Preconference I: Ace Carnegie Elective Community Engagement Classification Research Lab

Plan to arrive by 7:30 am so you can check-in and grab breakfast.The preconference sessions will begin at 8:00 am.

This pre-conference session invites researchers interested in examining data provided by the Carnegie Elective Community Engagement Classification (CECEC) application process (aka the Framework). Data areas for exploration include institutional demographics and community engagement (CE) contexts, the quality of community engagement relationships and partnerships, institutional identity and culture, infrastructure and financial support for CE, impact, faculty and staff outputs, curricular and co-curricular engagement, pathways for student development, relationship between CE and other institutional initiatives/priorities, and the impact of COVID, racial unrest, and how the CE classification can advance a vibrant democracy alongside other needed areas of community engagement work.

The Elective Carnegie Community Engagement Classification’s new home at the American Council on Higher Education invites interested field researchers to learn about our ACE Carnegie Elective Community Engagement Classification Research Lab (ACE ECE Research Lab - CEL) where we mine the rich data we have collected for almost 20 years from higher education institutions seeking to earn the elective community engagement classification. This pre-conference session allows opportunities to participate in an exciting international research collaborative examining the impact of civic, community and public purpose work within and across multiple higher education institutions (HEIs). The CEL is currently piloting with HEIs in Alabama, Australia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Texas. We welcome your interest via your attendance at this pre-conference session.

The CEL seeks teams of researchers interested in examining data area/s of interest to your team and corresponds back to one of the questions in the Framework. Each research team should include an established researcher (with some expertise in the data question), and include at least 3-5 emerging or new researchers (undergraduate or graduate students or early career researchers).

Attendance at this pre-conference will orient attendees to
- The structure of the ACE Carnegie Elective Community Engagement Classification Research Lab and the co-labs
- The data accessible via the CECEC
- Current and cutting edge research questions and data priorities for the field
- How to form a CECEC co-laboratory team (Co-Lab)
- A brief research methodology training for newer researchers on how to access and use the data available
- Invitation to participate in a Community of Practice (CoP) advancing research using the existing data available via the CECEC applications
- Participation in a broad international research initiative to advance a global understanding of civic learning and democratic engagement through service learning and community engaged research as pedagogical practices.

The vision for this pre-conference session is to connect emerging and established IARSLCE researchers with existing data sources and through a supportive (international) community of practice, build capacity for the next generation of scholars invested in our global understanding of community university partnerships to advance student civic learning, democratic engagement to help each person/community to reach their fullest potential.