WHAT?
The neighbourhoods and districts around Campus Spoor Noord - the largest campus of AP University of Applied Sciences and Arts Antwerp - form the learning laboratory of the students participating in the Community Engaged Learning semester. The number of learning activities on campus is relatively limited: learning largely takes place in the neighbourhoods and districts themselves. All this, of course, under the intensive coaching of experienced AP teachers who will be your inspirers and guides throughout the semester.
In the context of the Community Engaged Learning semester, 3 teams of 8 to 10 students each are given a project challenge by nearby schools, social organisations and/or care institutions. Characteristic of these student teams is that they are all composed internationally and interdisciplinary.
Since many years, AP has built a solid tradition in the field of international, interdisciplinary and challenge-based education. Another characteristic of the Community Engaged Learning semester is that the projects executed by the student teams all have a significant impact on vulnerable target groups in socially complex neighbourhoods and districts in Antwerp.
The Community Engaged Learning semester consists of one integrated course (30 ECTS credits) that combines the actual project work with the academic frameworks that will be helpful and necessary to successfully realise the project challenge, (further) training in intercultural communication and supervision moments during which you learn to reflect on your own learning process and that of your student team.
The Community Engaged Learning semester runs during the autumn semester of each academic year.
FOR WHOM?
The Community Engaged Learning semester is aiming at students (Ba & Ma) with a study background in:
- Social work, social educational care work, social case work, social studies, youth and community work, social pedagogy, social cultural work, etc.
- Teacher training students from preschool, primary and secondary school teacher education institutions as well as for students from social education institutions.
There is room for maximum 30 students: 24 international students and six AP students will be selected to participate. We strive to keep a balance between the different study disciplines for all projects we run within our Community Engaged Learning semester. Additionally, we consider it equally important that we have a good mixture of different nationalities in each student team. Selection of candidates in case we receive too many applications will be done in function of the ideal balance for the course Project Work.
International and interdisciplinary challenge-based education requires a certain degree of academic maturity, especially given the socially oriented nature of the project challenges. Students should therefore have completed at least 4 semesters prior to the Community Engaged Learning semester.
Even more important is the intrinsic motivation of students to (further) develop into 'changemakers' during the Community Engaged Learning semester.
The language of communication in the student teams and with the teachers is English. Students will give several oral presentations, write a final report and develop audio-visual material(s) linked to their project challenge. A good knowledge of English is therefore necessary: a level of B2 is strongly recommended.
Are you an international student and are you motivated to participate in this Community Engaged Learning semester? Please contact the international coordinator of your study program or the international office of your home institution.
Are you an AP student and interested in participating? Please contact the international coordinator of your program and/or the coordinators of the Community Engaged Learning semester.