Journal of Scholarly Engagement (Nov 2023)

Beyond the Classroom: Enhancing Career Clarity and Preparedness Through Volunteer Psychoeducational Group Facilitation for Behavioral Health Undergraduates

  • Elizabeth Valenti,
  • Kathleen Downey

DOI
https://doi.org/10.9743/JSE.2023.6.2.5
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 6, no. 2
pp. 45 – 61

Abstract

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This article provides an example of a university faculty member’s reflective practice on how a sense of community was developed within undergraduate college forensic science classrooms. Through reflective practice, I describe a heartwarming situation I experienced and compare it to the literature to help me better understand my contribution to developing a sense of community amongst my students. After identifying and evaluating possible explanations, I decide a positive learning environment is the main contributing factor and provide recommendations for future practice to help other faculty who are interested in creating a similar environment within their own courses.