Community-Engaged Learning

Faculty Services and Resources for

students working with plants in the city

Education as critical collaboration

Portland State University (PSU) is internationally recognized for its commitment to community-engaged learning (CEL), an expansive collection of pedagogies that happen within and outside of PSU classrooms. Regarding credit-bearing CEL courses, our campus has a new, faculty-senate-approved course designation (formerly community-based learning, CBL), which reads:
A CEL course involves collaboration among community partners, students, and faculty/staff for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge, experiences, and resources. It is important that:

Community-engaged experiences are central to course outcomes and goals (for all participants).
Participants reflect critically on their community engagement.

Connect Your Course with CBL

Many of PSU’s co-curricular CEL programs (such as our Student Community Engagement Center) share the above elements while allowing for students, faculty and staff to engage in a more voluntary way.

How might the Office of Academic Innovation support your CEL course/program? Contact Harold McNaron to discuss.

One-on-One CEL Consultations

Do you have a specific CEL course or challenge you’d like to work through? Schedule an initial consultation with Harold McNaron, the Teaching, Learning, and Engagement Associate at OAI.

Schedule A Consult

faculty seated listening to each other speak

Department Workshops

Is your department considering a deeper investment in community-based learning? Excellent! Schedule a workshop customized to suit your team’s needs.

Schedule a Department Workshop