Research on University Continuing Education: Barriers and Future Possibilities

In Canada, a growing interest within higher education in community engagement practices is evidenced through the establishment of national networks, funding opportunities for community-university research partnerships, and the development of specially designated centres on university campuses. However, based on the literature in continuing education, the role of university continuing education (UCE) units in supporting community engagement is not clear. Many UCE units have been involved and continue to be involved in developing and implementing various types of community engagement activities, yet the work of these units is not widely recognized within the university and the community as contributing substantially to the social purpose mission of the institution. The pressures and tensions relating to balancing the social and economic goals of the UCE unit may be influencing the role of UCE in community engagement. Strategies identified in this article that could assist UCE in embedding community engagement within the practice and in reframing the focus of UCE include the development of a community engagement framework and measurement tools that assess outcomes leading to positive social change.

Section: Revenue Generation and Social-purpose Programsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reframing University Continuing Education’s Role in Community Engagement

McRae

2012

“…Fourth, a number of researchers, including Percival and Kops (1999), Sharpe (1992), and Finger and Asún (2001), suggest that UCE's participation in applied research studies and approaches will influence the development of the practice. Based on the findings from these studies, UCE's involvement in applied research studies with other university and community members could focus on facilitating the development of learning within as well as outside the partnership.…”

Section: Considerations For Reframing the Practice Of Ucementioning

confidence: 99%

Creating a Common Space for Community Engagement

McRae

2012

The increased interest in community engagement within higher education provides new opportunities for examining the role of university continuing education (UCE) units in relation to their participation in community university partnerships. This article is based on findings from a qualitative study that used a social theory lens to examine the perspectives and ideas of representatives from the university and the community relating to their experiences and interests in participating in collaborations in support of the social good. While the respondents from community-based research and community organizations identified few constraints affecting their involvement in these kinds of partnerships, the UCE study participants described a number of issues that affected their participation, such as an emphasis on revenue generation and the lack of organizational support for engagement. Considerations for supporting a common space for engagement involving UCE professionals include the development of a partnership model, the adoption of an asset-based approach, affiliations with national organizations and networks, seeking external visibility and recognition, and using social theories to guide the development of community engagement practices.

“…Research into such areas as the effective use of instructional technology, the changing characteristics and demands of adult learners, and best practices for promoting lifelong learning must find a place in an increasingly crowded organizational agenda (Peterson, 2001). Percival and Kops (1999) argued that adult education as a field of study in Canada "has a long history of practice and a relatively short history of interpretation of research activities and their relationship to organizational life: time, identity construction, and the ongoing creation of context. The authors provide an extended reflection on the process of meaning-making that may be experienced by individuals as conventional research becomes a more important part of organizational life.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Organizational Meaning of Research

Adria

Boechler

2004

Practitioners and theorists have given attention recently to the role and status of research activities in Canadian university continuing education units. For individuals in units that are increasing the proportion of their organizational activities devoted to research, there will be an ongoing process of cognitive change and development as a new organizational culture emerges. Sensemaking is used in this article as a heuristic for exploring the process of incorporating and developing research activities in university continuing education units. Sensemaking is the cognitive process of justifying or legitimating a decision or outcome after the decision or outcome is already known. It is associated with organizational models that reject an exclusively rational decision-making paradigm of organizational action. Sensemaking recognizes the centrality of the following elements in the interpretation of research activities and their relationship to organizational life: time, identity construction, and the ongoing creation of context. The authors provide an extended reflection on the process of meaning-making that may be experienced by individuals as conventional research becomes a more important part of organizational life. Such a reflection may support and inform the change process as it occurs in university continuing education units.