Introduction

Throughout the team’s research process of exploring best practices and industry trends for the introduction of Indy Parks community engaged classes to both teachers and students at IU Indianapolis there were many areas explored. Partnering with Indy Parks is a project of grand scope and there are many complex tasks and topics to question and explore. The team research was mainly gathered by reputable search engines introduced to us by our instructor Debbie Oesch-Minor, like ProQuest, EBSCO, and Google Scholar. Other websites were only obtained through Google Scholar and other peer reviewed sources. 

Work-Integrated Learning is a Benefit to University Students
Experts have agreed that work-integrated learning benefits university students in the career field after they graduate from college. There are many other benefits according to Rosalie Woynch who states, “Work-integrated learning (WIL) is associated with easing graduates transition into the labor market, as measured by employment outcomes such as income, employment status, or whether the occupation matches the student's field of study.”(Woynch Par. 4). She has a program that she had students take and then was studied by a researcher to find how students learned more with integrated learning. Wynch believes that students will benefit more from real-life experience. Laura Mebert also believes that there are numerous benefits in student-engaged/ integrated learning. It could make things in a classroom easier, as Mebert states, “Recent scholarship continues to affirm the efficacy of engaged learning pedagogies such as undergraduate research, learning communities, and service-learning”(Merbet Par. 6). This study talks about how community-engaged learning helps students develop more of an understanding of their course. Both of these articles explain why engaged learning in a community has so many benefits for college students.

An Increase in Options and Participation Involves More Students in Community Engaged Projects
Researchers have found that in order to get students more involved and interested in Community engaged projects in their class, that it is important to have many options and participation. These are better explained by Atelia Metaville who wrote, “Participation in work - based learning helps students learn job readiness and job specific skills”(Metaville P. 32). She also goes on to explain that it has numerous benefits with getting hired for future careers or work studies, explaining that this increases students participation in these projects. Metaville also explains that people likely to take part in these projects will go on to pursue satisfying careers. Another Researcher by the name Kristian Spring agrees that there are many benefits to participating in Community Engagement learning projects that would interest students. As she states,“Students reported more supportive relationships within their in-person communities, and higher engagement there”(Spring P.11). This article talks about how to engage students more by showing the influence these projects have on the community. While a different approach they do show how to get students involved more. Both of these articles have their own views on the topic, but great information to back their different views. 

Databases Can be Used to Match Organizations and Potential Partners
Databases are essential for record-keeping, especially at a mass scale, and can be used to match profiles with back-end information. Valova has appeared in the TEM Journal in seven publications regarding database design and management. In an article for TEM regarding database design for student projects, Valova states, “The application will provide user interface for defining the various search criteria based on keywords, student’s grade, project type; see the list of all topics with their advisors and status (free or not)” (Valova, et al, 2013). This suggests the creation of an application system to provide the associated database with information crucial to the needs of the stakeholders. Nwaru has 51 publications and has created a conceptual framework for a volunteer database. “comprise a web-based front-end that interactively allows participant registration, and a back-end that houses the database containing participants' key relevant data…Using a range of invitation strategies, key demographic and clinical data will be collected from those pre-consenting to consider participation in clinical trials” (Nwaru, 2016). The database discussed in this publication allows users to create a profile, the data of which is stored and used to carry out the functions of the purpose associated with the database. Databases can be used to store user information and help the organization match users to potential partners.
 

Community Engaged Learning is Both Beneficial for the Community Partner and the University 
Research suggests that the integration of community learning into the university curriculum will be both beneficial to the community partner and the student involved. The creation and execution of the community learning program must align with benefiting stakeholders in order for this to happen - “It’s critical to provide all stakeholders a seat at the table” (Nielson, et al., 2022). Furthermore, investing in avenues of engaged learning for students creates effective learning: “effective learning communities ‘infuse intellectually rigorous, inclusive curriculum with high expectations; design developmentally appropriate assignments and award fluid credits’” (Vickers, et al, 2004). An effective engaged learning program must integrate appropriateness and rigor into its curriculum. The flexibility in assignments and methods of engagement offered in a successful learning community allows students to personalize their learning, develop assignments that are relevant to them, implement a level of challenge, and receive adequate compensation for their learning.

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Changing the Classical View of The Classroom is Essential for the Integration of Experiential Learning 
Miami University has suggested that it is important to change the classical view of the classroom in order to integrate experiential learning. Instead of viewing classes and lecture as something to be memorized and quizzed on, it is better viewed as a space to problem solve. Experiential learning should be all about the experience and the student's exploration of their new-found autonomy, as stated by the Miami University, "Effective experiential learning necessitates that the instructor clearly defined group work agreements, activity learning goals, and big-picture relevance" (Chapman, McPhee, & Proudman, 1995). In addition to primary experiential learning experiences, it is important to have opportunities for reflecting on direct experiences" (Miami University). These are all activities which give students the opportunity to immerse themselves in real-world scenarios. David Kolb agrees that learning should be about the experience as he states, "when students start with concrete experiences and then have the opportunity to step back and reflect upon the experience, to form generalizations and conceptual models in relation to prior learning, and to test the implications of this conceptualization through new experiences, they can achieve the mastery of both theory and practice" (Duley et al, pp.9, 1986). Kolb agrees that experiential learning is more than sitting in at lectures and about going into the real world for experience. Both articles agree that it is beneficial for students to learn through real world experiences. 

Promotion or Tenure Can Motivate Faculty to Take on Challenges of Community Engaged Learning 
Studies have found that faculty tend to want to be involved within the community, but tend to feel only feel able depending on their work ability. This is expressed within Bloomgarden's work, "Establishing and pursuing community partnerships for research, teaching, or multiple academic and service purposes demands skills and commitment for building and managing off-campus relationships, preparing unconventional syllabi and learning exercises, attending to benefits and responsibilities among students, researchers, and community partners that are equitable and reciprocal, and assessing and documenting student learning". In other words,  adapting to a new teaching system can be challenging to both students and faculty. Faculty may feel as if they are unable to carry the workload. However, chances of promotion and tenure tend to make up for the work. The aspect of community integrated teaching as  being a challenge is backed by a professor at Loyola University, Philip Nyden, as he states, "Many faculty were initially attracted to higher education because it is a world where questioning the status quo can be the norm. It is a world full of challenges and unpredictability".  Both articles agree that adopting a new style of teaching is challenging but can be integrated if faculty see the benefits such as, expanding their education, promotions, and seeing their work in action. 
 

There are Long-term Benefits Withing Large-scale Collaborations Between Businesses and Schools
There are many long-term benefits for having large-scale collaborations between businesses and schools. It could lead to the students using their experience both in and out of school. "Most unexpected was the level of application and transfer of academic concepts to practical situations, reinforcing the conclusion that social and emotional context can facilitate transfer"(Blatt-Gross,2023). Blatt-Gross talked how in the study, even after the engaged learning project had ended, students still kept using what they had gotten in said project, in and out of school. Furthermore it also gives students what they keep for the future, "Understanding their future role as engineers, reinforcing the idea that their work responds directly to the real needs in the community"(Goggins, 2022). Goggins talks how in Ireland and years of doing projects with the community led to students to learn what they did have an impact and help the future. However, for there to be a large collaboration between a school and community there would be many different obstacles that could hinder it. One of the obstacles is that some parts of industry that believe that college students or graduates aren't ready, "there is a gap between what industry practitioners need and what academic experts provide"(Rhinehart,2022). Rhinehart talks about how industries in communities have a hard time connecting with academia, but when it is connected then good things happen. Also that before projects could start there must first a model of how things should go and if it would work."there is a need to identify emerging WIL models that enable flexibility while optimizing outcomes for stakeholders(Kay, 2019)" these models are new, but could have issues that haven't been seen yet. Though community and education collaboration are very good there could still be issues in how they're implemented.