Classroom-to-Community (C2C)
Impacting communities with renewable and authentic assignments that promotes digital fluency.Objectives
The Classroom-to-Community (C2C) program helps instructors generate fresh and innovative ideas to design a new course assignment or revamp an old assignment. Through collaborating with Teaching and Learning with Technology (TLT), C2C provides faculty the opportunity to critically evaluate their course design and transform traditional assignments into authentic, renewable experiences that foster digital fluency among students.
At the end of the program, faculty will have…
- engaged in a year-long program to learn and critique evidenced-based assignment and course designs;
- been exposed to the newest educational technologies to meet their instructional needs;
- created a newly designed assignment with C2C elements that can be implemented immediately in the following semesters;
- embarked on a pathway to become a digitally fluent educator.
Program Structure
The C2C program provides faculty a variety of engagements including a kick-off meeting, small-group conversations, individual learning design consultations, efficacy assessments, and opportunities to dissemenate program outcomes. Starting from Fall 2024, the program length is one academic year, with two cohorts to choose from:
- Cohort 1 — Design in the fall semester and implement in the spring
- Cohort 2 — Design in the spring semester and implement in the following fall semester
The average time commitment throughout each semester depends on the assignment to be designed. Check out the interactive roadmap below to learn more about the major milestones for each semester.
Application Process
An application form will be available through major communication channels (e.g., Penn State Today) at the beginning of the semester. Once applications are submitted, faculty will be notified if they are selected and with more details on how to proceed. C2C welcomes all Penn State faculty to apply. The main criteria for faculty is that you have to be teaching or will be teaching a course in the near future and that you have authority to modify the course design.
Application for Fall 2024 cohort is now closed! Applications for Spring 2025 is still open!
Apply NowWhat are C2C assignments?
Traditional coursework such as essays, presentations, discussion posts, and projects, typically are a one-time experiences and are completed for assessment purposes. After course completion, the assignment products often “thrown away” and rarely revisited and expanded upon throughout students’ academic journeys.
A goal to design C2C assignments is to develop non-disposable course experiences that engages students in authentic and robust learning opportunities. C2C assignments are at the intersection of this venn diagram, and can be characterisized as applied, open, impact real communties, provide opporunties to re-engage, creative possitive change, and can be resued after completion. These assignments are carefuly designed to extend the classroom’s value beyond course completion.
Renewable/Open
The renewable feature of C2C assignments allow instructions and student artifacts to exist beyond the completion of the course. This may include adopting open pedagogy in the assignment design or making the assignment elements available for specific populations. Through C2C assignments, students create meaningful artifacts, conversations, and knowledge for others to experience and enrich.
Authentic
C2C assignments engage students in authentic experiences by incorpoarating student-centered learning activities, real-world problem solving, and opporunities to transfer knoweldge and skills to contexts outside the classroom. Students will identify pressing issues within a real community, and use critical thinking and metacognitive skills to make positive impacts on others lives.
Digital Fluency
Recognizing the dynamic nature of modern education and the growing importance of digital skills, C2C assignments prepare students for success in the digital age. C2C assignments promote digital fluency skills by requiring students to leverage one or more advanced digital technologies (e.g., Google Earth, Padlet, Spatial, Adobe Express) to complete the assignment objectives.
Previous C2C Cohorts
C2C assignments from previous cohorts [coming soon]