September 2, 2005 Source: Acadia University:
http://www.acadiau.ca/whatsnew/newsrelease/2005/first_fellowship_02sept.html Acadia University announces first fellowship in engaged learning (Wolfville, NS) – Dr. Gail Dinter-Gottlieb, President and Vice-Chancellor of Acadia University, today announced that Dr. Cynthia Alexander will receive the first Presidential Fellowship in Engaged Learning. “Community engagement is critical to Acadia’s success and is an essential element in the liberal learning experience,” said Dr. Dinter-Gottlieb. “This Fellowship recognizes the value of faculty working with our community.” Dr. Alexander, a professor in the Department of Political Science, will receive a $10,000 grant over the next two years for her research on digital democracies. Dr. Alexander will assess and advance a cross-cultural, computer-assisted model of community-service learning with political science students. Her approach will include the use of new information and communication technologies that will: facilitate local and distant community partnerships; and create distinctive digital resources, such as digital documentaries, as part of the students’ deliverables to their community partners. Dr. Alexander is not new to the concept of community-service learning. She has created similar learning environments for her students for more than five years through partnerships with First Nations, Inuit and African Nova Scotia communities. Through her on-going work, Dr. Alexander is particularly interested in contributing to the understanding of how community-service learning can enrich and deepen citizenship in multicultural societies. “Community-service learning changes the context in which lessons are learned,” said Dr. Dinter-Gottlieb. “The approach provides opportunities for students to promote the kind of informed, engaged and compassionate citizenship that democracy depends upon.” The Fellowship will also be linked to the Acadia University Learning Commons. The Commons will be a "hub" for creativity, innovation, and support for teaching and learning. It will be a central support centre for students and faculty, and also offer the academic community exciting new ways to teach and learn, increase opportunities to work within the community, and broaden the vision of the Acadia Community to include a global view of education and citizenship. The Learning Commons will have several components: a Centre for Curriculum, Teaching, and Learning, where faculty and students will explore exciting new educational models; an Institute for Civic Engagement, where faculty, students, and staff will consider their role and responsibilities in our society, while facilitating meaningful community/university projects that enhance learning experiences and provide service to agencies and organizations; a Centre for Internationalization, which will focus on coordinating the University’s international activities and maximize Acadia’s impact on global education; and a Student Support Centre, which will consist of writing, mathematics, and advising components. Acadia University, in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, has long been recognized as one of Canada’s premier undergraduate institutions. With its nationally and internationally recognized research initiatives, small class sizes and technology-rich teaching and learning environment, Acadia offers students an experience that includes academic achievement combined with personal growth and development. For more information about Acadia, visit our website at www.acadiau.ca. -30- For more information contact:
Scott Roberts Senior Director, Communications and Public Affairs
Acadia University
P: 902.585.1705
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