The Center for Engaged Learning (CEL) invites applications from current Elon University first-year students for a three-year (Summer 2021 – Spring 2024) research collaboration on (Re)Examining Conditions for Meaningful Learning Experiences. Accepted CEL Student Scholars will collaborate with three Elon University faculty (Dr. Eric Hall, Dr. Buffie Longmire-Avital, and Dr. Jessie L. Moore) to lead international, multi-institutional research on this engaged learning topic.

How do we make learning experiences meaningful for all students? To explore this question, the Center’s 2021-2023 research seminar focuses on five conditions consistently identified as key characteristics for meaningful learning:

• Meaningful relationships, including substantive interaction with faculty/staff mentors and peers, and development of diverse networks;
• Connections to broader contexts, including practice in real-world applications of students’ developing knowledge and skills;
• Frequent feedback on both work-in-progress and final products;
• Opportunities for reflection; and
• Integration of prior learning and experiences.

The 2021-2024 CEL Student Scholars will collaborate with an international team of researchers to learn more about each of these characteristics.

During three consecutive summers (2021, 2022, 2023), CEL Student Scholars will…

• Receive a $3,000 summer stipend as compensation for the Student Scholar’s work during the summer;
• Have access to double-occupancy, on-campus, summer housing;
• Participate in a week-long research seminar meeting with faculty and staff from Elon and 18 other colleges and universities in Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States;
• Attend (and during second and third summers, present at) the Conference on Engaged Learning;
• Collaborate in weekly meetings with the seminar co-leaders and/or the CEL Director to advance the research project, collaborate on resources, and learn about strategies for studying engaged learning; and
• Have opportunities to attend events with other undergraduate researchers.

During the academic years (2021-2022, 2022-2023, 2023-2024), CEL Student Scholars will…

• Receive a $1,000 stipend each semester as compensation for the Student Scholar’s work during the academic year;
• Collaborate in 1-hour meetings every other week with the seminar co-leaders;
• Join other CEL Student Scholars and the CEL Director for a 1-hour meeting every other week to discuss engaged learning research and practices, strategies for studying engaged learning, and other cross-seminar topics; and
• Spend an additional 1-2 hours a week completing research tasks.

CEL Student Scholars will have opportunities to present and publish on their research and will join an international community of scholars interested in engaged learning.

The 2021-2024 pilot of the CEL Student Scholars program is partially funded by a generous grant from the Garrett A. Turner Foundation of the Manatee Community Foundation. We appreciate their support of our efforts to collaborate with students on research about student learning.