Last fall, the Office of Undergraduate Education launched the Community-Based Learning (CBL) initiative within the Office of Experiential and Engaged Learning. This program, led by Director Sarah Brackmann, builds on the work of Georgia Tech’s 2016 Quality Enhancement Plan: Serve-Learn-Sustain, now institutionalized as the Center for Sustainable Communities Research and Education (SCoRE), to further develop non-themed community-based learning and expand undergraduate service learning as a high-impact practice that provides meaningful engagement with our surrounding communities. 

Community-based learning is a teaching method that connects classroom lessons with real-world community activities. This approach encourages hands-on learning, encouraging students to work collaboratively with communities to identify solutions to complex problems. Integrating community-based learning into teaching and learning practices is a proven method to foster student connections with community partners, providing new perspectives for students to analyze and interpret classroom themes and directly engaging students in the learning experience.  

At Georgia Tech, Community-Based Learning supports Georgia Tech’s experiential teaching and learning goals, as well as its upcoming Quality Enhancement Plan: Leaders in Progress and Service. The Community-Based Learning team collaborates with other Institute departments like SCoRE, Civic Engagement, and Government and Community Relations to connect community partners with educational partnerships that respond to community goals. They support community-based learning faculty and community partners, provide community-based learning advising to students and student groups, and offer workshops and trainings.  

Director Sarah Brackmann and Program and Operations Manager Megan Faulkner are available for consultations, opportunities to connect with community learning partners, and broad support for community-based learning course design. 

For students interested in taking a community-based learning course, visit the student tab on the Community-Based Learning website or reach out to Megan Faulkner (mfaulkner34@gatech.edu) 

For faculty designing a community-based learning course, visit the Community-Based Learning website or reach out to Sarah Brackmann (sarah.brackmann@gatech.edu).