In a culture that in based on self-reliance, privatization, and a market-based mindset it is difficult for the current generation to view community engagement and public participation as a solution to today’s social challenges. The current leadership model, which is characterized by an authoritative leader and inactive followers, cannot be relied on to effectively solve global and local problems in the society. As the political leadership changes from individualism and privatization, the teaching and learning model in higher education should also move in the same direction.
Currently, students are acquiring knowledge with the aim of being prepared for the job market. Students educated in this manner are not capable of solving the problems facing the society such as poverty, urbanization, public health challenges, immigration and so forth. The authors believe that institutions of higher learning are not only well placed to produce leaders who can involve the community in problem-solving but they can also mobilize institutional resources to engage the local community in addressing public problems collaboratively.
Using Miami University’s Harry T. Wilks Institute, the authors demonstrate the transformative power of collaboration between learners, educators, and the community. The faculty at the institute has designed an interdisciplinary program that involves both curricular and extra-curricular leadership activities. It exposes students to multiple ideas and programs where they can explore and experience the alternative approaches to leadership that are presented by community engagement.
Experiences in the classroom and the community equip students to be engaged leaders and active citizens in addressing problems in the local and international community (Jacob et al., 2015). They think locally program builds a partnership between students the faculty, and the community in initiatives aimed at finding sustainable solutions to racial, urbanization, immigration, and globalization challenges. Thus, Wilks scholars are able to apply classroom-acquired knowledge as well as community knowledge to meet the needs of the community.
The writers effectively communicate the need for a change in the approach of teaching models in higher education. The institutions of higher education should approach leadership education in a manner that empowers all stakeholders to use the resources at hand to solve public problems (Jacoby, 2009; Bringle & Hatcher, 2000).
References
Bringle, R. G., & Hatcher, J. A. (2000). Institutionalization of service learning in higher education. Journal of Higher Education, 273-290.
Jacob, W. J., Sutin, S. E., Weidman, J. C., & Yeager, J. I. (2015). Community Engagement in Higher Education. In Community Engagement in Higher Education (pp. 1-28). SensePublishers.
Jacoby, B. (2009). Civic engagement in higher education. Concepts and practices Jossey-Bass, San Francisco.
