Building Communication Capacities Within Nonprofits Through Service-Learning

ECU Author/Contributor (non-ECU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)

Guiseppe Getto (Creator)

W. Dennis McCunney (Creator)

Institution

East Carolina University (ECU )

Web Site: http://www.ecu.edu/lib/

Abstract: Previous research suggests that non-profit professionals struggle to effectively utilize digital media and that service-learning is an effective pedagogy for teaching communication-related classes (i.e. communication , technical communication , English , etc.). However , we do not know what impact these strategies have on community partner organizations. Our chapter reports preliminary findings of a study of a service-learning class in which graduate technical communication students were asked to help improve the communication capacity of local non-profits. An important finding of this research is that organizations who were able to clearly identify a gap between organizational and communication goals at the beginning of the class were more receptive to student feedback and found the class more useful than those who didn't. Ultimately , we argue that through a collaborative study using participatory action research methodology , this work generated research outcomes and , at the same time , helped to build the organizational capacities of selected regional non-profits.

Additional Information

Publication

Other

"Getto , G. & McCunney , D. (2019). ""Building Communication Capacities for Nonprofits Through Service-Learning."" York , T. , ed. , Advances in Service-Learning Research: Service-Learning to Advance Access and Success , Charlotte , NC: InfoAge Publishing."

Language: English

Date: 2019

Keywords

service-learning, partnerships, community engagement, nonprofits, digital media

Subjects

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