What is democratic thinking? What role does it play in civic engagement, both for individuals and for the community? How can colleges teach for democratic thinking and prepare students for lives as engaged citizens?
These questions will be the focus of a national, two-year multidisciplinary seminar for college faculty and staff co-sponsored by the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) and Elon University. Seminar participants, drawn from across academic disciplines and from a diverse range of institutional types, will study the current literature on the subject, explore relevant pedagogies, and develop research projects and campus-based innovations that can serve as national models of good practice.
Faculty from ACM colleges who are accepted into the seminar can receive a grant from the ACM Faculty Career Enhancement (FaCE) Project to cover half the cost of registration. The application deadline is April 1. More information about the Elon Research Seminar on Engaged Undergraduate Learning and application materials are available at http://org.elon.edu/ers/.
If you have questions about the seminar or the FaCE grants, contact ACM Vice President John Ottenhoff (jottenhoff@acm.edu; 312-263-5000), who is serving as a Research Scholar for the seminar.
The seminar will begin with a July 12-17, 2009 meeting at Elon University. A second meeting will take place in summer 2010 and the seminar will conclude with a conference in spring/summer 2011.
The FaCE grants will cover $500 of the one-time registration fee of $1,000. Lodging and meals during the seminar’s summer meetings will be paid by Elon University. Other participant expenses, including travel and any research costs, will be paid by the participants and/or their home institutions.
