Center for Community Engagement

Community-Engaged Learning Attribute Initiative

As part of the Chancellor’s Office 2018-19 California’s Call to Service Initiative, a systemwide accountability goal was identified: Strengthen a Sustainable Data Collection Infrastructure to improve comprehensive data collection efforts on service learning (SL) and community engagement systemwide. The charge by the Chancellor’s Office is that all campuses implement a common systemwide service-learning attribute (CSLI) in the student information system (CMS) to effectively identify and track SL courses. With this, a working group consisting of representatives from the Chancellor’s Office and a few CSU campuses along with a faculty member from the Academic Senate CSU have:

  • Identified community-engaged learning (CEL) as the umbrella term to capture a broad array of courses in which community engagement is embedded.

  • Created two common systemwide definitions and corresponding attributes, using minimum criteria that meets the definition, to be implemented within the CSU’s student information system that allow for the identification and encouragement of all types of community-engaged learning taking place. (CSLI) for service learning and (CCEL) for other forms of curricular community-engaged learning.

  • Developed a Taxonomy that presents the essential elements for CEL and outlines the implementation spectrum for CEL Courses.

  • Developed tools to facilitate the designation of service-learning courses and the application of the CSLI and CCEL attributes. Please see the "Resources" section below for the CEL Taxonomy and Definitions and Faculty Guide FAQs links.

Resources

Faculty FAQs Guide
Taxonomy & Definitions
Preview of CEL Tool Survey

Helpful Tips

Tips for Completing the CEL Tool

  1. Watch the instructional video above on how to complete the CEL Attribute Survey or reference the PDF of the survey.
  2. The form captures information for one course at a time.
  3. Complete the form based on how you are currently teaching the CEL course.
  4. Review the CEL Taxonomy.
  5. Be prepared to spend approximately 15 minutes to complete the form.
  6. Have course materials available; you may need to refer to it as you complete the survey.

CEL Survey Tool

Please help us do our part in the systemwide attribute implementation pilot and complete the online survey below.

 CSU COMMUNITY-ENGAGED LEARNING TOOL SURVEY