Students Move from Curiosity to Commitment

In civic journalism classes, students set aside the philosophy of "objectivity " that rules traditional journalism in order to develop closer relationships with community residents and understand their needs. Thus, civic journalism lends itself well to introductory service-learning courses. But students from privileged backgrounds often find their first encounters with communities challenging. They may not interact respectfully or comfortably with people whom they see as "different " by virtue of race or class; at best they may be curious but detached. How can journalism educators prepare students for more meaningful communication with community members that results in mutually beneficial service experiences and long-term commitment to social change? This paper explores these questions using qualitative data from two service-learning classes in journalism. Findings suggest that these classes can be powerful tools for sensitizing white middle class students to the realities of social inequality in America. (Contains 18 references.) (Author/RS) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. 71'00 Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. O Tourists in the Land of Service-Learning: Helping Middle-Clas