- Cody Meinckie,
ISU kinesiology and recreation major
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Professor Moore conducts a focus group as part of her recent documentary, “Civic Engagement at ISU: Case Studies & Student Reflection.” |
NORMAL –Civic engagement is alive and well at ISU, and making its presence felt is a new documentary produced by faculty and students.
Over the past year, Emmy-award winning producer, Dr. Maria Moore, has led students in a documentary film project titled: “Civic Engagement at ISU: Case Studies & Student Reflection.” Dr. Moore worked with Cross Chair in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, Dr. Kathleen McKinney, and a team of students to document four ISU civic engagement projects.
Through video documentation as well as focus groups, the goal was to investigate the student civic engagement experience and perceived learning outcomes at ISU. “Seeing the experience of other students play out on the screen may take away some of the fear or worry that students might face when faced with a nontraditional teaching approach in their own classes,” Dr. Moore, an assistant professor in the SOC, said.
The idea for the project came out of the final ISU Carnegie Academy for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning team. According to Dr. McKinney, who was part of that initiative, civic engagement should be important to every member of society - especially students. “Civic engagement is how we all make the world a better place and one that we, the people, lead and run and have control over,” said Dr. McKinney, professor of sociology. Skills such as leadership, conflict management, team work and advocacy should be important for students to learn and understand. “Students should gain knowledge about inequality, societal needs and politics to be the future leaders of a fair, just, safe, productive human world,” she said.
Along with gaining a wide variety of skills for the future, students can gain experience for resumes and future jobs through civic engagement. The documentary team decided a wide range of civic engagement projects should be involved with their study. The projects included the “Be the Change” initiative, the Social Issues Fair, a Habitat for Humanity build and a “Women of Lockerbie” clothing drive. The project could not have been completed without help from students.
Cody Meinckie, a kinesiology and recreation major, worked with Moore as part of the production team. Meinckie shot footage for the documentary at the Habitat for Humanity build and also edited the entire documentary once it was completed. “I learned a lot more about Illinois State. I noticed its desire to give students a chance to flourish in whatever they chose by providing extracurricular opportunities,” Meinckie said. “It’s nice to know that I go to a university that actually cares and pushes you onto the right path.”
Meinckie explained that students will realize from seeing the film that these projects in the community are not a once- a-semester deal, they happen every day in Bloomington-Normal. “Just going to class and doing homework, that’s easy. It’s what you do with your spare time that really enhances your knowledge and allows better opportunities academically and socially,” he said.
The ISU community is invited to view the premiere of the film on Nov. 13 in the Prairie Room in the Bone Student Center. A reception at 6:30 p.m. will precede the documentary’s showing from 7:30 to 8 p.m. A discussion will follow and the event is free to attend. Donations of non-perishable food items will also be accepted benefiting local food pantries.
This project is sponsored by the ISU American Democracy Project, PRSSA, the Office of the Cross Chair in SoTL and the Office of the Provost.