Review updated modules and discussion of experiences and issues in teaching them.

1. Knowing Your Issue
2019 Fall Directors & Coordinators Meeting

2. Agenda
• Context
• Overview of "Knowing Your Issue" Modules
‣ Feedback from pilot experiences
• Related Activities
• Discussion

3. Context
• Bonner Developmental Progression
• Bonner Learning Outcomes
• 8-Themes Curriculum

6. Related Bonner Student Learning Outcomes

7. Bonner Developmental Curriculum

8. Module #1
• What is an Issue Brief?
• Choosing and Narrowing Your Issue Area
• Sharing Your Chosen Issue Brief Topic
• Initial Research on Key Organizations

9. What is an Issue-Brief?
Focuses on a specific and local, community
issue and answers the following:
• What is the nature and extent of the
issue?
• What past events to address it?
• What is currently being done to
address it?
• What are the different ways
organizations are addressing the
issue?
Goal Statement
Scope of the Problem
Past Policy Milestones
Current Policy & Programs
Model Programs & Policies
Key Organizations
Bibliography
Structure

10. Choosing & Narrowing Your Issue
Example
What is my overall issue area?
Starting Issue:
Poverty / The Working Poor
Education
Opportunities
Transportation
Access &
Availability
Neighborhood
Crime Reduction
Healthcare
Access
Housing
Security
“Developing Transportation for The Working Poor”

11. Module #2
• Share Key Organizations
• Internet Search for Local Information on:
‣ Scope of the Problem
‣ Past Policy Milestones
‣ Current Programs and Policies
• Conducting Interviews
‣ Identify Missing Information
‣ Preparing Interviews

12. Use Internet to Search for Local Information
1) Scope of the Problem
• Any data and reports you can find, including footnotes for sources
2) Past Policy Milestones
• When did key organizations and their key programs begin?
• Any other big events or milestones to note?
3) Current Policy and Programs
• Programs operated by the local service-providers
• Programs operated or funded by local government (city and county)
• Policies from local, State, or Federal government (or perhaps school district if relevant)
Start with organization websites
which will often have this information

13. Use interviews with key organizations
to fill in information gaps…
Ask
What data do you use to
define the challenge your
programs are addressing in
[location]?
Missing
information on
Scope of the
Problem?
Ask
What other organizations —
service-providers, advocacy groups,
funders, government agencies,
networks — are we missing?
Missing
information on Key
Organizations?

14. Module #3
• Share local information gathered so far
• Understanding Evidence-Based Programs
• Finding Evidence-Based Programs
• Final Steps in Research Process
• Continuing Your Issue Brief

15. Evidence-Based Programs - Review
Theory of Change
Defines a cause-and-effect relationship between a specific intervention/
activity and an intended outcome.
Community
Problem / Need
Specific
Intervention
Intended
Outcome
Statistics documenting
and outlining the
community need
Evidence
Guides choice of
intervention
Supports cause-effect
relationship

16. Module #4
• Share Model Program(s) and/or Policy(ies)
• Planning Issue Presentation
• Final Reflections

17. Issue Presentation Options
There are a range of options for you to choose from...
•Bonner Class Meeting(s)
•All Bonner Meeting or Retreat
•Campus Forum with Speaker or Panel
•Community Forum with Speaker or Panel

18. Action-Oriented Issue Presentation
What does it mean to be
“Action-Oriented?”
• Discuss/Recommend a viable and
effective solution(s) for programs or
policy-makers for organizations to
adopt.
• Instill a Call to Action for Bonner
students to engage further in the issue
• Discuss/brainstorm possible solutions
with the input of Bonner students
• Think of how this relates to other issue
areas (take a systematic view)

19. Related: Service to Solutions
• Module #1: Discovering Solutions That Work
• Module #2: Making a Difference - Measuring Impact
• Module #3: Tackling Root Causes
• Module #4: Cultivating Powerful Collaborations &
Relationships

20. Related: Social Action
This approach “has the student analyze
a problem and develop a solution,
but also implement it. Instead of just
reading about social change, students
learn about it by actually doing it....an
action-oriented, solutions-based
experience of social change.”

21. Related: Capstone-Level Projects
"Signature Work" is defined as a culminating
educational activity (such as a capstone) in
which students integrate and apply their
learning to a significant project with meaning
to the student and to society (AACU, 2015).

22. Related: Local PolicyOptions Bureau

23. Related: Local PolicyOptions Bureau

24. Related: Local PolicyOptions Bureau

25. Related: Local PolicyOptions Bureau

26. Related: Local PolicyOptions Bureau

27. Related: Local PolicyOptions Bureau

28. Related: Local PolicyOptions Bureau

29. Related: Local PolicyOptions Bureau

30. Related: Local PolicyOptions Bureau

31. Discussion
• Bonner hours for researching issue brief and organizing
issue presentation.
• Local/State PolicyOptions Bureaus built up over time as
repository for issue briefs, directory of organizations,
information sources
• Process will help identify new community partners (esp.
collaboratives) and summer internship opportunities