Catalog Course Description:  Community structure and processes in relation to human needs.  Organizing community action, and the role of the individual in social change.  Theories and strategies of organizing, building alliances, and affecting legislation and policy.

This semester:  We will explore topics ranging from the philosophical basis of politics and economics in our human ability to communicate to practical applications specific to community issues.  There will be weekly assignments for writing and oral reports and an end of the term report.

For the one unit service-learning requirement students will have the option to work in one of three community projects:

• Sonoma State University.  We will explore the politics and economics of Sonoma State University as a community with the goal of recommending more effective curricular and extra-curricular services for students.

 
• Roseland/Southwest Santa Rosa.  This area has a high concentration of:

 
• Low wage workers
• Ethnic diversity
• High public safety costs (youth violence)

 
Service-Learning opportunties will be focused on community-based research, community currency systems, and/or and serving as big brothers/sisters for elemetary school children.
 
• Self-Directed Education Workshop and Support Group.  I am proposing a workshop (possibly to be sponsored by the Associated Students) entitled "If I Can't Get Classes, How Can I Get an Education?"  The workshop will explore the educational requirements of postmodern society, offer students the opportunity to assess their own educational needs and resources, and discuss portfolio-based strategies for documenting learning.  It will also offer a follow-up support group for students who wish to contract for self-directed learning during the spring semester in order to receive extension credit during the summer.  Co-sponsors will be the Psychology Learning Community and Skaggs Island Foundation.  Payment for the workshop and support group will be in Time Dollar Hours.  Students in the Community Psychology class can help facilitate this process as their service-learning contract.

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Readings:

Selected essays by Arthur Warmoth, Ph.D.

Excerpts from the Greater Expectations report

Wendell Berry.  In the Presence of Fear

John Heider.  The Tao of Leadership

Michael Reber. “Community Learning Centers and Sustainability:  Reengineering Education for the 21st Century”

Politics of Trust Network documents

See the Snoopy Catalog for a list of recommended readings on reserve in the Library.

Click here for the Reading & Assignment Calendar

Click here for an overview of Student Writings

Click here for our GLOSSARY

Grading:

Grading will be on the basis of a grading policy developed in class during the first half of the semester.  Service-learning and grading contracts will be due by March 16.  Click here for General Grading Criteria and Guidelines for Evaluation Contracts.

Psychology Department Policy on Academic Honesty

Disabilities. If you are a student with a documented disability and believe you may need academic accommodations for this course please be sure to see me during the first two weeks of the semester. Please note that you must be registered each semester with the DISABLED STUDENT SERVICES office in SALAZAR HALL, ex. 664-2677, to receive accommodation considerations.

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Students should review the above requirements, including the service-learning requirement, before deciding to take this class.

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E-Mail the Instructor:

For general correspondance, e-mail <Artwarmoth@aol.com>

For materials to be posted on the class web site, send them as an e-mail attachment, preferably in HTML, to <art.warmoth@sonoma.edu>

Link to Instructor's Web Site

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