Fusing Community-Engaged Learning & Transdisciplinary Curriculum for Undergraduate Community Development Education

Kostell, Steven; Hamshaw, Kelly; DeSisto, Thomas; Kolodinsky, Jane

The Department of Community Development and Applied Economics at the University of Vermont embraces a transdisciplinary approach to community development education that provides students with real world experiences through community-engaged learning opportunities. The department was originally formed by an administrative decision that merged three departments in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences intending to save financial resources. Over 25 years, we have developed a transdisciplinary approach that fills gaps that exist between disciplines that have yet to be closed while engaging with a variety of community partners to co-produce solutions to promote positive change. This article describes the evolution of our transdisciplinary curriculum that integrates a three-phased approach to service-learning. This framework enables faculty to offer appropriate service-learning experiences that provide meaningful interactions between students and community partners. CDAE has both honed and expanded curricular offerings to meet student interest and to better address community-based issues at the local, national, and global level.