You’ve probably heard of Community Service Learning (CSL) at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, but what does it really mean when students explore real social issues as part of their studies? And could that kind of hands-on approach work in your teaching too? In this series, we zoom in on existing CSL examples at VU. Learn more about how CSL works in different fields and how it might fit with the way you teach.
In this edition: Movement Sciences students engage with real-world challenges through eight different projects in the course Vitality and Vulnerability in the Elderly
Learning about healthy ageing through real-life assignments
This year marks the second run of the course Vitality and Vulnerability in Older Adults, part of the Health minor within the Bachelor of Human Movement Sciences. Lecturer and PhD candidate in healthy ageing, Dax Houtkamp, developed the course around a central question: how do you help students not only build theoretical knowledge, but also gain a concrete sense of their future career opportunities? Through a mix of lectures, coaching sessions, and practical assignments, students tackle pressing issues around healthy ageing.
Theory and practice
The course is designed so that most of the theory is covered in the first half, including lectures and a midterm exam. This allows students to fully dedicate the second half to their project with a societal partner, directly applying the knowledge they have acquired in a realistic setting.
Collaborating with societal organisations
Whereas students normally spend much of their time in lecture halls, this course offers them the chance to work directly with societal partners. This year, no fewer than eight organisations are involved, including GGD Amsterdam, Stichting VoorUit, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (AUAS/HvA), and social welfare organisation Combiwel.
Students research and design interventions that contribute to the vitality of older adults, ranging from balance training to reduce fall risks, to developing sports programmes that promote social connectedness among seniors.
Finale: a ‘dragons’ den’ with all partners
The course concludes with a special event: a ‘dragons’ den’-style session in which all societal partners come together. Student groups present their findings and recommendations to a panel of the organisations involved, who serve as the jury. This setup creates a lively, practice-oriented ending and provides students with valuable feedback directly from the field.
Beyond knowledge: building professional identity
For many students, this is their first experience applying academic knowledge outside the university. While challenging, it provides highly valuable learning opportunities. They discover their strengths, receive feedback from partners and peers, and reflect on their development through portfolio assignments.
Looking ahead
In the coming years, Dax aims to further expand the course and share the lessons learned more broadly within the curriculum. His ultimate goal: to help students explore their own future perspectives while also contributing to pressing societal challenges.
