The Community Classroom is a series of courses offered to community members and residents taught by UT faculty, staff and community partners. These classes are designed to marry theory and practice and to offer a specific skill, knowledge, or expertise to support the work of community members engaging with advocacy/activism efforts, or other community-based work.
It is our goal to break down the barriers that can come when working and learning in a formal educational setting and create a reciprocal and dynamic space that informs exposure, dialogue and best practices. We offer both 4–6-week courses and a 1.5 – 2 hour (hands on) class. The fees range between $5.00 – $25.00
The courses will be offered virtually via Zoom for the upcoming academic year. The Community Classroom will do its best to offer the course materials and information in the most accessible way, both audibly and digitally, with the understanding that not everyone has access to the same levels of technology.
Previous Community Classroom Courses
SPRING 2021
Human Centered Advocacy was a virtual 4-week course hosted by the Community Advocacy and Healing Project (CAHP). This course provided a framework on how community members can advocate for sustainable change through a cultural, mindful, healing, and human-centered lens. Participants learned to create, audit and adapt strategic plans for small businesses, creative projects, and community-oriented spaces.
Instructor:
- Fatima Mann, Founder of CAHP, Lawyer, Yoga Instructor
FALL 2020
Community Education Exchange was a virtual 4-week course hosted by UT Austin’s Institute for Urban Policy Research & Analysis (IUPRA). This course provided community members with policy tools and resources that can be used to communicate information to city leaders related to their concerns for equity in the city’s K-12 public education. Participants learned about policymaking, specifically on how to write policy briefs and policy recommendations.
Instructors:
- Dr. Danielle Wright, Associate Director of IUPRA, UT Austin College of Education
- Dr. Tracie Lowe, Assistant Director of Assessment, IUPRA
- Annika Olson, Assistant Director of Policy, IUPRA
- Rickey Lowe, Research Associate, IUPRA