Engaging the Neighborhood: The East Rogers Park Neighborhood History Project and the Possibilities and Challenges of Community-Based Initiatives.

The East Rogers Park Neighborhood History Project, a community-based initiative, represented an effort to build upon community engagement with its history and to sensitize students to the fact that the locality was not just there for their consumption and use but rather represented an opportunity for engaged learning that diminished barriers between the community and the students. It encouraged local residents to think more broadly about their world and to appreciate its ties to the larger metropolitan community. It introduced students to reflective practice, a centerpiece of public history training. And, it provided an opportunity to nurture an appreciation for stewardship among the students, as they not only drew from but gave back to the community. As a collaborative project, it highlights some of the opportunities and challenges that attend the more recent enthusiasm for engaged learning and civic engagement. While this project did not involve all elements of the community, the pedagogical approach utilized in this initiative and the issues relating to community-based projects raised by it can inform current discussions about engaged learning and scholarship. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]