Bringing Theory to Practice
The Bringing Theory to Practice Project (BTtoP) encourages colleges and universities to reassert their core purposes as educational institutions, not only to advance learning and discovery, but to advance the potential and well-being of each individual student, and to advance education as a public good that sustains a civic society.
The Project supports campus-based initiatives that demonstrate how uses of engaged forms of learning that actively involve students both within and beyond the classroom directly contribute to their cognitive, emotional, and civic development.
Recent Project News
New applications for Seminar and Program Development grants should be submitted by 5pm (EDT) on Friday, June 14,
2013 online, with hard copies arriving no later than Monday, June 17, 2013.
Bringing Theory to Practice's five-volume Civic Monograph Series will raise questions and provide perspectives on fundamental issues about the civic mission of higher education. Civic initiatives are ongoing in democratic societies, but only some of
them become papers which invigorate the intellectual climate and promote
public discussion. Yet, we believe that that if each successive wave
of visionary thinkers were to share their boldest ideas about the civic
mission of higher education, it might contribute to theory and practice.
The currently available Civic Provocations monograph is composed of informal essays and
provocations that support and deepen inclusive and intentional campus-based consideration of an institution’s own civic mission and the
civic mission of higher education today. It is the first in a series of
monographs that will raise questions and provide perspectives on
fundamental issues about the civic mission of higher education. The
full monograph is available here (pdf).
BTtoP Director Donald Harward presented a discussion paper titled “Advancing
Civic Learning” at the twentieth anniversary of the University of Pennsylvania’s
Netter Center for Community Partnerships on November 12. His paper provided an
inclusive definition of civic learning and suggested a progression of steps and
structural opportunities for deepening and extending the campus climate for
civic learning. On November 27, Harward presented a talk titled “Engaged
Learning” to students, faculty, administrative staff, and alumni at an
all-campus convening at Allegheny College. Developing the concept of a campus
culture for learning, the talk wove together themes of learning opportunities,
the full involvement of learners, and the creation of a culture that
anticipates, expects, and rewards engagement. Click for transcripts of "Advancing Civic Learning" and “Engaged Learning”.
Making Progress? What We Know about the Achievement of Liberal Education Outcomes
This new report from BTtoP National Evaluator and AAC&U Senior Director of Assessment and Research Ashley Finley provides an up-to-date overview of national data from a variety of studies of student learning, including the NSSE, Wabash National Study, CIRP, PSRI, and others. It presents comparative data on achievement over time across an array of liberal education outcomes—such as critical thinking, writing, civic engagement, global competence, and social responsibility. Preview | Purchase
"The Joy of
Learning: The Impact of Civic Engagement on Psychosocial Well-Being" by BTtoP National Evaluator and AAC&U Senior Director of Assessment and Research Ashley Finley is now available in
the new issue of Diversity & Democracy. Article
Bringing Theory to Practice announces sixty-one institutions selected to receive funding in first round of grants supporting projects on civic learning, psychosocial well-being, and engaged learning. The full announcement can be found here.
Selected "provocations" written by students from
Project Director Don Harward's 3-week seminar at the College of Liberal
Arts and Sciences (CLASs) at the University of Warsaw in Poland are now available. The pieces from Mikołaj Skowronek, Paweł Wiktor Siechowicz, Katarzyna Kowalska and Joanna Mazur can be found here.
The 2012-2014 RFP is now online. Proposals are requested for projects that will
promote engaged learning, civic development and engagement, and psychosocial
well-being of college and university students. We are especially
interested in efforts that will enable students to have transformational
educational experiences, and for institutions to transform and sustain
their priorities and practices. More information
More BTtoP-related news updates are available at What's New.
The Bringing Theory to Practice Project is sponsored by the Charles Engelhard Foundation of New York City and the S. Engelhard Center and developed in partnership with the Association of American Colleges and Universities. More information on funders.
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