Other Titles
Leveraging Collaboratory Community Assessments to Strategically Guide University Service-Learning Projects [Poster Title]
Abstract
The Association of American Colleges and Universities supports high impact practices including service-learning, global learning, research, and collaborative projects resulting in a university participating in a Collaboratory Community Assessment in order to strengthen an established partnership in a remote indigenous village in Guyana.
While most service learning project goals are established by the host, collaboratory projects can improve service-learning outcomes through a community engagement pedagogy that combines learning goals and community service in ways that enhance both student growth and the public good. Collaboratory projects are high-impact practices where teaching, service, and scholarship overlap.
In Fall 2023, a one credit hour elective Collaboratory course prepared data analysis using available online data and communication with the local host to formulate a community assessment strategy that included blood pressure and glucose screenings to encourage participation. During the May 2024 trip, students while gathering assessment data and health screening. An environmental scan and resource evaluation were also completed. After returning in Fall 2024, another one-hour credit elective Collaboratory Course completed the needs assessment was completed by analyzing data primary and secondary data and in collaboration with village stakeholders resulting in prioritizing potential future strategic service-learning projects to be sponsored by the university.
This Collaboratory Community Assessment project has led to the identification of several possibilities for future Collaboratory projects and/or service-learning opportunities involving several university departments as well as university alumni and stakeholders.
A Collaboratory Community Assessment project should be used to plan service-learning projects in the university setting. With students working alongside community members to identify pressing needs and brainstorm potential solutions, collaboratively designed service projects can directly address those needs to ensure the projects are relevant, impactful, and aligned with community priorities.
Colleges can create impactful opportunities for students to connect theory with practice by incorporating collaborative community assessment projects to inform service-learning opportunities and equip students to address complex community challenges. These experiences can foster critical thinking, empathy, and lifelong community engagement.
Notes
References:
Anderson, E. T., & McFarlane, J. M. (2019). Community as partner: Theory and practice in nursing. Wolters Kluwer.
Choshi, M. (2024). Addressing challenges in undergraduate community health nursing clinical: Kolb’s experiential learning theory. Journal of Nursing Education, 1–4. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20240513-02
Johnston, D., & López, I. (2022). The Wiley handbook of collaborative online learning and global engagement. John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated.
Sigma Membership
Rho Nu at-Large
Type
Poster
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Health Equity or Social Determinants of Health, Interprofessional Initiatives, Public and Community Health, Service Learning, Cross-Cultural Studies, Project Method in Teaching
Recommended Citation
Gregg, Judy L., "Leveraging Collaboratory Community Assessments to Strategically Guide Service-Learning Projects" (2026). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 131.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2026/posters_2026/131
Conference Name
37th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Conference Year
2026
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-09-30
Leveraging Collaboratory Community Assessments to Strategically Guide Service-Learning Projects
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
The Association of American Colleges and Universities supports high impact practices including service-learning, global learning, research, and collaborative projects resulting in a university participating in a Collaboratory Community Assessment in order to strengthen an established partnership in a remote indigenous village in Guyana.
While most service learning project goals are established by the host, collaboratory projects can improve service-learning outcomes through a community engagement pedagogy that combines learning goals and community service in ways that enhance both student growth and the public good. Collaboratory projects are high-impact practices where teaching, service, and scholarship overlap.
In Fall 2023, a one credit hour elective Collaboratory course prepared data analysis using available online data and communication with the local host to formulate a community assessment strategy that included blood pressure and glucose screenings to encourage participation. During the May 2024 trip, students while gathering assessment data and health screening. An environmental scan and resource evaluation were also completed. After returning in Fall 2024, another one-hour credit elective Collaboratory Course completed the needs assessment was completed by analyzing data primary and secondary data and in collaboration with village stakeholders resulting in prioritizing potential future strategic service-learning projects to be sponsored by the university.
This Collaboratory Community Assessment project has led to the identification of several possibilities for future Collaboratory projects and/or service-learning opportunities involving several university departments as well as university alumni and stakeholders.
A Collaboratory Community Assessment project should be used to plan service-learning projects in the university setting. With students working alongside community members to identify pressing needs and brainstorm potential solutions, collaboratively designed service projects can directly address those needs to ensure the projects are relevant, impactful, and aligned with community priorities.
Colleges can create impactful opportunities for students to connect theory with practice by incorporating collaborative community assessment projects to inform service-learning opportunities and equip students to address complex community challenges. These experiences can foster critical thinking, empathy, and lifelong community engagement.
Description
This session provides an example of how collaboratory projects can improve service-learning opportunities by creating a structured experience to work together on a community needs assessment to guide future Global service-learning opportunities.