Embedded Files
Community engagement is a form of learning in which students engage respectfully and equitably with their communities, utilizing knowledge and skills learned in the classroom. It provides opportunities for learners to engage responsively to opportunities and challenges in and with their communities, and to contribute positively through principled action.
IB learners strive to be caring members or partners of the community. They demonstrate a personal commitment to community engagement, and they act to make a positive difference.
Community engagement is an important way to participate in principled action—the making of responsible choices—across a range of overlapping communities, both locally and globally. Through principled action, sustained inquiry and critical reflection, learners can develop the attributes described by the IB learner profile that are essential for success in future academic pursuits, and for life.
Community engagement learning objectives
Through community engagement learning experiences and projects, undertaken with appropriate guidance, MYP students could:
explore systems and develop awareness of their roles within these
foster dialogue and build relationships with others
engage in reflective and reflexive practices
develop and/or conduct principled action.
Learning objective 1
Learning objective 1
Explore systems and develop awareness of their roles within these.
Examples
Explain how communities themselves are systems.
Note: Students might start by exploring the roles of various actors in the community, then proceed to understanding the relationships between them. The unique developmental journey of each learner should inform the degree to which students might explore communities as systems.
Identify students’ own positions within diverse, complex and interconnected systems.
Learning objective 2
Learning objective 2
Foster dialogue and build relationships with others.
Examples
Recognize community knowledge, and use opportunities to learn from and with the community.
Build relationships with the community through respect and collaborative practices.
Learning objective 3
Learning objective 3
Engage in reflective and reflexive practices
Examples
Reflective practice
Express motivation to learn and change in the process of engaging with communities.
Consider past experiences and how to learn from them.
Reflexive practice
Consider own assumptions and biases when approaching community opportunities or challenges.
Consider group assumptions and biases when approaching community opportunities or challenges.
Learning objective 4
Learning objective 4
Develop and/or conduct principled action
Examples
Examine the importance of context when taking action.
Community engagement principles
Community engagement principles
Dialogue: Learners engage with others in a respectful and equitable way when responding to opportunities and challenges. They develop communication skills as they engage with communities.
What can students to?
Listen with attention and respect
Create shared understandings and goals
Exploring this further...
Students might explore the following questions—amongst others—to develop their communication skills.
What challenge does our community face? How do we know?
Who or what could be part of community conversations?
How can we better understand the challenges in our community?
How do we reach a shared understanding?
Which communication skills do we need to develop?
Which research strategies would we need to use to find out more about challenges in our community?
Relationship-building: Learners develop an awareness of the importance of relationship-building. They collaboratively define a shared purpose and plan of action.
What can students do?
Practise compassion when dealing with others
Co-define a shared purpose and vision
Build relationships that are authentic, equitable and respectful
Exploring this further...
Students might explore the following questions—amongst others—to help them understand how to build authentic, equitable and respectful relationships.
How do we practise compassion when interacting with others?
Who can help us understand our chosen issue?
Who or what could be part of community conversations?
How do we collaborate with others?
How do we reach a shared understanding?
Which community members can co-design our action with us?
How do we establish and maintain relationships with others?
Reflection and Reflexivity: Learners examine their positions, feelings and attitudes as they reflect on their learning and experiences. They reflect on the impact their actions have on others, demonstrating self-awareness, social awareness and responsible decision-making.
What can students do?
Approach people and situations with openness
Consider positionality: identify and critically examine assumptions, biases, values and attitudes, and understand how they influence perceptions and actions
Use critical analysis and reflexivity when considering actions
Exploring this further...
Students might explore the following questions—amongst others—to help them examine their positions, feelings and attitudes.
What challenge does our community face? How do we know?
How can we better understand this challenge? What are the underlying issues?
Do we know enough to act?
How do we feel about our chosen opportunity or challenge?
What parts of this engagement do I find satisfying, beneficial or rewarding, and why?
What frustrates, confuses or challenges me when I am involved in community engagement? Have I found any strategies particularly useful to manage this?
Why do we feel this way?
Is our chosen challenge relevant to me? Is this challenge relevant to us?
How can we ensure our action is principled and ethical?
Which skills do we need to develop?
What would be the impact of the community action on us and others?
How do my identity and background shape my views of the world?
What are my biases and assumptions, and how do they influence my actions?
How can we understand the biases and perspectives of the people and communities we interact with? How can we understand where they come from?
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