20+ U-M Initiatives Supporting Social Impact and Public Engagement

Eric Joyce, Marketing Specialist
@ericmjoyce

Coursera recently announced a series of 14 empowering and transformative learning experiences from institutions around the world addressing difficult issues facing global society today.

#LearnActImpact from Coursera is designed to encourage learners to explore these courses in depth and apply their learning at the individual, community and societal level. In light of the University of Michigan’s longstanding commitment to public engagement and impact, the Office of Academic Innovation continues to support the University’s ongoing social contract by expanding access to educational resources in the areas of equity, diversity and inclusion, social justice, environment and sustainability and more.

In creating a culture of innovation in learning, we have partnered with many faculty innovators and academic units to create new opportunities for on campus and global learners to engage around topics most important to addressing societal, economic and political problems.

We encourage you to explore these educational opportunities and engage in thoughtful discussion about these important global challenges.

Group of young people planting in a treeAct On Climate: Steps to individual, community and political action, School for Environment and SustainabilityDeveloped by a team of faculty, staff and students, this new MOOC encourages and supports social action to address and respond to climate change at the individual, community and political levels.


Man speaking to crowd and illustration of a red AIDS ribbonAIDS: Fear and Hope, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts Learn about the economic, social and political factors and basic biology of the virus, HIV, and the disease it causes, AIDS, as well as the progress of scientific research and medical treatments.


Lady Justice sculptureData Science Ethics, College of Engineering Explore how ethics apply to data ownership, different aspects of privacy, how to get informed consent, and what it means to be fair.


Democratic to Authoritarian RuleDemocratic to Authoritarian Rule, School for Environment and Sustainability Understand how contemporary changes in political systems fit into the larger historical context of how countries shift between democratic and authoritarian governments in this Teach-Out.


Fake News, Facts, and Alternative FactsFake News, Facts, and Alternative Facts, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts Learn how to distinguish between credible news sources and identify information biases in this Teach-Out to become a critical consumer of information.


Woman pointing to a crowd of business professionals raising their handsLeading for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Higher Education, School of EducationExplore new approaches to leadership in higher education in the context of equity, diversity and inclusion.


Leading Educational Innovation and Improvement MicroMastersLeading Educational Innovation and Improvement MicroMasters, School of EducationGain new knowledge and core skills to advance educational instruction through educational policy, reform and practice.


Children working on desktop computers in a library computer labPublic Library Management, School of InformationLibrary professionals can expand their toolkit of management strategies in this new series of courses.


Yes check boxSecuring Digital Democracy, College of Engineering Learn what every citizen should know about the security risks, and future potential, of electronic voting and Internet voting.


Saluting veteranService Transformed: Lessons in U.S. Veteran Centered Care, Medical School Learn the origins of Academic Medical Centers and Veterans Administration affiliations, recognize and manage the influence of bias, class, and power on clinical encounters and reflect on the biases that affect U.S. veterans.


Smiling people sitting on a benchSocial Work: Practice, Policy and Research MicroMasters, School of Social Work Better understand social work core theories and practices.


Stand up for Science: Practical Approaches to Discussing Science that MattersStand Up for Science: Practical Approaches to Discussion Science that Matters,  College of Literature, Science, and the Arts & School of Public Health – Develop strategies to effectively bridge communications between public audiences and scientific researchers in this Teach-Out.


The Future of Obamacare - Repeal, Repair, or Replace?The Future of Obamacare: Repeal, Repair, or Replace?, School of Public Health Understand the facets of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and how different options for its future will impact the U.S. healthcare landscape in this Teach-Out.


Young man looking in the distance standing in front of a wall of graffitiYouth Civil Rights Academy, School of Social Work An interactive, digital portal for high school students to learn about their rights in a modern day context, share their stories and experiences and discover resources for effecting change at different levels.


In addition to these initiatives, the Michigan community continues to engage around topics that align closely with our commitments to impact and public engagement. The following new courses and learning experiences are currently in development.

Building a Business for Social Impact, Ross School of Business Explore if, when and how to launch a social enterprise.

Centering (IM)Visible Voices, School of Education Explore the lived experiences of historically marginalized individuals.

Community Organizing for Social Justice in Diverse Democracy, School of Social Work Examine strategies for organizing for social justice in a diverse democratic society.

Governing Sustainability, School for Environment and Sustainability Examine sustainability governance strategies of real-world decision makers.

Mass Incarceration in the U.S.: Toward Decarceration, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts Explore an accessible and educational frame to thoughtfully examine the history, societal impacts, and efficacy of the American penal system.

Storytelling for Social Change, School of Music, Theatre and Dance Learn how theatre can motivate social change and activism.

Upcoming Teach-Outs The next round of weekend-long, global community learning events will focus on modern civil rights and liberties, the evolution of the Internet, privacy and identity in a Big Data era and sleep deprivation.

Using Digital Modules to Holistically Prepare Students for Sustainable Community Engagement, School of Social Work Learn how to effectively and respectfully engage in, work alongside, and transition from a community-based initiative.


We encourage faculty innovators and cross disciplinary teams to help us continue to fulfill the University’s commitment to social impact by partnering with us! Learn how you can get involved. We also ask the greater to community to share their ideas, recommendations and enriching experiences for new innovative approaches in support of social engagement in the Ideas2017 Challenge.

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