![\"Dr.](\"https:\/\/blogs.chapman.edu\/education\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/83\/2017\/10\/Dr.-Allen.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Dr. Quaylan Allen working with a student from Higher Ground<\/p>\n
By Cala Gin<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThe whole city becomes your classroom,\u201d shared Dr. Quaylan Allen, Assistant Professor of Integrated Educational Studies, as he described the impact of the new IES experimental course entitled \u201cIES 206: Schools in Society at Higher Ground.\u201d \u00a0The class was launched this semester as part of an innovative approach to teach the interconnections between schools and the surrounding community resources. \u00a0The most unique aspect of the class is its robust and consistent site-based learning at Higher Ground Youth and Family Services, a nonprofit organization that provides mentoring and enrichment programs for children and families living in underserved communities in Anaheim and Santa Ana.<\/p>\n IES 206, one of the few courses that all IES majors, minors, and clusters are required to take, did not initially include fieldwork in the curriculum due to challenges of finding a fieldwork site that worked for the students. \u00a0However, because of the intellectual curiosity of Dr. Allen\u2019s students, the curriculum has evolved. \u00a0Dr. Allen credits the design of this course largely to student input, which revealed a strong interest among Attallah College students to conduct field-based and experiential learning.<\/p>\n In addition, Dr. Allen shared that a frequent criticism of higher education is that \u201ctheory is disconnected from practice.\u201d \u00a0However, by offering an entire semester through on-site learning with staff and students at Higher Ground for several hours each week, IES 206 demonstrates a shift from the traditional classroom environment, providing a real-world educational experience for students. \u00a0Darliene Zepeda-Field, IES major and Leadership Studies minor, is one of thirteen students taking this course. \u00a0She expressed, \u201cI like the fact that [we are] half learning [course content] and half out with the kids\u201d, pointing out the importance of splitting the class time between lessons and discussions, and directly interacting with the students at Higher Ground.<\/p>\n Building on that foundation, Dr. Allen hopes that IES 206 students will begin to build their own professional network by interacting with educators from various industries and nonprofit organizations. \u00a0He hopes that students will learn to ask questions, observe the skills required in today\u2019s workforce, and see the differences between \u201con-paper versus real life\u201d experiences in a culturally relevant manner. \u00a0These experiences will be invaluable in preparing students for their senior capstone projects, sharpening their fieldwork research skills, and giving students experiences in both the community and school strands of IES.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t want to over-romanticize [the program],\u201d Dr. Allen added. \u00a0He understands that the current program is not perfect but will continue to undergo improvements and changes. \u00a0The search for the balance between robust fieldwork experience and appropriate content knowledge is constantly on Dr. Allen\u2019s mind. \u00a0He realizes that the engagement with Chapman students \u2013 a rotation of once a week for one semester \u2013 is just a small fraction of the time that the students at Higher Ground need to grow.<\/p>\n On top of that, Dr. Allen is constantly assessing a variety of program needs, such as student transportation to Anaheim, classroom logistics, and finding optimal class schedules. \u00a0However, Dr. Allen is optimistic that \u201ctaking the classroom out to the community [through IES 206] will allow for a much more immersive experience\u201d for Chapman students. \u00a0Instead of waiting for the next lecture to discuss their observations, students can immediately discuss and apply their knowledge, making the powerful connection between schools and society in the real-world. \u00a0Using this course as a foundation, Dr. Allen hopes that students will be able to appreciate and \u201clearn from and with the communities\u201d in which they will be serving.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Dr. Quaylan Allen working with a student from Higher Ground By Cala Gin \u201cThe whole city becomes your classroom,\u201d shared […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1760,"featured_media":6753,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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The class, as Dr. Allen also noted, is a tangible lesson in the power of professional and social networks. \u00a0Joe Baldo, the founder of Higher Ground, met Dr. Allen and Dr. Noah Golden (Assistant Professor of Integrated Educational Studies) at a professional development event for junior high students at South Junior High School in Anaheim. \u00a0After Dr. Allen and Dr. Golden\u2019s presentations, Joe reached out and introduced them to his organization. \u00a0After visiting and learning more about Higher Ground, Dr. Allen believed that this site could satisfy the needs of students interested in working at schools or communities since the program would be anchored in a community-based school setting.<\/p>\n