Creation of New University Courses

Parents and residents throughout west Salt Lake City have exciting opportunities as they begin to embark on new journeys as University of Utah students.

During 2010-2011 three new courses were created in partnership with the University of Utah School of Medicine and the Urban Institute for Teacher Education (UITE). UNP’s partnership with Continuing Education at the University of Utah has allowed these courses, and others, to be registered as contract classes so that community residents may receive university credit.

These courses enroll matriculated university students and community residents alongside one another to learn about and engage in dialogues regarding issues impacting education and the local community. All three courses, offered in Spanish and English, provide greater access to community and parent leaders interested in pursuing a higher education. The courses were created and developed based on the assets and desires of local community leaders.

• Introduction to Teaching (EDU 1010)
• Critical Pedagogy in the Health Sciences (UUHSC 4000)
• Community-Based Research Methodologies (EDU 5950)

Introduction to Teaching was created when parent leaders from multiple westside schools articulated the desire to learn more about the education system and the teaching profession. During Spring 2011, a total of 36 students were enrolled in Introduction to Teaching with 16 resident leaders. When it came to the Critical Pedagogy in the Health Sciences course, parents expressed a desire to learn more about anatomy and physiology based on their observations of medical dissections from the University of Utah’s School of Medicine. The Urban Institute for Teacher Education and the Office of Inclusion and Outreach at the School of Medicine came together to provide a summer course that provides students with opportunities to learn anatomy and physiology in order to complete and present medical dissections for westside schools and communities. In addition, students were also introduced to elements of critical pedagogy and how to engage in teaching and learning within diverse community contexts. During summer 2011, Critical Pedagogy in the Health Sciences enrolled 19 students with 15 of the students being parents and residents of westside communities.

During Fall 2011, Mountainview Community Learning Center and the UITE came together to create a new course, Community-Based Research Methodologies. The idea of the course emerged from local school and community leaders who expressed an interest in having parents engage in research that supports change and improvement in school culture, climate, and practices. This course provided parents from the community and matriculated university students an opportunity to work together in learning about the methodologies of community-engaged research. Students were introduced to CB(P)R, action research, red pedagogy, and critical race theory. This course, enrolling 40 students, had a final project that utilized community-engaged research methods to address a community/ school interest and phenomena. In addition, students, supported by the faculty members, began constructing new methods of research design that better address issues specifically impacting west Salt Lake City communities.

UNP has learned and continues to learn from these course offerings. Keri Taddie, Manager of the Community Learning Center at Mountainview writes that “through their participation in the University classes offered at the Community Learning Center, many Glendale residents have increased their confidence to further their education.” We look forward to measuring and seeing the effect of these courses on all the students who participate both from the university and the community.