Kingsborough To Pioneer National Civic Learning Curriculum

Kingsborough Community College (2001 Oriental Boulevard) is one of 10 community colleges from around the country selected to participate in a new initiative focused on civic learning the the humanities.

The program, called “Bridging Cultures to Form a Nation: Difference, Community and Democratic Thinking” brings teams from all 10 colleges together to design a three-year curriculum and faculty development project to strengthen civic engagement.

“We are extraordinarily pleased to have been selected as a national leader for our unswerving dedication and commitment to making civic engagement an integral part of the academic experience at KCC,” said Regina Peruggi, president of KCC. “The preparation of our students to become engaged citizens and leaders of tomorrow is critically important and top priority at KCC.”

Funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and co-sponsored by the Association of American Colleges and Universities and The Democracy Commitment, the new curriculum will:

• infuse questions about difference, engaged community, and democratic thinking into transfer courses in the humanities
• promote greater adoption of practices that advance important civic learning outcomes
• create a series of humanities-enriched professional development opportunities for full-time and adjunct faculty
• expand the project’s impact through collaboration with additional community colleges and partnerships with state humanities councils

Here’s more about the project, from the college’s press release:

Bridging Cultures was developed as part of AAC&U’s ongoing initiative on Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement and builds on the recommendations issued in the report, A Crucible Moment: College Learning and Democracy’s Future, released in January 2012 at a White House convening. The key recommendation in A Crucible Moment is to make civic learning in college expected rather than optional for all students, including all those in career and technical programs. Building from this recommendation, Bridging Cultures began in February 2012 with a call for proposals to community colleges across the country, leading to the selection of 10 teams composed of humanities faculty and administrators.

Team members will participate in an intensive summer faculty development institute in August 2012, as well as multiple other faculty development opportunities and partnerships with other community colleges. The project will culminate in a symposium planned for October 2014. Bridging Cultures’ impact will also be strengthened by a partnership with theNew York Times Company education group, which is collaborating with TDC in their national initiative.  Project participants will use the Epsilen online learning platform to develop forums and to share and co-create resources and course materials.

In addition to KCC selected institutions include Chandler-Gilbert Community College (AZ); County College of Morris (NJ); Georgia Perimeter College (GA); Kapi’olani Community College(HI); Miami Dade College (FL);  Middlesex Community College (MA);Mount Wachusett Community College (MA); Lone Star College-Kingwood (TX); and Santa Fe College(FL).