“The opportunity to teach community engaged learning (CEL) is a unique one. But since the first CEL course that I taught, I found myself wondering whether the CEL experience should be unique at all. When we consider the relationship between universities and the cities/communities in which they are situated, alongside the global context of society and place, it does not take a pandemic to recognize how connected we are. Courses like Global Hidden Hunger (HMB443), AIDS: A Global Perspective (HMB453), Health, Nutrition, and Food Insecurity (HST306), and Health Policy in Action (HST407) are just a few examples of topics that would have very little impact without some application or conversation with the vast community surrounding U of T. In CEL courses, there is much more to be ventured and gained through community partnership and co-creation, enabling students to learn about the community’s lived experiences and welcome the shared benefits of reciprocal collaboration. Moving beyond traditional pedagogical approaches involves interrogating what can be learned from historical and contemporary peer-reviewed and grey literature. Students in CEL courses can ‘stress test’ their experience and knowledge to identify gaps and corresponding solutions as they apply course concepts. CEL courses support authentic experiential learning opportunities that help students contribute to the complex landscape of real-world challenges – a landscape with which they are already connected and often a part of, before, during, and after undergraduate studies.”

Leanne R. De Souza-Kenney