Wood inspires civic engagement through service-learning in film production course

Students in Rulon Wood's FILM 391 course created short public service announcement videos for the League of Women Voters of Idaho to increase voter participation among their fellow undergraduates.

Rulon Wood

"Watching the students get involved with the community is so wonderful," Wood said. "The Service-Learning Program at Boise State and the League of Women Voters have shown me that the skills that students are gaining can benefit the community as a whole. It warms my heart."

After seeing the students' PSAs, Kendal Shaber, co-director of Voter Rights and Services for the League of Women Voters of Idaho, was eager to share the work broadly.

"I like that the students gave some thought to obstacles students face when voting for the first time," she said. "I will proudly send this to the League of Women Voters U.S. They will distribute it to thousands of members nationwide."

Student Learning

Wood's innovative approach to teaching allows students to develop professional skills in collaboration, communication and film production while actively engaging in their community. Through this project creating PSAs, students developed essential documentary film production skills, from interviewing and filming, to editing and delivering a final product. The service-learning component challenged students to interact professionally with clients, in this case, the League of Women Voters, and to manage all phases of the production process. This real-world experience allowed students to understand the impact of their work and see themselves as professionals in the field. The PSAs created by Ru's students can be viewed in Google Drive.

Community Impact

The impact of Wood's service-learning initiative extends beyond the classroom. By partnering with the League of Women Voters, students contributed directly to an effort aimed at increasing voter participation. The PSAs they produced are designed to reach a broad audience of college students, helping to address the historically low voting rates among young adults. In addition, students created a longer documentary that explores a relevant issue from multiple perspectives and encourages community engagement. Shown in various venues, the students' films created a meaningful, wide-reaching impact on their peers and the community at large.

Instructor Investment

Wood thoughtfully designed this project with the key goal of supporting his students' professional development while serving the needs of a client. Throughout the process, Wood collaborated with the League of Women Voters, who played an active role in orienting students, providing feedback, and helping review the final PSAs. By maintaining regular contact with the League of Women Voters throughout the semester, Wood ensured that both students and the community partner benefited from the project. By connecting students with an external organization and incorporating opportunities for reflection, he fostered a strong sense of civic engagement and the value of participating in democratic processes.

Wood's approach exemplifies the power of service-learning to foster both academic and personal growth while making a positive impact on the community. His commitment to student success and civic engagement serves as an inspiration to other faculty members interested in integrating service learning into their courses.

For more information on integrating service learning into a course, contact [email protected].

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