Abstract
This case study exemplifies how health communication research can be integrated pedagogically with service learning in undergraduate courses. The service learning structure is used to blend academic theory with health-related interventions. The empirical project was “Advocating Community Gardens to Improve Food Justice” in a disadvantaged urban community. Students studied communication theories and health literacy research that could guide their campaign development. Specifically, students were guided by communication theory, including (1) Paul Lazarsfeld’s two-step flow theory that states that the media influence opinion leaders, who then influence others; and (2) Everett Rogers’ diffusion of innovations theory, which describes how early adopters of new ideas or products sway later adopters. In this study, the students collaborated with an actual client—the Sweet Auburn Historic District Development Corporation in Atlanta. For this case study, the Historic District Development Corporation (HDDC) engaged a class of undergraduate students in the Integrated Communication Capstone course to spearhead a community garden campaign that planted seeds of hope and renewal in the heart and soul of Atlanta–the beloved Sweet Auburn Historic District, which had become a designated “food desert.” This case study provides an exemplar for future projects that integrate health communication research with service learning.
Presenters
Arla BernsteinAssociate Professor, Liberal Studies, Mercer University, Georgia, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Health Communication Research, Service Learning, Food Justice
