Date of Award
2015
Document Type
Open Access Master's Report
Degree Name
Master of Science in Applied Science Education (MS)
Administrative Home Department
Department of Cognitive and Learning Sciences
Advisor 1
Bradley Baltensperger
Committee Member 1
Kedmon Hungwe
Committee Member 2
Richelle Winkler
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which a sample of fifteen Michigan Technological university students who participated in civic engagement research projects enhanced their attachment to a community.
A Likert-scale survey was utilized to assess participants’ dispositions toward attachment to a place. Overall the results showed that the students agreed there was an attachment to a place and that they identified with a place. Additional methods, reflection papers and interviews, were used to assess what factors enhanced the participants attachment and the impact of the course. Through these measurements it was determined that place attachment is integral when designing learning experiences to create more community involvement.
Participating in this civic engagement research project enhanced the participants’ connections by the desire to volunteer or become more involved with a community’s politics or its economic sustainability. Additionally, results suggest there were two other factors to consider when measuring the level of civic engagement within a community. First, was a person’s upbringing. If a child was encouraged to participate in volunteering and other events within a community, it is more likely for them to do so as an adult. The second factor is the amount of free time that a person may have available. Other responsibilities such as, family, a career, and schooling would take priority over contributing time to a community.
Recommended Citation
Karvakko, Carrie L., "Can Community Connection Be Learned? A Case Study", Open Access Master's Report, Michigan Technological University, 2015.