultry content-based questionnaire was administered online to students prior to program engagement, between online and team project activities, and at program completion. Student content scores (n = 111; 23.13% response rate) increased from 7.99 (SD = 1.85) preprogram to 9.76 (SD = 2.44) post online modules (P < 0.05; Cohen's d = 0.82) and remained constant throughout the remainder of the program. Student notebook responses (n = 172; 35.83% response rate) provided qualitative data of their self-reported agricultural literacy gains and revealed patterns of increased agricultural literacy relating to the program's learning objectives. These results support the program's ability to increase student agricultural literacy. Teacher feedback (n = 9; 69.2% response rate) suggests that teachers agreed with the program's effectiveness, with qualitative responses highlighting individual experiences. Our pilot program findings support the use of an integrated STEM and poultry science elementary curriculum to increase student agricultural literacy as well as demonstrate the effectiveness of the program as an educational resource.

Study Abroad and Engagement at the Local and Global Levels: The Stories Behind the Numbers

In this study, we address the question of whether and how the internationalization of higher education, particularly its study abroad aspect, has contributed to the common good. Much of the past discussion on study abroad impact has been largely concentrated on outcomes at the personal level. Using qualitative data from the Study Abroad for Global Engagement project, this study analyzes how former study abroad participants contributed to the global common good at the levels of local, glocal, and global communities. The findings show that many chose to practice global engagement, such as civic engagement, philanthropic activities, social entrepreneurship, and voluntary simplicity, for the common good, as the result of study abroad. This article concludes with discussion of implications for research, theory, policy, and practice.

How societal expectations, new digital tools, andthe COVID crisis are driving a step-change in human centric remediation.

How societal expectations, new digital tools, andthe COVID crisis are driving a step-change in human centric remediation.